There is a wealth of choice for would-be shoppers in Florence. The following is a suggested tour organized according to area. Obviously it does not include everything the city has to offer, but is a good starting point for anyone wanting to explore one of the world's great shopping capitals.

There is a wealth of choice for would-be shoppers in Florence. The following is a suggested tour organized according to area. Obviously it does not include everything the city has to offer, but is a good starting point for anyone wanting to explore one of the world's great shopping capitals.

For top-of-the-range products the place to start is Via Tornabuoni, once the city's refined salotto buono, where you can find all the big designer names and top-class jewellers. Chic purchases can also be made in nearby Via della Vigna Nuova. Unfortunately, some of the traditional old shops that used to be located in these streets have closed in recent years.

However, many traditional Florentine shops of historic status can still be found in the city centre. These range from antiques' shops packed with riches, especially in Via dei Fossi, Via Maggio and the surrounding streets, to the characteristic goldsmiths' and jewellery shops on Ponte Vecchio.

One of Florence's most characteristic shopping areas starts in the Oltrarno, immediately after Ponte Vecchio, in the Santo Spirito neighbourhood. Here you can find small bars, eateries and craft studios and workshops specializing in wood products, jewellery, lamps, metal vases, but also hat shapes in wood, classic Florentine straw hats and many other original items. In the piazza overlooked by the splendid Church of Santo Spirito, a national and ethnic craft fair is held on the second Sunday of each month. Concentrated in the nearby neighbourhood of San Frediano, also in the Oltrarno, are some of the workshops specializing in Florence's greatest and most traditional craft products: fabrics for furnishings, hand-wrought and decorated silverware, hand-made shoes and glass objects inspired by antique designs.

Florence is also famous for the manufacturing of leather goods: bags, shoes, clothing items. The leather shops are mainly clustered in the Santa Croce area.

Some real finds can also be had, with a bit of luck, in the flea market in Piazza dei Ciompi. The Mercato del Porcellino (so named after a statue of a wild boar that can be found there) in Via Calimala was once known chiefly for its straw items, but now also sells various leather and hand-embroidered articles.

Anyone who enjoys strolling around market stalls should not miss the Tuesday market at the Cascine Park, or the San Lorenzo Market in the heart of the city centre, where you can buy souvenirs, clothing items and bags. In the two-floor covered market, a beautiful Liberty-style iron and glass structure, visitors can find a wide range of foods and groceries. Another typical market in Florence is that of Sant'Ambrogio, also housed in a masonry structure dating to the second half of the 19th century and covered with an iron and cast-iron pavilion. Grocers and butchers are in the covered area, while fruit, vegetables, clothing and household products are sold under the canopy outside. Finally, do not miss the colourful stalls at the market of free artisans in the garden on Lungarno Pecori Giraldi. Here, you find a list of the markets and supermarkets  in town.

Shops
Most shops of tourist interest are in the historic city centre. Opening hours are generally from 9am to 7.30 pm, with half-day closing on Saturday afternoon (in summer) and Monday morning (in winter). Some shops close for lunch between 1pm and 3.30-4pm.
However, there are a fair number of exceptions to these opening hours. Large supermarkets and retailers usually have longer hours, and all shops have special permission to stay open longer in summer and when important trade fairs are on.

Outlets
The factory outlets of some of the top names on the Italian fashion scene are an increasing draw for Italian and foreign visitors alike. Find the list of outlets in the surroundings of Florence.