Florence travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Leather goods
Handmade leather bags, wallets, gloves, and belts from Florentine artisan workshops. The Scuola del Cuoio inside Santa Croce church produces museum-quality pieces made by students and craftsmen. Authentic Vera Pelle goods from Oltrarno workshops are a genuine Florentine keepsake.
Price: €20-500+
Where: Scuola del Cuoio (Via San Giuseppe, 5r, Florence), Oltrarno artisan quarter (Via Maggio, Borgo San Jacopo)
Chianti Classico wine
A bottle of Chianti Classico DOCG from a reputable estate is the quintessential Tuscan souvenir. Look for the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) neck label certifying it is genuine Chianti Classico from the zone between Florence and Siena.
Price: €12-60 per bottle
Where: Enoteca Falorni (Piazza Matteotti, Greve in Chianti), Enoteca Italiana (Fortezza Medicea, Siena), wine estates in Chianti Classico zone
Extra-virgin olive oil (DOP)
Tuscan DOP extra-virgin olive oil, particularly from the Lucca hills and Chianti, is among the world's finest. Look for DOP designation, current harvest year, and glass bottle. Best bought directly from an olive estate or a specialist alimentari.
Price: €10-30 per 500ml
Where: Mercato Centrale Florence (ground floor), directly from olive estates, specialty alimentari throughout Tuscany
Pecorino Toscano DOP
Sheep's milk cheese aged in Pienza caves and produced throughout Siena Province. Available in fresh (fresco, 20 days), semi-aged (semistagionato, 60-90 days), and hard-aged (stagionato, 6+ months) varieties. Pienza's main street is lined with dedicated shops.
Price: €5-25 per piece
Where: Pienza village shops (Via Rossellino), Mercato Centrale Florence, Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio Florence
Florentine marbled paper (carta marmorizzata)
Hand-marbled paper, notebooks, journals, and stationery in the traditional Florentine style, a craft used in Florentine bookbinding since the 18th century. Journals, photo albums, and desk accessories make elegant and lightweight gifts.
Price: €5-80
Where: Il Papiro (Via Cavour, 55r, Florence), Giulio Giannini e Figlio (Piazza Pitti, 37r, Florence)
Alabaster crafts from Volterra
Volterra artisans have carved the locally quarried alabaster since Etruscan times, producing lamps, bowls, sculptures, and cheese boards. When lit, alabaster lamps create a warm translucent glow. Buy directly from artisan workshop-shops to guarantee authenticity.
Price: €5-500+
Where: Artisan workshops in Volterra (Via dei Sarti, Via Turazza, Piazza dei Priori area)
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Mercato Centrale, Florence
Florence's historic central market, built in 1874. The ground floor has the finest fresh produce, cheese, salumi, and deli market in Florence. The upper floor is a modern artisan food hall.
Hours: Ground floor: Mon-Sat 7AM-2PM; First floor food hall: Daily 10AM-midnight
Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio, Florence
A more authentic and less touristy alternative to the Mercato Centrale, beloved by Florentine residents for its excellent fresh produce, local cheese, flowers, and daily specials. A genuine neighbourhood market experience.
Hours: Mon-Sat 7AM-2PM
Mercato delle Cascine, Florence
Florence's largest open-air market, held every Tuesday in the riverside Cascine park, selling clothing, food, household goods, plants, and local products. Very popular with Florentines.
Hours: Tuesday mornings only, 7AM-2PM
Piazza Grande Antique Fair, Arezzo
One of Italy's most important antique fairs, held on the first weekend of every month in Arezzo's magnificent Piazza Grande. Hundreds of stalls sell antiques, art, ceramics, and collectibles against the backdrop of one of Tuscany's finest medieval squares.
Hours: First weekend of every month (Saturday and Sunday), 8AM-7PM