arttrav.com

Tips from a "local" on where to get the best deals, best quality, and best service.

Friends
These "Friends of Arttrav" have agreed to give "preferential treatment" to arttrav readers who come into the store with the coupons available on this site. This is the Italian way of saying they'll chat you up and knock off a bit of their profit in your favour.

GABS PURSES and handicrafts
Come Sopra
Via san Gallo 73r
MAP AND COUPON

This adorable little store has a lovely atmosphere, with a wood-beam ceiling, warm colours, and colourful handmade products. They now carry GABS handbags, a florentine brand whose artisanal production has become a huge hit in japan! These functional and gorgeous purses come in a huge variety of colours so that no two in the store are alike; you are unlikely to run into anyone with the same bag as yours. The signature feature is a little mini purse that hangs from the straps and contains a mini note pad, not only cute but also really useful. The leather classic purse runs at 59 euros, a really good deal; the seasonal designs cost 69-99 euros. The store also carries other pretty handmade objects at reasonable prices.
The owner of the store told me that she'd love to expand her market to arttravellers and has offered us a small discount. Please print out the coupon and bring it with you for "preferential treatment".

LEATHER:
Johnny "Il Mandriano"
Via Panicale 33R

print the coupon

Just beyond the San lorenzo market, and with a stall in the market nearby, this store is run by a man who just might be the last remaining Florentine leather worker. The owner, Renato Coppola, hand cuts high quality leather right there in the store. He and his German assistant, Vera, are also highly capable at fixing and customizing leather jackets. If they don't have your size or exactly what you want, they will make it to order. While prices are higher than at many stores, the price they tell you is the real price -- no silly bargaining, no pressure. If you dislike the treatment you tend to receive from other market vendors, this place is a refreshing change.
Arttrav is pleased to have made "friends" with this store. Please download this coupon and present it at the store for "preferential treatment". (Use Ctrl+P to print the window with the coupon)

Markets (non-food)


Cascine	The park of the Cascine has a market every Tuesday morning (7am to 2pm) with everything under the sun, including inexpensive clothing and household items.

Le Cure MAP	Located in the vibrant residential area of le Cure, not far from the centro (via piazza liberta'), this daily market has a produce section as well as a variety of stands (which rotate throughout the week) selling housewares, curtains, buttons, inexpensive clothing as well as stock sell-offs of sweaters and the like. M-Sat mornings.

Sant'Ambrogio	A good downtown food market with a covered section that is much cleaner than San Lorenzo. Also has some used and cheap clothing stalls. M-Sat mornings

Ciompi Antiques/Flea Market MAP	On the last sunday of every month, the regular ciompi market, which is open daily and located in piazza dei' Ciompi (Via Pietrapiana), extends into the surrounding streets. Antiques and junk vendors come from all of tuscany to set up tables. Many items are overpriced, though if you know your stuff you might find a deal. Here you can take home a piece of old italy -- at least an old print or advertisement.

Outlets

The Mall	Located a short drive from the Incisa exit off the FI-Roma highway, "THE MALL" attracts Asian bus tours and florentine high society women alike. There are not always great deals -- the regular stock at gucci, for example, is never cheap. However, sometimes you do find very good deals, especially at the end of season sales. Favourite stores here include Armani, gucci, ungaro, tods/hogans (some shoes for 40 euros), bally. There are some organized bus tours to get here, and if you ask at any major hotel they can set up a driver service for about 25 euros per person (see below, outlet tours).

Barberino Outlet Village	Just opened March 12! On the A-1 North of Florence, Barberino exit. For details please see their website.
Valdichiana Outlet Village Via Enzo Ferrari, 5 Localita Farniole, Foiano della Chiana (AR) Open daily: Tues through Sunday 10-20h; Monday 14-20h.	Located near arezzo, on the A1 highway from Florence to Rome, and also near the Perugia Siena Superstrada, this brand new outlet village is about an hour's drive from Florence and a nice day trip combined with Arezzo (by car). Has major stores, both Italian and non, with 30-70% discounts off tag price. Stores like Guess, Benetton, Sisley, Bata etc. are viable options for lower budgets - compared to the less viable "The Mall" which is only for luxury goods. There are also some housewares stores that carry Alessi, Lagostina, etc.

