One of the things I love to do on a holiday is go stationery shopping. I love souvenirs I can use, and coming home with postcards and notebooks that will remind me of my trip always feels special!
The stationery in Florence seemed unified by a few themes. Many stationers feature hand-dyed psychedelic designs, motifs of hot air balloons and scenes of Florence, and lots of leatherwork. If you’re looking to get some cool stationery as a souvenir from Florence, you might want to check out:
Signum
This might have been my favourite place to take a break after a day of walking; a lower-level, air conditioned shop full of everything a stationery lover could ask for. There were so many products: notebooks and pads, postcards, pencil cups, paper models of Florence monuments, you name it! There were even bespoke masks, wax stamp kits, and leather-made lipstick holders (for those chic enough to want a lipstick holder that matches their notebook).
One of the things I loved about this shop was the fact that they had everything available to send postcards. I love sending friends a little note on holiday, but the idea of going to one place for a postcard, one place for a stamp, and figuring out the postal service is enough admin for me to forget the whole thing. But Signum not only sells postcards, pens, and stamps, but they also have an in-store postbox. So you don’t even need to leave the shop to get the task done!
Il Papiro
There were three of these shops in Florence, and I popped into two of them. As far as stationers go, this one has the best social media I could find. Their Instagram not only shows off their beautiful stationery, but answers questions about techniques and patterns created. Their marbling and leather-making techniques gave me a deeper appreciation for what they had to offer!
Eredi Paperone
I loved this stationery manufacturer! I got into a really interesting conversation with the son of the original proprietor, and he walked me through the store. He showed me the stationery; special hand-designed bookmarks, watercolour scenes of Florence, and carvings of Pinocchio. (Florence is the birthplace of this story, and Pinocchio merchandise is everywhere.) He explained that in his family, they interpreted the fairy tale as the puppet not having ears, and that’s what contributes to some of his troubles. There was even a studio in the back where bespoke stationery got made. I’d definitely check this place out!
What are your favourite stationery shops in Florence? Let me know in the comments—and as always, happy travels!
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