Entry via della Vigna Vecchia, Florence — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Via della Vigna Vecchia is one of those Florence streets that tells its story right in its name. "Old Vineyard Street" dates back to when the monks of the Badia Fiorentina tended grapevines here, long before the area became part of the dense urban fabric of medieval Florence. The vineyard was also once called the vineyard of Sant'Apollinare, after a nearby church that has since disappeared.

The street runs from Via Isola delle Stinche (near Piazza San Simone) to Piazza San Firenze, intersecting the atmospheric Via dell'Acqua along the way. Part of the route was historically known as Via della Giustizia ("Street of Justice"), named for the nearby Palazzo del Bargello where the Capitano di Giustizia once administered Florence's legal system.

Walking this street connects you to two very different sides of medieval Florence: the contemplative world of monastic vineyards and the stern world of civic justice. The old name was changed to "vecchia" (old) to distinguish it from "vigna nuova" (new vineyard) belonging to the monks of San Pancrazio elsewhere in the city.

Today, Via della Vigna Vecchia is a quiet passage through Florence's historic center, connecting major piazzas through narrow medieval lanes. It is the kind of street that rewards slow exploration. The building facades hide centuries of stories, and every intersection opens onto another piece of the city's layered past.

A Questo quest through Florence's backstreets takes you through passages like this one, where the history is written in the street names themselves.