Florence shopping trip: a guide with 3 itineraries for a day of shopping for every budget

Shopping in Florence is a unique experience. Here are the streets, the districts, and the stores that are worth browsing.

Everyone knows that Florence is a city of art. Those who come to visit the city think first of its museums and historical monuments.

Florence, however, has much else to offer.

Since the Middle Ages it has been one of the European capitals of fashion, and it is the city of fine fabrics. More recently Florence has specialized in the production of leather accessories and is certainly a city known for its artistic craftsmanship. For these reasons, during your weekend in Florence it is worth spending some time shopping.

Here is a guide for the best shopping in Florence.

In Florence, everyone can go shopping! In the city you will find both market stalls, for a lower budget, but also luxury shops. You just need to know where to go.

Here are 3 itineraries for a day of shopping in Florence for everyone!

Where to shop in Florence: here the most famous shopping street

In Florence there is no specific street to go shopping. Florence shops are located throughout the historic city center, from the station to the Oltrarno neighborhood. However, in some areas, you will find more easily certain types of products.

• Via Tornabuoni is the street of luxury boutiques.
• On the Ponte Vecchio you will find the finest jewelers.
• In the San Lorenzo area, specifically in via Ginori , and in the Oltrarno neighborhood you can find the artisans and small shops.

Let’s consider these options one by one.

Where to go shopping in Florence and not spend a fortune?
Where can you find luxury shops?
Where are the artisans’ shops that sell locally made products?
Where to shop for gastronomic products?

Here are 3 tailored itineraries for any budget.

Florence: shopping on a budget (+ itinerary)

It is possible to go shopping in Florence without spending a fortune. If you are looking for leather goods, you should definitely visit the stalls outside the Mercato Centrale, in via dell’Ariento, via Sant’Antonino and via Panicale.

Another large market for leather goods is the so-called Mercato Nuovo, in via Calimala, a few steps from Ponte Vecchio. The quality of the products sold at the two markets varies. Leather can fade with wear and tear, and zippers can even break after a while. The prices, however, are certainly accessible, and the sellers will often offer you discounts.

As for clothing stores, the cheapest ones are along via Panzani and via Cerretani, that is, along the street that connects the Santa Maria Novella station and the Duomo. Here, for men’s fashion, you will find Fusaro. For women’s fashion, there are shops like Vestopazzo, Andrea Sassi or H.Studio. Along these streets you will also find shops of various Italian chains such as OVS, Dixi, Mandarina Duck, United Colors of Benetton and cosmetics shops such as Kiko and Douglas.

Luxury shopping in Florence (+ itinerary)

A capital of fashion can’t exist without luxury shops. If you are looking for luxury brand shops in Florence, you should head towards Via Tornabuoni. You will find all the brands here: Gucci, Prada, Armani, Loro Piana, Fendi, and others.

If you continue onto Via dei Rondinelli,  at the end of the street you will find the Florentine boutique Richard Ginori, the historic manufacturer of porcelain. The factory was founded in 1735 by the Marquis Carlo Andrea Ginori in Doccia on the family estate (today a fraction of Sesto Fiorentino). Over time Ginori came to represent Tuscan excellence and Doccia porcelain could be found on the tables and in the collections of European aristocracy, a symbol of elegance, style, and luxury.

Given the importance of Via Tornabuoni, the entire surrounding area has become a luxury shopping area over time. If you are looking for nice shops, which are not cheap, also go to Via della Vigna Nuova, where you can find small boutiques such as Secret, Pink Memories or WP Store. There you will find some men’s fashion shops such as Sartoria Rossi and Boggi. For leather there is Benheart and for children the beautiful shop of Anichini.

Two other similar streets are via del Parione and via Porta Rossa. Here you will find leather bags by Bisonte and Ottino, the boutique Spazio A, and Aspesi with men’s fashion.

Florence: shopping of antiques & collectibles (+ itinerary)

Florence is undoubtedly an important center of both antiques and Italian craftsmanship. The antiques tradition is rooted in its history. In the 19th century, Stefano Bardini, the prince of collectors, busied himself with filling art collections around the world with works of the Italian Renaissance; furthermore, every two years Palazzo Corsini al Parione hosts the Antiquarian Biennial, one of the most important events of its kind which brings collectors and antique dealers to Florence from all over the world.

