Cascine Park is located on the North side of the Arno, just outside the city walls at Porto al Prato. On Tuesday mornings from 7-2 there is a huge open air market. The market has everything that you can imagine and is widely attended by Italians. It is not a tourist market. They have handbags, shoes, clothes of all types, fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, salamis, honey, cooked food vendors, pets (hamsters, rabbits, and birds) and all of their supplies, kitchenware, and carpets. Just about anything that you need can be found at this market and at a good price.
I go to Cascine often for bike riding and have found real enjoyment in all of the beautiful big trees and the quiet pathways for biking and walking. In the park, there are no motor vehicles and large fields for field sports and picnicking, fountains, some food vendors for a sandwich or a drink, real tranquility away from the noise and tourists in the city.
You can rent bikes in Cascine and it is a great way to slow down your holiday a little and really relax. Go on a Tuesday morning and buy a picnic lunch from the vendors and go for a long walk in the silence of the forest located at Cascine. My favorite is a roast chicken with friend polenta, some wine, and fresh fruit!