Florence
is without doubt the one of the main centers for
shopping in Italy
Florence shops are generally open from 09:00
to 13:00 and from 15:30 or 16:00 to 19:00 or
20:00, although many of the bigger shops in
Florence now open all day.
Antiques in Florence
There are many antique shops in Florence, which
specialise in a wide range of goods, including
both genuine antiques and some reproductions
in marble and bronze.
Books, Prints and Art Paper in Florence
Guilo Giannini e Figlio, located at Piazza Pitti,
makes and sells marbled paper, a speciality
of Florence for more than 600 years. Parione
at Via del Parione is well-known in Florence
for selling this traditional marbled paper.Florence
has a large range of bookshops and for visitors
who do not read Italian, the simply named BM,
situated on the corner of Borgo Ognissanti and
Piazza Goldoni, sells a large selection of guidebooks
and books on local history in various languages,
but mainly in English. Feltrinelli, in Via Cavour,also
provides a good choice of foreign language books.
Clothes and Fashion in Florence
Florence is second only to Milan as a source
of Italian high fashion and is also rated highly
for its extensive range of leather goods. There
are many top names in Italian design that reside
in the city's most fashionable shopping street,
Via de' Tornabuoni - including Versace, Gucci
and Ferragamo and nearby in the surrounding
streets such as Via della igna Nuova, Valentino,
Armani and Pucci can be found.More reasonably
priced shops include Via de' Cerretani, Via
del Corso, Via Roma and Via Calimala.
Leather Goods in Florence
Florence has literally hundreds of shops and
market stalls that sell leather goods, such
as shoes, coats, handbags, gloves and belts.
For top quality craftsmanship you need to visit
some of the best known outlets, such as Ferragamo
and Gucci, located at Via de' Tornabuoni. Cellerini,
in Via del Sole, is widely considered the best
shop of its type in the city, specialising in
everything from gloves to lizard-skin handbags,
all of which are made on the premises.
Jewellery in Florence
Jewellers have had a major presence in Florence
on the Ponte Vecchio for over 400 years. The
shops on this bridge are still the most famous
source of jewellery in Florence and offer an
impressive range of high quality pieces. Shops
include Melli, Piccini and Mannelli, which are
some of the top names in Florence. Gold jewellery
in particular is outstanding and is a legacy
of Florence's long tradition of goldsmiths.
