World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Florence  - Shopping
Shopping

Second only to culture in the city comes shopping. Florence has been a centre of craftsmanship since the Middle Ages when shoemakers and goldsmiths were accorded the same status as artists and sculptors. Today, the city remains famous for its high-quality leather produce, goldsmiths and marbled paper. Artisans can still be seen plying their trade in workshops all over the city. The area around Santa Croce is home to the city's leather-makers, while the Oltrarno is cluttered with the workshops of local gold and silversmiths - although the Ponte Vecchio is home to the glitzier shops.

Designer boutiques cluster around the Via de' Tornabuoni and Via Calzaiuoli where Versace, Ferragamo, Gucci and Valentino all have stores. The more frugal can find copies in the open-air San Lorenzo Market in Piazza San Lorenzo, northwest of the Duomo. Leather belts and bags, silk scarves and soft wool jerseys can be picked up for a song - although it is advisable to check the quality before buying. Nearby stands the covered food market. Bursting with olives, hams, cheeses and fresh vegetables, it is the perfect place to buy a picnic or just indulge a love of grub. The flea market at Piazza dei Ciompi specialises in antiques and collectable junk and provides an enjoyable rummage for the bargain-hunter.

Specialist shops worth a visit include the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, Via Scala 16. Housed in a frescoed chapel, this old-fashioned chemist was founded by monks in the sixteenth century. Lotions, potions and herbal remedies abound in elegant packaging. Handmade shoes created in time-honoured tradition can be purchased at Francesco, Via Santo Spirito 62r, while Pineider is considered the most exclusive stationers in all Italy, having designed calling cards for Napoleon, Byron and Maria Callas, among others. As a rule, shops open 0930-1300 and 1530-2000, although larger department stores and supermarkets may stay open throughout the day. Food shops are usually closed on Wednesday afternoons, or Saturday afternoons in the summer. Clothes shops are often closed on Monday mornings. There is limited opening on Sundays. Sales tax is 12-14% depending on the value of goods purchased. Non-EU citizens should retain receipts for goods over L300,000 to reclaim their VAT (IVA).



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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