Shopping in Siena, Italy
Like every city that is visited by tourists, Siena is well served by shops. In the historic center, it is possible to walk the streets with shops attached to each other, making life easier for those who want to enjoy the walk to do some shopping. Clothes, accessories, bags, shoes, beauty products… The list is long!
Store hours are flexible and vary according to the number of people on the street. In summer, for example, the journey is extended, as many tourists fill the streets until later. In general, shops operate from 9am to 7pm. In the summer, some stores are open until 8 pm. Some enter the siesta scheme, closing the doors between 12pm and 3pm. Ah, when buying some types of products (such as electronics), it is possible to ask for reimbursement of built-in fees.
Tax refunds
In Italy, you can request a refund of taxes embedded in products purchased while traveling. Thus, it is possible to receive up to 13% of the total spent. To get a refund, you must first order the Tax Refund Check at the store during the purchase (you can collect the tax coupons and get the Tax Refund Check later as well). You will receive two copies. Then, at the airport, you must go to customs and show the Tax Refund Check, passport and purchase invoices. Employees may ask to see products purchased. After getting the stamp on the Tax Refund Check, just receive the money. This happens in another space, already after the x-ray of the shipment. The money is usually given in euros, in kind. Check abbreviationfinder.org for abbreviations and acronyms related to Siena, Italy.
Now that you know the opening hours of the stores and how to get a refund of taxes charged on some products, check out the best shopping streets below, get your credit card and good shopping!
Mercato Santa Barbara
Unbelievably large, this market goes around La Lizza square and goes to Fortezza Medicea (or Fortezza di Santa Barbara). The variety is great: there are clothes, flowers, rugs, jewelry, makeup, kitchen items, underwear, bags, shoes, leather jackets, fruits and vegetables. Prices are quite generous: you can find clothes for 5 euros. But it is necessary to pan, because not everything has a good quality.
Even if you are not interested in shopping, strolling through the fair is a great program, as it is very typical of the city. In addition, it is on the way to Fortezza di Santa Barbara, another tourist attraction.
Attention: the market only works on Wednesdays, from 7 am to 2 pm.
La Lizza, Siena
Hours: Only on Wednesdays, from 7:00 am to 2:30 pm. In special seasons, mainly in spring and summer, the fair opens on some exceptional Sundays, from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm.
Via Banchi Di Sopra
This is one of the most important and busy roads in Siena, both for trade and to reach the main historical monuments. Located near Piazza del Campo, the road is full of tourists throughout the day (and even a part of the night).
In terms of shopping, this is the most complete route, as it has stores of all types and for all tastes, ages and pockets. Among the most famous stores are Solaris (sunglasses), L’Occitane (beauty and perfumery products), Intimissimi (lingerie), Unites Colors of Benetton (men’s, women’s and children’s fashion), Twin Set, Elena Mirò, Golden Point, Trussardi and Luisa Spagnoli. In general, trade is open according to the movement of tourists. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see stores open until later.
Via Banchi Di Sopra, Siena – CEP: 53100
Hours: The hours vary according to the store. In general, they operate from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (autumn and winter) and from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm (spring and summer).
Via Banchi Di Sotto
Via Banchi Di Sotto is a kind of fork in Via di Città: on one side, we have Banchi Di Sotto and, on the other, Banchi Di Sopra. Banchi Di Sotto is also good for shopping, with several stores scattered across the street. It has a considerable length, so if you are willing to go down and up the hills of Siena, you can find a lot of cool things there.
The strong points of the street are clothing stores, such as Replay and Pull Love. You can find excellent quality leather bags at Cardinali. Among the accessory stores, the highlight is the Londoner Acessorize, present in several European and even Brazilian cities. A cool store is Deportes Outlet, a kind of outlet with young and very different clothes. It is worth checking!
Via Banchi Di Sotto, Siena
Hours: Hours vary according to the store. In general, they are open from 9:00 to 19:00 (winter and autumn) and from 9:00 to 20:00 (spring and summer).
Via di Citta
Via de Città, the most elegant in the city, is a mix of medieval palaces, cafés, restaurants and shops. Therefore, it is a delight to walk through it and enjoy the variety of attractions. For those who like antiques and crafts, this street is fantastic, as it presents charming surprises.
At the Antiche Dimore store (Via di Città, number 115), you will find excellent quality bathroom and bathroom items. At Siena Ricama (number 61), a lady makes amazing embroidery on the material you want. The cool thing is that she talks for hours with customers while working. At the Ceramiche Artistiche Santa Caterina store (numbers 51, 74 and 76), you can find beautiful ceramics, in addition to attending workshops. For those who like antiques, the Antichità Monna Agnese store (number 60) is the most famous in the city.
Via di Città, Siena
Hours: Hours vary depending on the store. In general, they operate from 9:00 to 19:00 (winter and autumn) and from 9:00 to 20:00 (spring and summer).