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Vintage Antique Market – What Are Italians Selling In Tuscany?

The antique market in Arezzo, Tuscany: more than 500 stalls of vintage jewellery, bags, prints and porcelain, and my tips for getting a bargain there.

By Gracie Opulanza2 min read

A group in vintage-style suits and dresses walking down a paved street in Arezzo while a man films them

I live in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, and the antique market in Arezzo is the one I keep going back to. On the first Sunday of every month, and the Saturday before it, the town fills with stalls. They spread across Piazza Grande, Piazza San Francesco and the Logge Vasari, with more than 500 exhibitors from all over Italy. The antiques dealer and collector Ivan Bruschi started it in 1968, and it is the oldest and largest open-air antiques fair in Italy. And it is here in Tuscany.

A woman in a magenta polka dot dress carrying a woven rattan bag, walking beside a man in a yellow shirt and straw hat
Vintage green open-top sports car with a spare wheel and a canvas bag strapped on the back, parked on gravel
A woman in a long green and orange printed coat, white trousers and white trainers, with a cream shoulder bag

So what are Italians selling? Vintage jewellery, first of all: pearls, chunky accessories and rings. Then historic prints, paintings, modern antiques, toys, watches, porcelain, glassware, fabrics, and iron and copper knick-knacks. It is all laid out in the old streets of Arezzo.

My own finds here include a 1980s Salvatore Ferragamo gold-plated charm bracelet and a pair of 1990s Gucci sunglasses with real silver hardware.

The hunt is a big part of it. Get there as early as you can, when things are still coming off the trucks. And bargain. Agreeing a price and walking away with the piece is half the pleasure.

Pale blue brocade clutch with gold braid trim and a round clasp, carried by hand through the crowd
White market canopies across a piazza, with old furniture, a mirror and framed prints on sale beneath a stone tower
Glass-topped cases of gold-tone vintage necklaces, chains and bracelets on a market stall
Two vintage monogram canvas handbags on a red cloth with gold-rimmed teacups, a teapot and a belt
Printed silk scarves laid out in orange boxes beside a round red lacquer-look case

Vintage Market

The market is also a way to see Arezzo, one of the most beautiful cities in Tuscany and one with fewer tourists than most. Piazza Grande, Piazza San Francesco and the Logge Vasari are full of history, and they are the backdrop to the stalls.

I love the atmosphere. Collectors, tourists and locals are all looking at the same things, and you hear it when somebody finds something.

Vintage brooches in rhinestone, flower and fan shapes pinned to black cloth, beside an open red round box of pins
Long arcade lined with stalls of china and antiques, with lanterns overhead and shoppers strolling through
A man in a cap browsing gilt-framed trays of colourful enamel animal brooches on a stall
Handbags, purses and a pair of red loafers laid out on a striped cloth at a bag stall

Bargain Hard

If you are planning to go, here are a few tips.

  • Arrive early. You get the best picks and you miss the midday crowds.
  • Wear comfortable shoes. You will do a lot of walking.
  • Bring cash. Some sellers take cards, but cash is king when you are bargaining.
A smiling woman in a yellow printed top holding a brand new tan leather Coach bag with gold buckles at a bag stall

A brand new Coach bag, old stock. I paid 70 euros. Brilliant quality.

Fur hats in brown, black and cream piled on red-covered tables, with hatted mannequin heads behind
Cream flat shoes with black bow trim on a market table beside a china figurine of an elderly couple and old clocks

So mark the first Sunday of the month in your calendar. And if you like this one, there is Lucca too.

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