Shopping · Florence · Italy
Shopping in Florence
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Lucarelli, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Florence is known for leather, paper, gold and perfume made by local workshops, from the jewellers on the Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno's bookbinders and framers. Via de' Tornabuoni holds the big fashion houses, including Gucci and Ferragamo, both founded in the city. Best souvenirs: Leather goods, Marbled paper and Olive oil and Chianti.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Leather goods
Where to shop
Via de' Tornabuoni
Florence's luxury street, with Ferragamo's flagship and shoe museum in Palazzo Spini Feroni and the leading Italian fashion houses.
Oltrarno artisan streets
Via Maggio, Via Santo Spirito and Borgo San Frediano for picture framers, bookbinders, jewellers and antique dealers working in their own shops.
Ponte Vecchio
Gold and jewellery shops, many run by the same families for generations, lining both sides of the bridge.
Via de' Calzaiuoli and Via Roma
Mainstream fashion and Italian high-street brands on the pedestrian streets between the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria.
Markets
San Lorenzo leather stalls
Outdoor stalls around the Mercato Centrale selling bags, belts and jackets; quality varies, so check the stitching and bargain politely.
Mercato Nuovo (Il Porcellino)
A 16th-century loggia with stalls of leather, scarves and souvenirs; rubbing the bronze boar's snout is said to bring you back to Florence.
Sant'Ambrogio Market
The neighbourhood food market, with an outdoor section of clothes and household goods and very local prices.
What to buy
Leather goods
Gloves, wallets and bags from established workshops; the leather school behind Santa Croce sells pieces made on site.
Marbled paper
Hand-marbled paper, notebooks and bound journals made in Florentine paper workshops using centuries-old techniques.
Olive oil and Chianti
Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil and Chianti Classico; ask the shop to wrap bottles well for checked luggage.
Perfume and toiletries
Soaps, colognes and herbal preparations from the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, sold in its frescoed historic shop.
Tuscan ceramics
Hand-painted majolica plates and jugs, including pieces from Montelupo Fiorentino, a ceramics town just west of the city.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Landmark · Arno riverfront
Ponte Vecchio
Florence's oldest bridge, rebuilt after a flood in 1345, has been lined with goldsmiths' and jewellers' shops since the Medici evicted the butchers in the 1590s.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- Shopping
- History
Market · San Lorenzo
Mercato Centrale
The 1874 cast-iron market hall has butchers, tripe counters, cheesemongers and greengrocers on the ground floor and a modern food hall upstairs with counters for fresh pasta, pizza, lampredotto and Tuscan wine at long shared tables.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Kids
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Schiacciata, Crostini di fegatini, Finocchiona and Tuscan salumi and Cantucci and Vin Santo. Bakeries (forni) across the city; the sandwich shops on Via dei Neri behind the Uffizi draw long lunchtime queues. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Croce | $$$ | Franciscan basilica, leather workshops and late-opening bars east of the centre |
| Oltrarno and Santo Spirito | $$$ | Artisan workshops, a church square full of bars and the Pitti Palace across the river |
| San Frediano | $$ | Old working-class streets turned wine bars and craft shops near Porta San Frediano |
| San Niccolò | $$$ | A small riverside quarter below Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato |
| Santa Maria Novella | $$ | Station district with a Gothic basilica and the widest choice of hotels |
| San Lorenzo and San Marco | $$ | Market halls, the Medici church and the Accademia just north of the Duomo |
| Sant'Ambrogio | $$ | Local food market, Piazza dei Ciompi and neighbourhood trattorias |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Tipping is not expected in Italy. The coperto covers bread and table service; locals leave a few coins or round up for good service, and about 5–10% is generous in a fine restaurant.
- Greet shopkeepers with 'Buongiorno', or 'Buonasera' from mid-afternoon, when you walk in, and say 'Grazie, arrivederci' as you leave.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February and November; the busiest months are June–July.
- January: Winter sales — shop discounts across the city (usually from early January)
- January: Pitti Uomo — international menswear fair (usually mid-January)
- April: Maggio Musicale Fiorentino — opera and concert festival (usually from late April into June)
- June: Pitti Uomo — menswear fair (usually mid-June)
- November: Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce (usually from late November)
- December: Christmas tree and nativity scene in Piazza del Duomo (usually from early December)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and shopping
Santa Maria Novella
Station district with a Gothic basilica and the widest choice of hotels
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Florence?
Leather goods, Marbled paper, Olive oil and Chianti and Perfume and toiletries.
+Where is the best shopping in Florence?
Via de' Tornabuoni: Florence's luxury street, with Ferragamo's flagship and shoe museum in Palazzo Spini Feroni and the leading Italian fashion houses.
+What are the best markets in Florence?
San Lorenzo leather stalls, Mercato Nuovo (Il Porcellino) and Sant'Ambrogio Market.