Original Souvenirs for Children in Florence
Most souvenir shops near the major monuments in Florence sell the same selection: plastic Davids, rubber pizza slices, Pinocchio keyrings, and fridge magnets. These items have nothing to do with real Florentine culture and are rarely made in Italy.
If you want to bring home something that reflects a genuine connection to Florence, or that children will actually use and remember, you need to look a little further. The city has excellent options for thoughtful, original souvenirs at a range of prices.
Original souvenirs for children in Florence
The best souvenirs for children combine quality, authenticity, and usefulness. They should reflect something about Florence or Tuscany rather than being generic holiday merchandise.
Think about categories: books with illustrations of Florentine art and architecture, handmade toys, ceramic objects that can be used daily, marble paper notebooks, art materials from the shops that supply local art students, or food products that children can share at home with friends and family.
Each of these options costs the same or less than the generic tourist merchandise near the Uffizi, and the quality difference is substantial.
What to buy instead of the usual things
Instead of a plastic David, buy a small reproduction print from the Uffizi museum shop. Prints start at around 5 euros and come in a cardboard sleeve. They are officially produced by the Gallerie degli Uffizi and can be framed at home.
Instead of a rubber pizza magnet, buy a small tin of Tuscan honey from a market vendor. Acacia honey from the Chianti zone costs around 5 to 8 euros for a 250-gram jar. It is made in Tuscany, has genuine quality, and children can eat it every morning at breakfast when they return home.
Instead of a factory Pinocchio, buy a wooden toy from a craftsperson in the Oltrarno. Small carved and painted figures range from 15 to 40 euros depending on size and complexity.
Historic toy shops
Florence has several toy and game shops that stock high-quality, design-led products alongside traditional Italian toys.
Città del Sole on Via dei Servi has been Florence’s leading educational toy shop for decades. It stocks wooden puzzles, science kits, craft sets, and building toys from Italian and European manufacturers. Prices are reasonable: a good wooden puzzle costs 12 to 25 euros. The shop has a knowledgeable staff and a calming environment.
La Bottega dei Ragazzi at the Istituto degli Innocenti on Piazza Santissima Annunziata stocks educational books, toys, and games for children up to about age 12. The building itself, a Renaissance orphanage by Brunelleschi, is worth seeing as you arrive.
Bazar del Prete on Via degli Alfani is a small, old-fashioned shop selling traditional Italian board games, card games, and wooden toys. It has an atmosphere entirely unlike any chain toy store.
Illustrated books about Florence
An illustrated book about Florence makes an ideal souvenir for children who have visited the city. Several excellent options are available in English.
The Uffizi museum shop sells children’s books explaining the gallery’s major works in accessible language. “Florence Art for Kids” type publications introduce children to Renaissance art through simple text and full-colour images. Prices range from 10 to 18 euros.
The Palazzo Vecchio museum shop stocks a well-illustrated guide to the palace written specifically for children aged 7 to 12.
Libreria Editrice Fiorentina near Santa Croce has a selection of local interest books including illustrated city guides aimed at young readers.
Educational souvenirs
Art materials from a professional supply shop give children an immediate creative takeaway. Zecchi on Via dello Studio is a professional artist supply shop that has served Florentine artists and art students since 1952. It stocks watercolours, brushes, chalk, and sketchbooks at trade prices. A quality watercolour set costs around 12 to 20 euros. A linen-covered sketchbook costs 8 to 15 euros.
A set of marble paper materials from Il Papiro allows older children to recreate the traditional Florentine pattern at home. The kits include the special paper, instructions, and pigment. They cost around 15 to 25 euros.
Museum audio guides are sometimes sold in app format and can serve as learning tools at home. The Uffizi Galleries app is free and contains information about hundreds of works.
Where to stay
Charlotte is a family guesthouse in Florence, within easy walking distance of the best independent shops and museum stores in the city centre. The team can suggest specific shops based on the age of your children and what interests them most.
