Florence wine windows are small holes in the walls of the city — about a foot wide, often arched, set into the stone of palazzi that are 400 years old. Most tourists walk past without seeing them. The ones who notice usually think they were once for letters or for cats.
They were for wine. During the plague of 1630 the noble families who owned vineyards in Chianti needed a way to keep selling wine without touching the buyers, and the buchette del vino were the answer. Money in, bottle out, no contact. The system worked so well it stayed in use for almost three hundred years before the windows were gradually walled up and forgotten.
Then in 2020 — when the world needed a contactless way to pass things between strangers again — Florence quietly reopened them. Today around forty wine windows are active across the city, some serving wine exactly as they did in the 1600s, others reinvented for gelato, sandwiches, or spritz. These are the ten worth walking to.
The 10 wine windows in Florence worth visiting today
Babae (Via Santo Spirito, 21R)
Located in the Oltrarno, Babae offers Chianti, rosé, spritz, or even a perfectly crafted Negroni. Arrive at 7 PM sharp, as they close quickly.
Cantina de’ Pucci (Via dei Pucci, 4R)
Best for: Central location near major attractions. Opening hours: Varies, usually evening aperitivo time (5-7 PM).
Cantina de’ Pucci is one of the most centrally located Florence wine windows in the city. Most tourists walk past without noticing this centuries-old opening carved into ancient stone. Their carefully curated selection typically includes excellent Chianti and Vernaccia, sometimes accompanied by traditional crostini.
Vivoli Gelato (Via dell’Isola delle Stinche, 7R)
Best for: Sweet treats. Opening hours: During regular shop hours (11 AM – 7 PM).
While not serving wine, Vivoli — one of Florence’s oldest gelaterias — has creatively repurposed their buchetta del vino to serve artisanal gelato.
Osteria delle Brache (Piazza Peruzzi, 3R)
Best for: Authentic local atmosphere. Opening hours: Approximately 6-9 PM, but varies seasonally.
Osteria delle Brache offers a less polished, more authentic buchette del vino experience. You might need to visit multiple evenings to catch it open, but the reward is an experience that feels genuine rather than curated for tourists.
Osteria Belle Donne (Via delle Belle Donne, 16R)
Best for: Refined wine selection. Opening hours: During restaurant hours.
Located on a quieter street near Florence’s shopping district, Osteria Belle Donne maintains a more refined buchette del vino experience. Visit during early evening hours when the restaurant is open to order through their wine window.
Fiaschetteria Fantappié (Via dei Serragli, 47R)
Best for: Old-world authenticity. Opening hours: Inconsistent — mid-to-late afternoon offers best chances.
Their wine window isn’t commercialised or dressed up for tourists; it simply exists as it has for centuries.
Il Latini (Via dei Palchetti, 6R)
Best for: Combining with a legendary dinner experience. Opening hours: Dinner only — roughly 7 PM to 10 PM.
This famous Florentine institution has revived their buchetta del vino on a quiet backstreet near their main restaurant. The house red and white wines flow generously through this opening in the evenings, sometimes accompanied by small bites from their renowned kitchen. Visit between 7-10 PM, with earlier times recommended to avoid crowds.
Il Santo Bevitore (Via di San Salvi, 9)
Best for: Wine connoisseurs seeking variety. Opening hours: 12 PM – 11 PM.
This Oltrarno establishment blends tradition with modern wine culture. Their buchette del vino, tucked behind the main restaurant, offers a carefully curated selection from both Tuscany and beyond. Visit between 4-6 PM when the kitchen prepares for dinner service.
Vino e Olio (Via de’ Neri, 26)
Best for: Family-run hospitality. Opening hours: 12 PM – 10 PM.
This cozy enoteca operated by a local family provides a personal buchette del vino experience. The owner often chats with visitors while serving house reds, whites, and their own olive oils through the historic opening. The late afternoon to early evening offers the best opportunity to interact with the family.
Antico Vinaio (Via dei Neri, 74R)
Best for: Combining with Florence’s famous sandwiches. Opening hours: 10 AM – 12 AM.
