Shopping in Tuscany
Shopping in Tuscany: shopping centres, malls and outlets
In Tuscany, the shopping offer is very wide and varied and can meet every need. Major shopping centers of Tuscany have a similar structure with a large supermarket (Coop or Esselunga generally, Pam area of Grosseto), a large electronics store or DIY shops and a series of mostly clothing shops.
Shopping in Tuscany: Florence
The biggest shopping center in Tuscany is the shopping center called “I Gigli” in Campi Bisenzio located a few kilometres from Florence and Prato. Spread over two floors covering an area of 68,000 square meters, inside there is a large supermarket (Panorama), a large DIY shop and gardening shop, an electronics store (Mediaworld) and a large shopping arcade of each sector with present all major Italian brands of clothing, footwear, department stores (Zara, Oviesse, Upim, HM) for a total of 140 stores, plus 18 restaurants and a parking for 6000 cars.
The center has reached 100 million visitors in 13 years of opening; it’s one of the largest and most innovative shopping centers in Italy.
In the province of Florence there are many other shopping centers. In the Ipercoop Sesto Fiorentino you can find an supermarket (with very reasonable prices in each sector), 20 different shops, and a huge DIY shop (OBI). In the northern part of city there is the largest shopping mall Ikea (the only one in Tuscany, open daily). There are also the shopping malls Coop Ponte a Greve (inside there is the superstore Mediaworld) or the Esselunga of Sesto Fiorentino (both very affordable). In the south part of the city there are the Coop Gavinana (with 20 shops and two large stores and electronics sports article) where you can find a supermarket with very affordable prices and the mall of Esselunga Gignoro, a very large supermarket (with nearby shops) with a large choice and good quality.
Shopping in Tuscany: Arezzo
In Arezzo, near the center of the city it is possible to find the Magnificent (Il Magnifico), one of the largest malls in Tuscany. The center, built on two levels, covering an area of 15,000 square meters, consists of a multiplex cinema with 8 screens and 1,800 seats, a gallery with 14 shops and 5 restaurants. In the province of Arezzo the largest shopping malls are those of Setteponti and Montevarchi, both within the two major Ipercoop and clothing stores, footwear, home furnishings shops and electronics stores.
Shopping in Tuscany: others shopping centres
In the province of Lucca is the largest shopping mall Carrefour with its big hypermarket and a dozen shops in front of it. Near Pisa there is the mall called Pisanova, one of the major commercial centers of Tuscany; it has 40 stores (including Benetton, Carpisa, Bata) and a large Superstore Esselunga
Shopping in Tuscany: The Outlets
Tuscany has other types of shopping centers, known as Outlet, offering discounted brand products (mostly clothing).
The Barberino Outlet
The “Barberino Outlet”, located 30 kilometres from Florence, has more than 100 clothing stores, underwear, footwear shops; here you can find all known brands and the discounts vary from 30 to 70% throughout the year; the outlet has five restaurants, 2000 parking spaces and play areas for children.
The Val di Chiana Outlet
The Val di Chiana Outlet is located in the province of Arezzo and has a very similar structure. It has 90 stores with all of the most famous brand clothing; there are sport accessories shops, footwear, leather goods, household items stores, perfumes, cosmetics, home appliances shops and telephony stores. In the restaurants you can find products of Tuscan cuisine; the children’s play area (over 1000 square meters) has been completely made of wood. They are the two most visited malls in Tuscany (after “Gigli”) throughout the year.