Florence has a long history as a centre of trade, and visitors to the city these days are never disappointed by the shopping available to them.
The famous Ponte Vecchio, the iconic bridge over the Arno is lined with upmarket jewellers while if you're looking for a bargain, you can find them in the Oltrarno area of the city.
The Officino Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novello is a famous old fashioned chemist where you can pick up hand made fragrances and soaps - incidentally, the shop, amongst many other sights in the city featured in the 2001 film Hannibal starring Anthony Hopkins.
If you're looking to pick up the latest Italian designer ware, then most of the main designers such as Armani and Versace have boutiques in the city, and one of the main areas to go is Via della Vigna Nuova.
Shops in the city are typically open from 9am-1pm and then again from 3.30pm until 8pm throughout the week and prices include VAT at up to 14%.
