Florence - what would you buy?

[MrsSnow]

Thats it really, what things would you buy from Florence? Are there any Italian pharmacy star buys?

[Crutchlow35]

Leather is a big thing there. Lots of stalls selling bags etc.

[TooMuchRain]

yes, there's a lot of leather stuff but quality varies hugely.

Not sure what you mean about pharmacies - generally italian ones are super-expensive because there's no competition.

[FrugalFashionista]

Perfume. If you like the heady and heavy italianate style, Santa Maria Novella (lots of other products too - their toothpaste is the most stylish I've ever had) and Lorenzo Villoresi (of Teint de Neige Yerbamate fame) are locals. But basically any profumeria has a good selection, often things that are hard to find elsewhere.

[Nerfmother]

Ooooooh I used to live there! Posh perfume shop in via della scala, totally lost on me, fab market San Lorenzo and loads of jewellery on ponte vecchio, near there opposite the boboli gardens is a lovely shop selling missoni. Avoid the cafe in the main piazza (revoir is lovely) and go to the lovely restaurant near Santa Croce .

[NewChoos]

I got 2 lovely pashmina's when there recently.

[santamarianovella]

i second frugal a visit to smn is a must!
you can shop at outlets if you like Italian designers.
or just walk around,florence if full of beautiful small shops,selling everything from shoes locally made to jewelry.
i have a beautiful gladiator flats,ala louboutin from a local shop there, it costed around 35 euros,very compfy.

[MrsSnow]

Thanks thats lots for me to look out for.

Re the pharmacies, I was in one in Naples recently and they just looked as if they were filled with some amazing this but I just didn't know what they were! Maybe it is just good packaging!!

[FrugalFashionista]

Italian pharmacies are good, they have lots of parapharmacie products (found the LRP concealer in one, my best ever) and slightly random things like L'Erbolario and baby stuff. But expensive. I think SMN is the oldest continuously working pharmacy/ cosmetics shop in the world. Full of Japanese tourists but an amazing variety of quirky products.

I went to an unusually calm and friendly Chanel boutique in Florence and bought a bottle if 28 La Pausa (their iris perfume) - Florentine iris is one of the loveliest perfumery ingredients out there.

[Awks]

Superga's are Itallian, wonder if they are cheaper as I know Flossy's are 6 euro in Spain and £18 here.

[MelanieCheeks]

Leather gloves. They have shops that will fit you specially, huge range of colours and styles. And an umbrella shaped like the duomo ;-)