Florence Market
Florence is a very polyhedric city in Tuscany. An expression of this characteristic are its many shops, both in the city center and the outskirts. You will not have trouble finding what you are looking for. However, if you are in the city vacationing for the first time, you may need some help moving around. Every year many tourists rent city apartments and Tuscan villas just outside town to live Florence first-hand and do some serious shopping: however, hours of tiresome walking without a clear idea of where to go can make your shopping experience less fruitful than expected. Here some tips to crank up the fun and get what you want.
Hire a personal shopper
It may seem something preposterous to those like us living an average income life, but personal shoppers are not for the rich anymore. Indeed, their price have gone quite down and their services will surely be helpful to you. Florence has so many mom-and-pop, franchise, and artisan shops that you will end up finding the same kind of item in three different places, at three different prices, with three quality levels. Which one is right for you? Wouldn’t you like to know first what and where you have available, then pick the right one for yourself? Moreover, personal shoppers are usually personal with some of the local producers, and are reliable on matters such as quality and real value of artisan crafts.
Street Markets
There is one very famous street market in Florence, which is San Lorenzo Market. Although it is not what it used to be, it has metamorphosed into something that can still yield nice shopping results. Once it used to be held just on Saturdays, hold really original goods handcrafted in Florence only, and be really cheap. Nowadays you can find the market open seven days a week selling all kinds of imported goods, especially from China. However, if you walk around without haste you can spot true Florentine leather goods and other paper crafts. Other small craftsmanship goods may be available.
A smaller street market is the Straw Market in Via Calimala. It used to be where straw goods such as hats, bags and baskets, were sold. Nowadays it resembles the San Lorenzo market.
Shop on Weekdays
Florence attracts people from all over the world 24/7, all year around. As a result you will have much more crowded places than average. On top of it, Italians visit the town especially during the weekend, crowding shops even more. Shopping without a crowd is essential to finding great deals without over stressing. Additionally, shop clerks are way more helpful.
Next time you are in Italy enjoying your Tuscan villa near Florence and feel like doing some shopping, remember these three simple tips, and your experience will be much more positive.
About the Author : Between shopping sprees Matt enjoys helping travelers to Italy to find the perfect Tuscany villas for their holidays in one of the most fantastic regions of the world.