Are you a serious book worm who is dreaming of a getaway to a perfect villa in Florence? Are you looking for attractions that are a little off the beaten track and suitable for those who love nothing more than a great read and evocative settings? Well, then why not head to a café with an unbeatable view of the city’s Duomo that is located inside an especially scenic public library? Sounds like a perfect bookish adventure on vacation in Tuscany to us!
The Biblioteca delle Oblate, or the Oblate Library, is located inside a former convent building that is right in the historic centre of Florence, mere steps from the city’s grand cathedral and its towering dome overhead. The Oblate complex itself dates back to the 14th century and was transformed into a public library in the 20th century. In 1953 it was named the central municipal library of Florence.
The collection at the library features 100,000 books, 40,000 of which are on open shelves and has a newspaper collection, a children and teens section, a contemporary section, and a science and technology section. However, the Oblate Library particularly specialises in works of historical and cultural interest and aims to exhaustively document the cultural, political, and administrative history of Florence and Tuscany. Many historical documents and books, old and new, have been bequeathed and donated to the library and there is a dedicated conservation and local history room.
For most tourists, especially those who don’t speak Italian, the contents of the library – though fascinating – will probably not be particularly accessible. However, if you head through this beautiful old building and charming library, up the stairs, and to the top floor, you will find the terrace named after Brazilian politician and activist Marielle Franco and the café, which boasts a view of the Duomo that is hard to beat. Bring your own book along with you and you can enjoy a moment of calm, away from the tourist crowds and queues but right in the centre of things and of the city, with the remarkable cityscape and iconic dome as your backdrop. If you happen to make your way there on a summer evening, you may even be lucky enough to catch live music as the library often hosts special cultural nights and events!
So, come enjoy a stunning café right in the centre of the city (without the throngs of tourists that are at most places or interruptions by street vendors selling goods to those sitting outdoors in the piazze), take in some utterly amazing views over Florence, enjoy the beautiful building and the distinctive smell of old books that many of us love so dearly, and then discover this excellent hidden gem in the birthplace of the Renaissance. For the book lovers among us, it is an absolutely unmissable spot if you find a vacation rental in Florence and are spending time exploring the bookish nooks and crannies of this culture-steeped city.
Biblioteca delle Oblate
Via dell'Oriuolo, 24
055 2616512
055 2616523
bibliotecadelleoblate@comune.fi.it
Opening hours:
Monday from 2pm to 7pm.
Tuesday from 9am to 7pm.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 11pm.
Saturday from 10am to 11pm.
On Monday and Tuesday, the outdoor spaces are available until 8pm.
Special openings:
Sunday the 1st and the 15th of December from 10am to 7pm
Days that the library is closed throughout the year:
The 1st and the 2nd of November
The 8th, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 30th, and 31st of December
The 1st and the 6th of January 2025
Summer closure:
From the 9th to 17th of August 2024.