Prada Outlet	Due to frequent demand, a comment on the Prada outlet in montevarchi. Take the local train from Florence to Montevarchi. Ask any cab driver to take you to the Prada outlet. My real opinion: it's not worth it. Sometimes you have to line up. The stuff is still really expensive.

Roberto Cavalli Outlet! Via Volturno, 3/3 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence) Tel. +39 055.317754 MAP	Located in an industrial area to the north of florence, accessible easily by car (off the A11, via Osmannoro). Last season's crazy cavalli duds on sale, accessories too.

Outlet tours	A company called "enjoy florence" provides tours to major outlets for die-hard shoppers who don't have a car of their own.

Conte of Florence via di Limite, 170 Campi Bisenzio Tel. 055 8969484	The seconds outlet store for the high quality sweater store whose main location is in downtown florence. Open Tuesday/Sunday 10:30/19 To get there by car: Highway A1 (dir. Bologna), exit Calenzano. Take Viale Allende and follow indication for Limite for 100mt, it's on the right.

BP Studio Piazza Marconi Guglielmo, 1 Sesto Fiorentino (FI)	Practically next to IKEA (which you can see when you fly in, it's right by the airport) is this expensive store, known for good quality sweaters and nice classic styles. Open wednesday & friday: 12.30-18.30. Take a taxi to get there.

Clara Lori Lungarno De Nicola, 15	If you have a car and a penchant for Max Mara, definately do not buy anything before making a trip out here. There are two locations, but the closest to florence is just by the Firenze Sud highway entrance (sharp right turn into gated parking area separated from street by tall white wall). This store gets in amazing stocks of brand name clothing. Regular stock items have price tags that say the MSR, but there is always a discount at the cash register. Some things come in as samples or discounted stock; these have better prices marked on them. Very good for coats and fancy dresses or mens' suits. Brands usually stocked are: women: max mara, Marella, new penny; mens: Corneliani, allegri, armani.

Grandi Firme Via Lungo l'Affrico	This store carries some really fancy designer clothing (like Blumarine evening dresses), and some more normal stuff (like nice mens' shirts) with fancy brand names, at slightly less fancy prices. Look for tags that say "nice price", because they really are. The only problem with this store, other than that it's not exactly centrally located, is that the lady who runs it and her younger assistant are extremely unpleasant people with no concept of service.

La Maglieria di Daisy Via D. Crillo 2/L Tel: 055 573203	This is a local factory in a residential area of florence (le Cure, see market below), not far from the centre, that produces wool, cashmere and cotton sweaters. Their main store is in Prato. It's not a fancy brand name, but their stuff is good quality and their styles are conservative. I get all my basics here. The factory outlet consistently stocks a good range of sizes, colours and styles, at incredibly unbeatable prices -- 15-30 euros for most sweaters, 50-60 euros for cashmere. They have nice plain mens' v-neck cashmere sweaters, though these tend to disappear quickly when they do come in.

housewares outlets:
RICHARD GINORI OUTLET	Viale Giulio Cesare 19, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze) 055 4210472

LINENS OUTLET Signoria Firenze Factory Outlet	Via di Lucciano San Casciano Val di pesa (FI) Tel: +39 055 82 92 333 Email: outlet@signoria.com Website: www.signoria.com

further reading...
housewares outlets in italy	check this article from Virgilio
clothing outlets in italy	Check out this article from Corriere della Sera

Specialty Stores

WOOL for kinitting and weaving: Filati Campolmi Via Portinari Folco, 19/R MAP	For avid knitters, or lame ones like me, this is the one place in town where you are guaranteed to get every colour and weight of yarn directly from the source that makes it, at MUCH MUCH better prices than in other countries and other stores. Don't worry about not knowing italian or not knowing how much yarn you need. Bring a pattern or just a picture to the ladies at the counter and they will accurately guess what you need. You can easily purchase good yarn for a sweater for 15 euros here! Opening hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9-12:30 and 2:30-6 or so; open monday afternoon but closed that morning. Closed weekends.

