Easy shopping in Florence

For chic purchases visit via Tornabuoni and via della Vigna Nuova: you’ll find names like Gucci, Ferragamo (both the shop and the museum), Prada, Dior, Armani and Tiffany. Close to Piazza della Repubblica, you can find some of the best Italian and foreign designer brands in via Roma, too. But for more affordable prices, visit via Calzaiuoli and via Cerretani.

If you prefer handicraft, in the nearby neighborhood of San Frediano, there are some of the city’s greatest shops featuring goods from the Florentine handcrafting tradition: furniture textiles, hand-decorated silver, handmade shoes, and glass objects inspired by the past. We really recommend to follow this itinerary among the shops of the Oltrarno. Every year since 1931 Florence hosts the annual International Handicraft fair – Mostra Internazionale dell’Artigianato at the Fortezza da Basso. Here you can admire the handworks from the ancient Florence workshops and also from the rest of the world.

If you like antiques items you can still find historical and traditional Florentine shops. Well-stocked antiquarian shops are in via dei Fossi and via Maggio. The third weekend of every month Piazza Indipendenza hosts “Fortezza Antiquaria” antiques fair. Here you can find everything from books to furniture, from jewellery to objects.

If you like leather goods, Florence is also well known for its manufacturing leather items: bags, shoes, belts and articles of clothing. The best leather shops are concentrated mainly in the Santa Croce neighborhood. You can also find nice and cheap souvenirs at Mercato del Porcellino and San Lorenzo open market.

If you love gold Florence has some of Italy's best goldsmiths and as you probably altready know, the Ponte Vecchio is world-famous also for its gold dealers.

Food markets are the ideal attraction for a one-day shopping experience in Florence. The Mercato Centrale or Central Market and the Market of Sant’Ambrogio, were built in the late-nineteenth century when Florence was the capital of Italy. You can also visit one of the many Florence’s historic stores, where you can really relive the atmosphere of the past.