Shopping

Shops are usually open in the morning from 9am to 12:30 pm, and from 4pm to 7:30pm. Some places may be closed on Wednesdays, so call before you go or ask your hotel concierge.

Montecatini:
Montecatini has lots of shops that sell "important" clothes. Especially in the downtown there are several shops selling big designers like Armani, Valentino and so on. But pay attention because Montecatini is an expensive place where lots of tourist come so the prices tend to be a little high.

Florence:
Most visitors interested in gold or silver jewelry head for the Ponte Vecchio and its tiny shops. If you're looking for a charm or souvenir, these shops are fine. But the heyday of finding gold jewelry bargains on the Ponte Vecchio is long gone. The street for antiques is Via Maggio: some of the furnishings and objects d'art here are from the 16th century.

Florence's Fifth Avenue is Via dei Tornabuoni, the place to head for the best quality leather goods, for the best clothing boutiques, and for stylish but costly shoes. Here you'll find everyone from Armani, Gucci, Versace, Coveri, to Ferragamo. Besides shops, Florence is rich in open-air markets. The Market of San Lorenzo, situated in the center of the city, is one of the preferred destinations.

At the Flea Market, near Piazza Santa Croce, one can make good deals on small antique items. The last Sunday of every month except July, the market expands into the adjacent streets.