BOOKBINDING/ handmade books: Abacus Via Ginori, Firenze	This little store is one of many that sells lovely hand-bound blank books and photo albums, and similar types of things. Their prices are a little more reasonable than some of the other stores in town. This is a great place to pick up a special gift or an old-style photo album to commemorate your trip. I ordered a custom photo album for my wedding here. For armchair travellers, you can now shop online on their website. The prices are the same as in the store, you just pay shipping!

KITCHEN STUFF: Bartolini Via dei Servi, 30/R	This big downtown housewares shop is our favourite in the city. They have everything you could ever need to cook up a storm, from fancy stuff down to the smallest tools.

NOMINATION STORE Corner of Via Alfani and Ricasoli, in front of the Academia	Nomination bracelets and the extended product line are available at the newly opened dedicated nomination store near the Academia gallery.

Bookstores

ENGLISH: You can satisfy your need for English books at many larger bookstores in the city but they cost a fortune. Try these two locations, which are more geared to expats than tourists.
McRae Books via de' Neri, 32r Tel: 055 2382456 e-mail: shop@mcraebooks.com	Opened in Summer 2004, a pleasantly laid out little bookstore conveniently located near the Uffizi. For expats, there are talks, book signings and other events. You can sign up for their newsletter to be informed.

Paperback Exchange Via delle Oche 4R- 50122 Florence, Italy Tel.055 / 293460 - Fax.055 / 2658395 e-mail: papex@papex.it	The Paperback exchange is now located right near the Duomo in a beautiful new space! They have a great selection and a delicious window display. Skip expensive english books at stores like Feltrinelli International. You can also sell yours for credit or cash. Look out for book signing events and more.

ITALIAN: here is a short list of the best bookstores in Florence for italian books. Even if you don't speak italian at all, I've found that a great gift to bring to any linguistically inclined young family is a simple italian childrens' book: counting books and alphabet books have been big hits in the past.
Edison Piazza della Repubblica	A classic for book-buying as well as a good hang out for locals. This is one of the few places in the city where you can actually sit down, have a coffee, and browse a book (closely followed by the recently reopened Martelli). They also have a very good selection of books about local history - things about the street names of florence, tuscan sayings and slang, etc. They have a discount card -- 1 punch per every 5 euros spent and at the end you save money.
(Discount Libreria)	This place that has no name that I know of sells discount books. It has two locations, one on via Ginori (larger) and the other on via dei Servi. They have a great selection of art books as well as some of the aforementioned easy italian childrens' books. Sometimes art books in english or german also show up here, and at good discounts off the cover price. Also, they often stock large dictionaries.
SEEBER (Mel Bookstore) via de' Cerretani 16	The antique Seeber bookstore, which was located on via tornabuoni since 1861, has now reopened on via de' Cerretani. This small privately owned bookstore used to sell almost exclusively art books and were run by knowlegeable artists and art historians who were helpful in the store. They closed in 2002, having failed due to the big bookstores -- story that has hit italy too. They have now reopened with the help of a larger chain -- which isn't at all the same, hardly has an any art books, and is rather disappointing, though the store itself is pretty.
Libreria Alfani Via alfani 84r	If you need serious scholastic books, this is the place to go. Not particularly fun to browse, but an excellent selection of obscure italian literature and humanities books. They take special orders and deliver rather quickly.
Libreria Martelli (edison group) Via dei martelli 22r	This bookstore opened recently with a lovely cafe' space, and is rather fun to browse.
Feltrinelli via de' Cerretani, 30/32r WEBSITE	Located between the duomo and the train station. Better stocked with guide books than most places. They also have a discount card program, but you have to pay for it. So, I don't go there.