On the Road with Flip Byrnes

travel.com.au Roving Reporter

Flip Byrnes goes on the Holy Grail of Handbags to Florence, the city of light and beauty...

I was hit by a surge of giddiness that one only gets immediately after spontaneously spending an atrocious amount of money. In the leather markets of Florence the cobblestones of the piazza swam, the sky tilted at unpleasant angle and pigeons took flight with terror.

But then my eyes focused once again on the bag before me. Not just any bag, but a gleaming, hand stitched leather duffle bag with brass detail and wheels. One swoosh of a credit card and this treasure was mine, all mine!! MwwwaaaaaA!

I was a woman on a mission on a search for the Holy Grail of Handbags, and there was only one place in Florence to seek and destroy. The famous leather markets at the Piazza San Lorenzo.

Setting off from the train station with confidence, I was immediately lost. And that is the best advice for any person seeking Florentine treasure. Compact and dense with alleyways that twist and turn like tangled spider webs, every street will yield a surprise for those who dare to throw the map and follow their nose.

Finally, after various adventures, my nose lead me back to the leather markets. Ahh, there is nothing like the smell of leather. Airplane carry bags, filofaxes, purses, wallets, backpacks, toiletry bags, document holders, belts, grand duffles and handbags in their gazillions abounded. But despite the variety on offer, don’t be fooled. The leather markets of Florence have changed.

Now you are just as likely to find Japanese copies as you are originals and the original sprawling market has been reduced to 4 or 5 streets, with most stalls representing shops behind and bargaining hard is best left in India.

After a reconnaissance mission at the markets, (the first rule in love and shopping, never fall at the first sight) it was off to the Scuola del Cuoio, (the Leather School of Florence, Via San Guiseppe); by Piazza San Croce where artisans still hammer out pelts and hand stitch garments and bags. The old art of leather making is still alive. Impressed? The prices will impress you more, a steep 600 euros for a hand made bag. But it is the real deal.

Be aware of shop hours, as many a tourist has been left empty handed and disappointed. Many negozios (shops) shops open from 10 – 12pm and again from between 2.00pm and 3.00pm – 7.30pm. Many close on Sundays and Monday mornings, public holidays, saint days, festivals and for many other reasons you would never dream of.

On Sunday morning it was back to the leather markets (which ARE open on Sundays, but usually not Mondays). Having shown great restraint, the bag search ended with a bang. Towing my great lump of leather over the cobblestones towards the train station had a bittersweet taste like leaving a lover, one with whom an encounter is never quite enough.

But feel free to share this lover, here are some favourite shops:

GLASSES
*L’occhialaio, (Via de Pucci 24, 0011 39 055 2398663). Any respectable spectacle wearer knows that a good goggle is hard to find. Flowing out onto the street were more glasses than you could squint at. Gucci, Ferragamo, unbranded glasses for the 50’s, 60’s and up to last year’s models were there, all for the bargain price of 30 euros. (around $50).

HANDBAGS
*Sol Gabriel, (Via Matteo Palmier, 6 0011 39 3397 331990) No pirate bags, but pieces of whim and fancy crafted from lace and hand painted fabrics. At 80 euro ()not for the faint hearted, but one-off creations will always cost more than K Mart.

CLOTHES
*Guya (Via Calimala, 29, 0011 39 055 219163), selling quirky Italian designer pieces

GENERAL SHOPPING STRIPS
On a Saturday afternoon the shopping strips of Florence are packed to the rafters, particularly the pedestrian Via de Calzaiuoli which leads like a gold paved shopping highway from the Duomo to the spectacular Piazza della Signoria. To the left and the right are chains such as Bennetton and Guess, plus smaller boutique stores on side streets such as Saja (via Vacchereccia 22, 0011 39 055 288731), where the softest calk skin wedge-heeled black boots are yours for under $200.

The parralel Via Roma leading into Via Calimala to the Pontevecchio is where the big players hit, with the usual high-end suspects such as Gucci and Fendi, interspersed with more affordable shops. Via del Corso, Via de Cerretani, Via Roma, and around Piazza Santa Croce are also worth a look.