SHOPPING in Florence

FLORENCE, isn't a city for bargain shopping, though. 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.

Tre street for antiques is Via Maggio: some of the furnishings and objets 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 the prefered destination of tourists.
The New Market, where one can acquire leather goods and souvenirs, is sheltered under the sixteenth-century Loggia del Porcellino.
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.

ROME, "centre of the world" has the best boutiques near Piazza di Spagna: via Frattina and via Condotti, where is also situated the famous "Caffè Greco", are the unforgettable streets ……
Besides the Roman shops, the Open Markets are also worth visiting.

Campo de' Fiori, situated in the heart of the old city. Every morning the piazza fills up with varied stands that sell fruits and vegetables, meats, chicken and fish, dried beans, dried fruits, and flowers. Excellent speciality food and bread shop surround the piazza, rounding out the range of products offered.

Porta Portese, situated in via portuense, where one can find anything: clothes, shoes, purses, suitcases, camping supplies, sheets, washclothes, pots and pans, kitchen supplies, plants, poppies, spare parts, cassettes and compact discs, old LPs and 78g.