The main street for antiques is via Maggio. Here you can find shops with very different types of objects. Gallori Turchi specializes in antique weapons, Tornabuoni Arte deals in antique art. PianoD, on the other hand, is my favorite shop with modern antiques.

Florence is also home to two antique markets. One is the flea market in Piazza Annigoni, open from Monday to Saturday. The other is the antique market held on the third weekend of every month (except July and August) in Piazza Indipendenza. “Indipendenza Antiquaria” is one of the most important antique fairs in Italy, where you can find furniture, objects, coin collections, philately and much more!

If you want to give yourself a special gift and take home a unique object made by a Florentine artisan, I recommend you explore both the area of ​​the Central Market, in particular via dei Ginori, and the Oltrarno neighborhood.

In San Lorenzo you can visit the historic Pelletteria Viviani shop, run by the same family for three generations.

Here you will find beautiful women’s bags with classic and elegant lines, rigorously hand-made in the laboratory located at the back of the shop.

In via dei Ginori you can visit the Bottega d’Arte Maselli which still today produces carved frames. This ancient art has been handed down from father to son and is renowned in Florence.

In via Ginori you will also find jewelers and leather shops; recently La Nuova Musiva was opened, one of the four Florentine mosaic workshops, where the Lithuanian artist Di Sabatino brings compositions to life  in semi precious stones.

The artisans in Oltrarno are scattered among the narrow streets of the neighborhood. I recommend taking a walk along the Sdrucciolo dei Pitti that connects Piazza Pitti with Via Maggio. Here you will find Pitti Mosaici, another Florentine  workshop, Eugenia Back Jewelry, Giulia Materia clothing, Telerie Toscane, and the exclusive Haute Couture atelier of Tiziana Alemanni.

Many other artisans have their shops along Via Santo Spirito. Along this street that runs parallel to the Arno and only a few steps from Piazza Santo Spirito, you will find the printing house  Ippogrifo – art, a print shop which creates beautiful hand-colored etchings. Not far from here is the shop/workshop of Marina Calamai, a jewelry designer.

Additionally, almost on the corner with Via dei Serragli is Angela Caputi’s shop, a designer who has managed with her creations to make plastic into something precious. Caputi is the creator of a line of highly appreciated costume jewelry made out of plastic.

Florence’s food & wine shopping delights

One of the most fitting gifts to bring home from a trip to Florence is definitely local food: a piece of pecorino cheese aged in a cave, wild boar salami, a pack of cantuccini biscuits, a bottle of oil or Chianti Classico will make you happy. These are also excellent gifts to bring home to friends and relatives. But where can you find Florence shops of quality food and wine products?

The two places you can’t miss if you are looking for culinary excellence are the two markets: the Mercato Centrale, that is the San Lorenzo market, and the smaller Sant’Ambrogio market. Even today the two markets are the true centers of these neighborhoods. Residents do their shopping here every day, and at the markets you can find quality products at truly competitive prices. The markets offer a great variety of shops,  allowing you to do your shopping all in one place. You can find stalls with cheese and cured meats, oil and wine, but also bread and biscuits.

If you want to discover some specialized shops in the center of Florence, I recommend Pegna in via dello Studio. It is a historic shop that has specialized in typical food products since 1860.

Wine lovers should stop by Enoteca Alessi on Via delle Oche. They have a wide selection of Tuscan and Italian wines. At Alessi you can not only choose a few bottles to take home, but also take part in wine tasting. It is truly a paradise for wine lovers.

Florence: shopping to literary destinations

Florence is not only a city of art but also one of the capitals of publishing in Italy. When I arrived in Florence in 2010, I fell in love with some of the bookstores in the center. Unfortunately, over time, some of my favorite bookstores have closed forever and their closure is a sad sign of the profound transformation of the center of Florence as a result of overtourism. For this reason during your visit to Florence I recommend discovering the bookshops, the used book stores, and even the beautiful antique book shops. My favorite places for a bit of literary shopping in Florence include:

• Libreria TodoModo in via dei Fossi 15R;
• Libreria Arte & Libri in via dei Fossi 32R;
• Children’s bookstore Todo Modo Dilà in via dei Serragli 18R;
• Libreria Gozzini in via Ricasoli 103R;
• Used book stand in via Martelli, in front of the Church of San Giovannino degli Scolopi;
• The international bookshop Paperback Exchange in via delle Oche 4R.

Allow yourself to get lost in the streets of Florence and have fun shopping in Florence!

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