Shopping on the Ponte Vecchio

Fatto a Mano

Florence has been a city of craftsmen for 700 years, and you can still watch leatherworkers stitching, perfumers blending, and bookbinders marbling paper in little workshops all over town. These are some of my favorite places to shop, from monks’ pharmacies that are centuries old to family workshops still run by the grandchildren.

This list is a work in progress! I’ll keep adding to it as more favorites come to me, so check back.

Perfumeries & Historic Pharmacies

Aqua Flor

An artisan perfumery hidden inside a grand old palazzo near Santa Croce, where every scent is made by hand in the lab downstairs. Lift the glass covers on the display tables to smell each fragrance. Try the Giardino di Boboli scent, and don’t leave without their famous tomato leaf cream. They also offer one-on-one consultations to create a scent just for you.

Practical Tip: Borgo Santa Croce 6. A few minutes from Santa Croce, so it’s a perfect Saturday morning stop.

Farmacia SS. Annunziata (est. 1561)

One of Florence’s oldest apothecaries, with a beautiful historic interior and products still made the traditional way. Their Anniversary scent, a warm mix of leather, tobacco, cinnamon, and cloves, is a favorite, along with their soft cotton flower fragrance.

Practical Tip: Via dei Servi 80r, between the Duomo and Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, so it’s on the way to the Museo degli Innocenti Friday. There’s a second shop at Via Porta Rossa 43r.

Lorenzo Villoresi

Lorenzo Villoresi is one of Italy’s most respected perfumers, and his atelier is in his family’s palazzo overlooking the Arno. There’s even a small perfume museum where you can learn how scents are built. His powdery Teint de Neige is a cult classic.

Practical Tip: Via de’ Bardi 12 in the Oltrarno, just across Ponte Vecchio. Book ahead, especially for a private consultation.

Monastery Pharmacy of San Miniato al Monte (est. 1373)

The Benedictine monks of San Miniato have been making remedies on this hilltop for over 600 years. Their little shop sells honey, beeswax candles, herbal liqueurs, and creams made from plants they grow themselves. You won’t find a more special souvenir.

Practical Tip: Via delle Porte Sante 34, next to the church. Hours are short (roughly 10:00 AM to 12:15 PM and 4:00 to 6:00 PM), so head up the hill a little early on Monday if you want to shop before sunset.

Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (est. 1612)

Dominican friars were selling rose water here as far back as 1381, and the pharmacy officially opened to the public in 1612. Walking in feels like stepping into a frescoed chapel. Look for Acqua della Regina, a scent first created for Caterina de’ Medici, plus their soaps, potpourri, and creams. It’s on the pricey side, but worth seeing even if you only buy a bar of soap.

Practical Tip: Via della Scala 16, around the corner from Santa Maria Novella church. Free to visit and open daily.

Zhor Parfums

A gorgeous multi-brand fragrance shop carrying niche perfumes you won’t find back home, including houses like The Merchant of Venice. The staff really knows their stuff, so tell them what you like and let them guide you.

Practical Tip: Via dei Rondinelli 1r, a short walk from the Duomo and Santa Maria Novella. They also offer appointments for a personal “olfactory journey.”

Leather

Benheart

The story behind this brand is as good as the jackets. Founder Hicham Ben’Mbarek came to Florence from Morocco as a little boy and learned leatherwork from a shoemaker in his neighborhood. At 26, he had a heart attack on a soccer field and received a heart transplant. Benheart is his way of celebrating that second chance. The leather jackets are tailor-made, and belts are custom-fitted right in the store.

Practical Tip: Via dei Calzaiuoli 78r (between the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria) and Via della Vigna Nuova 85r.

Consani e Giannini

A family workshop in the San Frediano neighborhood that makes wallets, bags, belts, and accessories, including leather pieces for luxury hotels. A great place to find real handmade quality at fair prices, with wallets from about €50.

Practical Tip: Via Lorenzo Bartolini 13, just off Borgo San Frediano, so it fits right into our Monday walk before lunch at Sabatino.

Furò e Punteruolo

Paolo and Luisa Fattori hand-stitch belts, wallets, card holders, and bags from natural vegetable-tanned leather, and you can often watch them at work. Belts and small goods start around €60, and bags around €220.

Practical Tip: Via del Giglio 29r, steps from the Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo, so it’s an easy Friday stop.

Il Bisonte

Wanny Di Filippo started making leather bags in Florence in 1970, and his bison logo is now known around the world. The flagship store is full of art and design pieces alongside the bags, and you can touch and try all the different Tuscan leathers. They’ll personalize your purchase with initials right in the store.

Practical Tip: Via del Parione 31, near the river between Santa Maria Novella and Ponte Santa Trinita.

Scuola del Cuoio

After World War II, the Franciscan friars of Santa Croce teamed up with two Florentine leather families to teach war orphans a trade they could make a living from. Seventy-five years later, the Leather School is still training artisans, and you can watch them at work and buy what they make. Hollywood stars like Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant shopped here.

Practical Tip: Via San Giuseppe 5r. Walk through the garden behind Santa Croce to find it. Open daily April through October, so it’s right on our Saturday route.

Gold

Cellini Gold

A family-owned jeweler making 18-karat gold jewelry in Florence since 1972. It shares its name with Benvenuto Cellini, the Renaissance goldsmith whose bust stands in the middle of Ponte Vecchio. Look for their Giglio ring, shaped like Florence’s lily symbol, a beautiful way to bring a piece of the city home.

Practical Tip: Piazza Santa Croce 30r, right on the square, so it’s easy to pair with Santa Croce on Saturday. Ask about tax-free shopping.

Paper & Books

Giulio Giannini e Figlio

The Giannini family has been marbling paper and binding books in Florence since 1856. You’ll find everything from single sheets of marbled paper to gorgeous leather-bound journals, and they’ll sometimes do a live marbling demonstration if you ask.

Practical Tip: Near Palazzo Pitti in the Oltrarno, so it’s perfect for Monday.

Giunti Odeon

A historic early 1900s movie theater inside a Renaissance palace, turned into one of the most beautiful bookstores in Italy. Browse thousands of books surrounded by the old Art Deco columns, velvet seats, and a glowing stained-glass dome. It still shows movies, many in English with Italian subtitles, and there’s a café downstairs.

Practical Tip: Piazza degli Strozzi, a short walk from Piazza della Repubblica. Open late every day, so it’s a great evening stop.

Il Torchio

A small Oltrarno bookbindery that’s been making custom journals by hand for more than 40 years. They also run workshops where you can marble your own paper and bind your own book.

Practical Tip: Via de’ Bardi 17, just a few doors from Lorenzo Villoresi, so do them together.

Signum

A charming shop rooted in Florence’s old leather bookbinding traditions, filled with marbled paper, stationery, sealing wax, and leather-bound notebooks. Everything is light and easy to pack, which makes it perfect for gifts.