This legendary sandwich shop, known for mind-blowing schiacciata (Tuscan sandwiches), also operates a buchetta del vino. Their house Chianti pairs perfectly with their famous sandwiches, creating a complete Florentine street food experience. Visit in late afternoon or evening to enjoy both their renowned food and wine window service in one of Florence’s most celebrated culinary establishments.
Practical tips for visiting Florence wine windows
Do you need cash for Florence wine windows?
While historically these windows operated with cash transactions, many revived buchette del vino now accept credit cards and contactless payments, especially those that reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, carrying some cash is advisable, particularly for smaller or more traditional establishments.
Can you drink wine on the street in Florence?
Yes. Public consumption of alcohol is generally permitted in Florence, making it perfectly acceptable to enjoy wine purchased from the buchette del vino while strolling through the city.
Best time to visit Florence wine windows
Most wine windows operate during aperitivo hours (5-8 PM), though specific times vary by establishment. Some operate only for brief periods each day, while others maintain more consistent hours. The early evening generally offers the best chance of finding active buchette del vino throughout the city.
If you’re combining wine windows with a wider Florence trip, the 48 hours in Florence guide shows where to fit them naturally into a two-day route — most are clustered in the Oltrarno and around Santa Croce, both walkable in an evening.
What is a wine window in Florence?
A wine window is a small arched opening cut into the stone wall of a Florentine palazzo, about a foot wide, used to sell wine directly to the street. The Italian name is buchetta del vino. They date from the 1500s, when the Medici allowed noble families to sell wine from their homes tax-free. Most are decorative now. Around ten are still pouring wine through the hole in the wall in 2026.
How many wine windows are in Florence?
There are 181 documented wine windows inside Florence’s historic walls and around 280 across Tuscany. Of those, only about ten are currently operating as actual wine windows where you can order a glass. The rest are sealed, decorative, or have been built over.
Are Florence wine windows still in use?
Yes, ten are still serving. The tradition was effectively dead by the early 1900s when the buildings were divided up and the windows were bricked over. They came back during COVID in 2020 — the contactless system that worked during the 1630 plague worked again. Most have stayed open since then.
How do you order from a wine window in Florence?
Walk up, ring the bell or knock on the wooden hatch, and the staff inside opens it to take your order. The menu is usually posted on the wall next to the window. You pay through the window, they hand you the glass, and you drink it standing in the street. Glasses go back through the window or into the restaurant when you’re done.
How much does a glass of wine at a wine window cost?
Between €5 and €10 for a glass of house wine. Spritz and cocktails run €8–€10. Babae starts at €5–€7 for house wines. Cantina de’ Pucci charges €7 for house red, white, rosé, or prosecco, and €10 for an Aperol or Hugo spritz. Giunti Odeon is at the higher end — €8 for basic wines, €9 for spritz. Prices are usually displayed on a small menu next to each window.
Do you need a reservation for a wine window?
No. Wine windows are first-come, first-served. You ring the bell, you order, you drink. The exception is if you want a table inside the attached restaurant — that often needs a booking, especially at Il Latini and Babae. But the window itself is walk-up only.
Where are most wine windows in Florence located?
Most operating wine windows are in two areas. North of the Arno: around Via delle Belle Donne, Via dei Pucci, and the streets near the Duomo. South of the Arno (Oltrarno): Santo Spirito, Via Santo Spirito, and the streets behind Palazzo Pitti. The Oltrarno windows are quieter and more authentic. The historic centre windows are busier and more photographed.
Why are they called wine windows?
Because they were built specifically for selling wine. The Italian name is buchetta del vino — buchetta means “little hole”, vino is wine. They were the original direct-from-producer retail system, set up so noble families could sell their estate wine from their city palazzi without paying retail tax or letting customers inside the house.
Are wine windows worth it?
If you’re in Florence anyway, yes — for the experience, not the wine itself. The wine is fine, not extraordinary. What you’re paying for is drinking from a 400-year-old hole in a Renaissance palazzo wall. That’s the only place in the world you can do that. If you’re a serious wine drinker looking for a great glass at a fair price, an enoteca will give you better wine for less. If you want a 5-minute experience that doesn’t exist anywhere else on earth, a wine window is the answer.