Most of the families in the oldest part of the city live in old stone buildings that lack central heating. Many of the families in the suburbs make their homes in modern apartment buildings. Florentines, like most Italians, traditionally eat their largest meal at lunchtime. This meal may include fruit, meat, vegetables, and one of several kinds of noodles called pasta, such as spaghetti or ravioli. Florence has many public markets.
Shoppers meet daily in the marketplaces and chat as they shop.
The Mercato Nuovo, a merchandising square in the heart of Florence, attracts thousands of tourists each day. Education and cultural life. Florence is the home of the University of Florence and several research institutes. The Academy of Fine Arts and the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory of Music are also in the city. Operas are presented at the Teatro Comunale and the Teatro Verdi.