Piazza della Repubblica, Duomo, via Calzaiuoli, Palazzo Vecchio
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Santa croce, galleria degli uffizi, Ponte vecchio, mercato centrale
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outlets
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official days off
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Shopping in florence
City guide
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via tornabuoni
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If you ask any taxi driver in Florence where to do shopping, he will probably say “via Tornabuoni”. But not because he is getting paid for it, but simply because Tornabuoni street is the most famous and the most luxury street in the city. It goes from Antinori square to ponte Santa Trinità, across Santa Trinità square, which is in the very center of the city.
The street houses high fashion boutiques, belonging to stylists such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Enrico Coveri, Roberto Cavalli,Emilio Pucci and many others. Moreover, there are some of the most exquisite, elegant hotels, chic coffee shops and restaurants. At Christmas you can see here enormous queues to Tiffani & Co., in summer – a cobbled way podium. So, if you want to have a nice shopping day, start it from here.
Some tips: • All the shops are open from Monday to Saturday 10.00 – 19.30, Sunday 11.00 -19.30. • Start from the Antinori square so you can have a break sitting right on the Santa Trinità bridge, eating the most tasty ice-cream ever and admiring Ponte Vecchio. • There is a Salvatore Ferragamo museum on the Santa Trinità square where you can find out how the famous and talented shoemaker started his career. • Via Tornabuoni is a pedestrian zone, there is no parking place. The nearest one is in via delle Terme, a few steps from the Santa Trinità square. • If you find the fashion is a little too expensive for your budget, you can still get a real taste of (affordable) luxury at Cafe Roberto Cavalli, right next to the boutique. In short, it’s a kind of Paradise for all: shopers, windows shopers, beauty lovers and for those who breathe art and fashion…
Piazza della Repubblica, Duomo, via Calzaiuoli, Palazzo Vecchio
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When finish with Via Tornabuoni, go to Piazza della Repubblica (the largest square in Florence), passing through the dominant element of the square “Arco del Trionfo” (triumphal arch). From this moment your shopping becomes cultural in all senses. Here, in this square, you can easily indulge into the city atmosphere: street musicians who are playing guitar, trumpet, tambourine… Artists of all kinds who are doing crazy things just in front of you. A famous merry-go-round, gorgeous Italian policemen carabinieri who are walking on piazza and chatting… They say that the policemen uniform is made by Prada o D&G, but unfortunately it’s not true.
Also there are so-called mobile tents where you can buy leather goods, carnival masks, scarves and souvenirs. And, of course, coffee and sweets! And lunch. And dinner. Piazza della Repubblica is famous for its
• “Cafè Concerto Paszkowski” (It was built around 1850. It was originally an emblematic beer hall. Now it offers snacks, lunches and dinners and a large variety of first class drinks. It livens up the area in summer with live music. )
• “Café Gilli” (The large coffee bar has two beautiful original back panelled rooms. Gilli is famous in Florence for its excellent cocktails)
• “Cafè Giubbe Rosse” (It is said that this Café is probably offering the best coffee and “capuccini” inFlorence)
Don’t forget to pay you attention to a luxury hotel SAVOY, one of the 9 most luxury hotels in Italy. One more important building here is the Florence’s biggest, best and most beautiful department store Rinascente.
Florence is a very ancient city, and its labyrinth of streets can easily confuse you. To avoid it and continue shopping, the best way is to go left (if you are facing Savoy facade). Follow via Roma(Gucci, Miu Miu, Pinko, Massimo Dutti, Stefanel, Sisley, Michael Kors, Boss) and it will take you right to Santa Maria del Fiore, or just Duomo, the main city attraction, the 4th largest cathedral in the world.
NB! It’s better to dedicate more time for the Duomo, climb to the Giotto campanile or to the Dome of Brunelleschi (rise to the Dome is more difficult and from there you won’t be able to see the Dome from above, obviously). That is why we’ll stop here in the morning, when the first wave of shopping rush gonna be over.
And now turn right to Via Calziaiuoli, that will take you down to Piazza Signoria where you will be tempted by more chain stores and Florence’s other popular department store, Coin. Via dei Calzaiuoli is one of the city’s most well-heeled streets. Originally renowned simply for shoe production, the 600-year-old pedestrian boulevard is now famous as one of the city’s very best shopping streets (Intimissimi, Pandora, Bata, Max&Co, Disney, KIKO, Tezenis, Calzedonia, Golden Point, Guess, Yamamay, Swarovski, Furla, Chanel).
Welcome to Piazza della Signoria. It is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. It is the focal point of the origin and of the history of the Florentine Republic and still maintains its reputation as the political hub of the city. If you reach The Loggia dei Lanzi (wide arches and an open-air sculpture gallery), turn right. Now you are moving towards Zara, Benetton, H&M, Disigual, Puma, Geox, Clarks and LUI JO.
NB! Don’t miss The Mercato Nuovo, a covered market located in via Calimala (just after H&M shop, if you are moving towards Piazza della Repubblica). Its biggest attraction is the Fontana del Porcellino (Piglet Fountain). Rub the animal’s nose and you ensure your return to Florence. The market is famous for leather goods and reasonable prices.
