A visit to Florence (Firenze) must include a Florence shopping spree. Here are a few places where you can get some good shopping deals in Florence.

San Lorenzo Market

This is on of the biggest and best shopping destinations in Florence, Italy. The San Lorenzo Market is situated just next to the San Lorenzo/Cappelle Medicee. The market is a good place to find a wide variety of leather goods like bags, wallets, belts and shoes. The market also has shops selling souvenir items and memorabilia, as well as ready-made clothes, jewelry, Murano glass and Venetian masks. The market also has a fruits and vegetables section.

Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio offers visitors an extraordinary shopping experience. The Ponte Vecchio is one of the oldest bridges in Florence and it is located in Borgo San Jacopo, over the Arno River. There are several jewelry shops that sell intricate pieces of jewelry made of gold, silver and plated metals which comes with an affordable price tag. Besides jewelry, you can also pick up leather goods, chinaware, mosaic tiles and other items at Point Vecchio.

Mercato Centrale

This is a simple a shopping destination in Florence which is packed with fabulous goods and luscious food items. Mercato Centrale is located right in the heart of the city, just a few steps away from San Lorenzo. This is the place to buy Italian food items like pasta, cheeses, dried fruits, and meat cuts. Mercato Central also has souvenir items, leather goods and ready-made clothing. If you are good at bargaining, this is a great place to try out your skills.

Mercato Nuovo

This is yet another great place to shop around in Florence. Mercato Nuovo, or New Market, is situated in Calimala, just across Via por Santa Maria. Here you can find almost everything Florence has to offer, from leather goods, to marble and silk. There are dozens of stores in Mercato Nuovo and most of them offer goods at affordable prices; however, make sure to compare prices and quality between stalls before buying anything. The highlight of Mercato Nuovo is the Fontana del Porcellino, which is comparable to Rome's Trevi Fountain.

Bartolucci

If you are looking to buy some real pieces of art, then Bartolucci is the best place to go. Here you can find traditional craft stores where you can see and buy handcrafted artwork in natural pinewoods. The artwork come in different sizes and themes. The one-of-a-kind, world-class artistry of the Bartolucci Family is just superb.

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From gold and jewelry and high-end fashion designers to discount shops and department stores, Florence has a vibrant and varied shopping scene that visitors say is one of the best in all of Italy. In addition to a variety of shops, boutiques and upscale shopping venues, Florence is also famous for shoemaking. In fact, one of the main streets in Florence is named after a shoemaker! The street, Calzaiuoli, is just one way the city shows it's appreciation for all of the contributions shoemakers have made to the city's economy over the decades -- even centuries! Continue reading through the listings to check out some of the top places to shop during your Florence vacation.