You will discover on your Florence tours that shopping in Florence is a unique experience. Florence shops are generally open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3.30 pm to 7.30 pm. On Mondays, the shops usually open in the afternoons only. There are umpteen exclusive designer outlets, boutiques, shops and markets in Florence. The morning is the best time to shop both in the markets as well as the flea markets. Shopping during lunchtime or on the weekends is possible in the center of the city. While shopping in Florence, be prepared that not everything in the markets is available at bargain prices and in some places you may have to haggle hard. The months when sales are generally on are January and July.
Florence is a great place for leather objects such as hand-crafted shoes, gloves, jackets, shoes, wallets and briefcases. Along the Via Vigna Nuova and the Via Tornabuoni, there are designer shops such as Ferragamo, Yves Saint Laurent, Sergio Rossi, Prada, Bottega, Veneta, Versace, Gucci and Bulgari. The Mall is also a good place for great bargains on designer brands. The New Market ( an open air market is under the Loggia del Porcellino and is a good place for leather goods. San Lorenzo (an open air market) famed for its food produce and areas around the flea market of Santa Croce (an open air market) are also good places for leather goods. Shopping in Florence is a dream in leather and the fortunate do not come back without a pair of custom-made shoes or gloves.
Mercato Nuovo means a new market. The Mercato Nuovo market (an open air market) was created from 1547 to 1551 to sell luxury goods such as silk. Nowadays it is renowned for leather products and souvenirs. The Mercato Centrale near Basilica of San Lorenzo and Medici-Riccardi Palace is famed for food and food products.
You can get good antiques such as wooden chairs and tables, chandeliers and vases in the area around San Spiroto. Mercato delle Pulci at the Piazza dei Ciompi has great antique stalls. At the Via Maggio, do not be surprised if you come across antiques from the 16th century.
While shopping in Florence at the Ponte Vecchio, you can find a good range of gold and silver jewelery. Though the bargains of yore are fewer now, Ponte Vecchio is an experience that should figure on your Florence travel itinerary.
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