Florence is a compact, walkable city, and most visitors spend their time in the historic center bounded by the viali di circonvallazione (the ring roads that replaced the 13th-century walls). But each neighborhood in Florence has a distinct personality, from the tourist-packed streets around the Duomo to the artisan workshops of the Oltrarno and the student bars of Santa Croce. Choosing the right neighborhood to stay in , or simply knowing which ones to explore , changes your experience of the city completely.
