Shopping in Florence: A Guide to the Best Streets and Points of Interest for Shopping

Visiting Florence means immersing ourselves in culture, art and history. But alongside museums, galleries and iconic places, we can also find a rich offer in terms of stores, stores, boutiques, shopping centers.

The cradle of the Renaissance is also a great place for people who like to make all kinds of purchases, from designer clothes to precious objects, from handcrafted goods to fashionable products.

In this guide we will delve into the shopping streets of Florence, providing useful tips and directions for getting around with total agility.

The most famous shopping streets

Florence’s most celebrated shopping spots, those that are a genuine must for the shopping-loving visitor, are located in the heart of the city:

Via de’ Calzaiuoli: the street that connects the Duomo with Piazza della Signoria is one of the most elegant in the historic center. There we find handcrafted clothing and accessory stores, as well as simple brand-name stores;

Via della Vigna Nuova: located between Via de’ Tornabuoni and Piazza Goldoni, it is considered an appendage of Via Tornabuoni and boasts leather goods, antiques, and men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing stores.

Via de’ Tornabuoni

Via de’ Tornabuoni deserves a separate speech devoted entirely to it. The most luxurious and renowned boutiques in Florence rise right here. The street is one of the most elegant in the historic center. It connects Piazza Antinori with the Ponte di Santa Trinita. It is full of haute couture boutiques, jewelry stores, shoe stores, antiques and leather goods.

It is a must-visit destination for those who visit Florence and want to shop while strolling among exclusive boutiques and artisan workshops, a landmark of fashion design.

One of its strengths is its ability to continually reinvent itself with diverse and prestigious activities that can always give it a contemporary aura.

Filled with stately palaces, it houses the stores of the nation’s leading fashion brands, including Gucci and Ferragamo.

Via Roma and surroundings

The Via Roma area is one of the oldest and most historic in the city. It conquers by its elegant appearance due to the presence of numerous 19th-century buildings.

At their feet are clothing and accessory stores, including those of famous brands such as Prada and Gucci.

Recommended for those who love luxurious shopping or those who want to find a fine garment. It is one of the busiest areas in Florence, between Piazza San Giovanni and Ponte Vecchio.

The best shopping malls in Florence

Old Town and the surrounding area of the cradle of the Renaissance also provide different locations in which to find kinds of different stores concentrated in one large environment.

Here are the most popular shopping malls in Florence:

San Donato: located on Via Enrico Forlanini, near Cascine Park, is a shopping center with more than 20 stores located indoors and nearly 60 nearby. With brands such as Media World, Kasanova, Decathlon, Universo Sport, Erbolario, Pittarosso, Pandora;

Coin Group: in Piazza del Grano we find one of the landmarks for clothing and shopping dedicated to the home. Among the highlights is the presence of inexpensive stores, such as the “Koan.” The space is complemented by the presence of the Unicoop supermarket;

Gavinana Shopping Center: located on Via Erbosa, it is among the busiest shopping centers in the city. It boasts Unicoop supermarket, clothing, perfumery, jewelry and electronics stores;

Centro Sesto: On Via Petrosa here is a small but busy shopping center with a variety of stores, a sushi restaurant, and a Unicoop supermarket.

The Mall Florence

About 30 km from the city center is The Mall Florence, one of the most elegant and renowned shopping centers in the whole of Tuscany.

It is located on Via Europa in Leccio and immediately wins you over with its contemporary and refined style, where you can enjoy pleasant experiences while counting on the favorable prices offered by the many stores.

Among the brands featured are Alberta Ferretti, Armani, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Tom Ford, Valentino, and Versace.

Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

I Gigli shopping center

The I Gigli shopping center is about 35 km from the city center, on Via San Quirico in Campi Bisenzio. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Sundays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.), it boasts more than 140 stores, hypermarket, restaurants and food areas.

Top brands include Apple, Adidas, Thun, Swatch, Levi’s, Nike, Napapijri, Lush, Nespresso, KFC; Hollister, Dyson, Tommy Hilfiger.

Many product categories covered: clothing, accessories, home, beauty, DIY, games, bookstore, shoes, sports, technology.

Luxury boutiques and artisan stores

Among the most important and “typical” stores in the city are the characteristic and ancient stores dedicated to local handicrafts, locations where you can find original items and souvenirs to take with you.

Alongside these are Florence’s many luxury stores, concentrated primarily in the historic center and particularly on the elegant Via Tornabuoni.

It is home to the boutiques of major international fashion labels and workshops specializing in leather processing , one of the highest expressions of Made in Italy craftsmanship.

Fashion and accessory stores

Florence is home to a number of fashion houses that have become, over time, a genuine symbol of Italian fashion and manufacturing beauty.

On Via de Tornabuoni we find the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique with its museum, Ermenegildo Zegna, Céline, Montblanc, Prada, Gucci, Bulgari, Tod’s, Hogan, Pomellato, and Ermanno Scervino.

Moving to nearby Via della Vigna Nuova here is Bottega Veneta, Luis Vuitton, Dior, Dolce&Gabbana, Cartier.

In Piazza della Signoria are the Valentino and Chanel boutiques, while on Via Roma here are Miu Miu and Luisaviaroma.

Local crafts and souvenirs

Craftsmanship is one of the essences of the city of Florence. Over the centuries authentic masters have extruded their art by shaping one-of-a-kind objects and souvenirs.

This ancient tradition is still alive and in excellent shape, evidenced by the workshops in the Oltrarno, which still hand down the art from generation to generation.

In the San Niccolò, San Frediano and Santo Spirito areas, we observe centuries-old stores and new workshops.

On Ponte Vecchio we admire stores devoted to the ancient goldsmith tradition, with showcases full of cameos, jewelry, micromosaics and diamonds.

In one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, Santa Croce, we find artisan workshops dedicated to leather and leatherworking.

Moving to Oltrarno we notice the many workshops where we discover handmade creations, Florentine bindings, silver objects, leather shoes, precious stones.