Santa croce, galleria degli uffizi, Ponte vecchio, mercato centrale
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Some worthy places.
Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)
A single great museum comprising the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry of San Giovanni, the Crypt of Santa Reparata and the Opera Museum. If you haven't seen this, you haven't seen Florence. You can buy one ticket (€ 10) and see everything. From both the Dome and the bell tower you will enjoy a magic view of the city, so it's better to choose only one "peak". Tickets can be purchased in the box office on the Duomo Square, or online http://www.museumflorence.com/en
Galleria degli Uffizi (Uffizi Gallery)
It is one of the largest and most important museums of European art and the most visited museum in Italy.
Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giorgione, Titian ... To avoid the queues, it is better to pay € 4 more and book tickets online. In this case you will be in the VIP queue.
One of the most attractive places in Florence for jewelry lovers. It is a shopping arcade, located on the bridge.
There are jewelry stores and shops since 1600, but it is not necessary to buy rings and bracelets here, unless you want to make a very romantic gesture. You can easily find jewelry in tiny streets and alleys, saving money. And on the Ponte Vecchio just relax and relisj the view. Imagine how many jewels are floating on the bottom of the river Arno, if jewelers host this place for more than 400 years!
Basilica di Santa Croce (Church of the Holy Cross)
Basilica of Santa Croce is situated near the bridge Ponte alla Grazie, in the center of Florence. The world's largest Franciscan church, it's also famous for frescoes of Giotto and tombs of great men of Italy: Dante Alighieri, Galileo, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Gioacchino Rossini. The Basilica is open every day from 9.30 to 17.00.
After visiting this place you will need to come back "down to earth". as quick as possible. The best option is the most famous flea market. At Mercato dei Ciompi (or Mercato delle Pulci) you can find anything from Russian medals and portraits of kings, to Barbie dolls and rare Vatican coins. Also, there is antique furniture made by Florentine artists in 20th century. The market is open every day from 10.00 to 17.00
Mercato centrale (Central Market)
In fact it is not a market, it is a gastronomic paradise!
The building celebrated its 140th anniversary and changed the image (April 2014): outside it's all the same, but inside it's a mix of restaurants, pubs, shopping arcades, stands and waiters in funny hats.
On the ground floor you can make purchases like at a normal grocery market, from 07.00 to 14.00. It is obvious that it is better to come early in the morning: food is fresh and there are no queues.
On the second floor (10.00 - 24.00) you will find 500 randomly set chairs and stools in front of cafes and restaurants where they cook whatever you want. Oh, yes. There are 18 TV screens ( it is a favorite place of sport fans).
Location: Quarter of San Lorenzo, 5 minutes from the railway station, Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Florence, Italy
outlets
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For discount hunters the best place to do shopping is outlet – a kind of shopping mall o shopping village, where the owners pay less for their rent and have more spacious shops. Florence’s outlets are at your disposal!
BARBERINO DESIGNER OUTLET (30 km) There are over 100 shops of the best brands selling almost everything from clothing to cosmetics, from electrical appliances to chocolate and shoes. You can find here iconic fashion brands like Prada, Polo Ralph Lauren and D&G to sporting labels, like Puma and Adidas, and high-street brands like Guess and Desigual.. There are shops for all tastes so it is likely if you to go this outlet, you won’t leave with empty hands.
Useful information: ADDRESS: Via Meucci snc 50031 Barberino di Mugello (FI), Italia OPENING HOURS: MON – FRI 10.00 – 20.00, SAT, SUN 10.00 – 21.00 HOW TO GET THERE: The shuttle leaves twice a day, at 10 and 14.30, from the Piazza Stazione SMN right in front of the BATA shoe store. The bus returns to Florence at 13.30 and 18.00 WEB:http://www.mcarthurglen.com/it/barberino-designer-outlet/en/ FOOD: There are 6 café and restaurants on the outlet’s territory, so don’t worry about having a nice lunch. KIDS: There is also a playground for kids from 3 years old. NB! Non-EU citizens can receive tax refund on all products purchased at Barberino Designer Outlet.
The Mall (100 km) The Mall is the most famous shopping outlet in Tuscany and one of the first ones to open in the region. The outlet is specialized in famous, fashion designer shops. Here, you can go shopping at Gucci, Ferragamo, Cavalli, Armani, Valentino and Tod’s for the Italian houses. Among the international fashion designers, there is Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Laurent and much more.
Useful information: ADDRESS: Via Europa 8, Leccio – Reggello (Florence) OPENING HOURS: MON – SUN 10.00 – 19.00, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST 10.00 – 20.00 HOW TO GET THERE: A daily service connects the centre of Florence to The Mall Outlet Centre and vice versa. Departure: BUSITALIA/SITA depot – Via Santa Caterina da Siena 17, Florence (near the central train station) almost every 30 min. WEB:http://www.themall.it/en/outlet-italy/homepage.html FOOD: DOT.COM restaurant (relaxed atmosphere, gourmet dishes), café with a terrace. And the most important thing before you run like a lamplighter to spent you money: Discounts are from 30% to 75% in both malls, ALWAYS! And the last one. It’s better to take a car, if you want to travel between malls and if you hate taken a dozen of bags with you. And now… Ready… Set… GO!