Shopping in Florence

Florence shops by craft. Via de' Tornabuoni is the luxury street: Gucci was founded in the city in 1921, and the Ferragamo Museum fills Palazzo Spini Feroni on the same street. The Ponte Vecchio has held only goldsmiths and jewellers since 1593, when Ferdinando I removed the butchers. Leather is a street-market and workshop business around San Lorenzo and Santa Croce. Perfume has the Dominican pharmacy beside Santa Maria Novella, open to the public since 1612. The outlets are out of town: The Mall in the hills south-east of the city, and Prada's outlet near Montevarchi, about 40 minutes by road.

The formats follow the same split. A three-hour private walk links the Ferragamo Museum, the Santa Maria Novella pharmacy and the church itself. A perfume workshop in a historic apothecary on Via Ghibellina lets each guest blend a 30 ml scent, in a small shared group. The outlets run by private minivan with a driver, as a four-hour run to The Mall, a five-hour half day, or an eight-hour day that adds Prada. A six-hour luxury version for four to eight people has the driver keep the bags in the car. A photo shoot is part of the section too.

Practical. The half-day and full-day outlet tours suggest a 9:30 start, and the pick-up time can be moved if you ask a day ahead. Santa Maria Novella wants knees and shoulders covered. Most private outlet days are free to cancel until 24 hours before; the perfume workshop is not refundable inside 48 hours. Bring a photo ID for the museum and church tour.