Florence – is an excellent city to relax: gentle fragrance of flowers, picturesque streets and ancient architecture will hit your eyes and make your trip just unforgettable. But did you know that Florence is also one of the world’s well-known shopping centers? So, when walking along the cozy streets of this amazing Italian city, don’t forget to visit some fashion shops to choose stylish clothes, souvenirs, jewelry or any other interesting accessories…
1. What can you buy in Florence?
Florence is a good shopping destination for those who want to buy:
– a trendy designer coat;
– clothing of famous brands with great discounts (Dior, Gucci, Prada);
– stylish and high-quality leather clothing;
– antiques and original jewelry.
Don’t choose Florence for shopping in case you want to find stock clothes of cheap Italian brands. By the way, the assortment of luxurious brands is not as large as, for example, in Milan.
2. What is the best shopping time in Florence?
The most suitable periods for discount shopping in Florence are:
– during the sales in Italy (January-late February, July-end of August) when you can buy designer clothes of current collections with discounts of 30-50%;
– all year round except for August – new collections in outlets with discounts of 30-70%.
3. Where to shop in Florence?
All shopping spots of Florence can be divided into brand boutiques, outlets and markets. Let’s check out what each of them can offer to decide what place you’d better to go…
Brand boutiques
Florence has a wide selection of boutiques offering clothing from well-known European and Italian fashion designers. They are located mainly on Via Strozzi, Via Guicciardini and Via de Tuornabuoni. These stores sell clothing and accessories from the following brands: Trussardi, Bvlgari, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci and Prada.
If you decide to walk along the Via della Vigna Nuova, you will find Happy Jack, Mila Schon, Pucci, Iceberg, Lacoste and other well-known brands there. This street is also full of antique shops and furniture stores.
Shops in Florence selling men’s and women’s denim clothes can be found on the Via del Corso Street. The most inveterate fashion-mongers should visit the Quintessence store that offers a wide range of denim from Patrizia Pepe, Diesel, DKNY and other famous brands. Those who want to find high-quality knitwear should set off to the Sarah shop.
As a rule, almost all Florence shops work according to the following schedule: 09:00-13:00 and 16:00-20:00. On Monday, the shops open later – usually at 16:00, and on Sunday many of them are closed.
Outlets
Unlike the stores, where every trade mark is represented in a separate way, outlets have a multi-brand system and offer more than 100 different shops in one place. Moreover, outlet shopping can be really money saving: you can enjoy discounts of 30-70% during the whole year there. So, what are the most popular Florence’s outlets?
The Mall Outlet
It’s located 40-minutes’ drive from Florence and offers enormous collection of clothes, shoes, accessories and a huge choice of perfumes. Among the presented labels are mainly luxurious brands such as Burberry, Dior, Alexander McQueen, Hogan, Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Armani, Tod’s, Valentino and many other ones.
Address: Via Europa, 8 Leccio, Reggello FL, Italy
Working hours: daily 10:00-19:00
Barberino Outlet
Barberino Outlet is a home for middle-priced and some luxurious brands. You will find there the following world’s fashion names: D&G, Guess, Motivi, Levi’s, Roberto Cavalli as well as PalZileri, BrunoMagli and Missioni. This outlet is well-known for its great selection of leather clothing. It consists of about 110 different shops and offers everything you need – from clothing, shoes and accessories to electrical and household goods.
Address: Via Meucci, Barberino di Mugello FL, Italy
Working hours: daily 10:00-21:00
Sotto-Sotto Outlet
Sotto-Sotto Outlet gives you a great chance to choose men’s/women’s brand shoes, handbag, evening dress or suit at the most attractive rates. This outlet has gained a huge shopping popularity both among locals and Florence’s visitors. Sotto-Sotto represents such brands as Check Point, D & G, Alpha Massimo Rebecchi, Caterina Masoni, Versace and Agnona.
Address: Via di Fibbiana, 10, Campi Bisenzio FL, Italy
Working hours: Thursday-Sunday 10:00-19:00, Monday 15:00-19.00
Keep in mind that Florence Outlets are located far from the city and apart, so to save time and energy for shopping it’s recommended to get a rental car.
Markets
Well, and in case you want to fully enjoy your shopping, don’t miss Florence’s markets. The most famous ones are:
Market Delle Pulci. It’s situated on Piazza dei Ciompi and its open hours are daily from 9:00 till 19:30. You can find there various souvenirs including coins, prints, jewelry and the other items from the past.
Another market, San Lorenzo, is situated in the center of Florence. Stretching from Piazza S. Lorenzo to Via dell’Ariento it’s the largest market in the city. There’s a huge range of goods suitable for any taste: leather goods, clothing, shoes, souvenirs, etc. The Market doesn’t work on Sundays and Mondays.
It goes without saying that Florence is one of the most amazing Italian shopping destinations. Its numerous boutiques, outlets and markets will make happy even the most exacting shoppers and it can be really a great alternative to Milan.
Author Bio: Lily Berns is a travel writer and specializes in finding the best and brightest things to do, while you travel in different cities of the world. For the very best deals on renting a car for your trip she recommends rentalcars24h.com
