Borgo San Frediano is the main street of the neighbourhood of the same name — a long, slightly battered street running west from Piazza del Carmine to the medieval city gate. It is one of the least changed streets in central Florence, with a mixture of artisan workshops (picture framers, furniture restorers, metalworkers), small grocers, basic trattorias, and wine bars that serve the local population more than visitors.
The character of the borgo is distinct from the smarter Piazza Santo Spirito neighbourhood to the east: here the Oltrarno that existed before gentrification is still partly intact. Side streets off the borgo — Via del Leone, Via del Campuccio — contain more workshops and occasional glimpses into courtyards. In the evenings the wine bars fill with a mixed local-and-student crowd; the trattorias are typically closed on weekends or serve only lunch. Walking the full length of the borgo from San Frediano gate to Piazza del Carmine and back is one of the better ways to spend an afternoon in Florence.