Which outlet in Tuscany is right for you
The question to ask yourself is what you want to buy.
| The Mall Firenze | Barberino Outlet | Valdichiana Designer Village | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Leccio Reggello, south-east of Florence | Barberino di Mugello, north of Florence | Foiano della Chiana, province of Arezzo |
| Range | luxury | mid-range | general outlet |
| Shops | a selection of major fashion houses | over 130 | over 130 brands |
| Hours | daily 10:00–19:00 | daily 10:00–20:00 | usually 10:00–20:00 |
| From Florence without a car | direct Busitalia bus | shuttle from SMN station | train to Arezzo, then bus |
| By car | A1, Incisa-Reggello exit | A1, Barberino exit | A1, Valdichiana (Bettolle) exit |
- Looking for bags, shoes and clothes from the big Italian and French fashion houses? The Mall. It is the only one of the three where luxury is the rule, not the exception.
- Looking for sportswear, jeans and shoes for the whole family? Barberino. Starting prices are lower and the shuttle from Florence is convenient.
- Travelling between Florence and Rome, or staying between Siena, Arezzo and Cortona? Valdichiana, which is practically on the motorway.
All three are open every day, Sundays included. On public holidays and during the sales, though, check the opening hours on the official website: they may change.
The Mall Firenze
What you will find
The Mall is a luxury outlet at Leccio, in the municipality of Reggello, between Florence and the Valdarno. The official list of brands includes, among others, Alexander McQueen, Armani, Balenciaga, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Celine, Chloé, Dolce&Gabbana, Fendi, Ferragamo, Givenchy, Gucci, Loro Piana, Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, Valentino, Versace and Zegna. The shops change over time: if you are going for a particular brand, look at the list on the website the day before you set off.
It is open every day from 10:00 to 19:00. Address: Via Europa 8, Leccio Reggello. Phone +39 055 865 7775.
Getting there
By bus from Florence. Busitalia, part of the Ferrovie dello Stato (Italian State Railways) group, runs a direct service from Piazzale Montelungo, next to Santa Maria Novella station. Tickets are sold on Busitalia's dedicated website.
- From Florence: 08:40, 09:10, 09:30, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30, 16:00, 17:00.
- From The Mall: 09:45, 10:10, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:20.
The journey takes roughly fifty minutes. The fare is not published openly: you see it when you buy. Timetables may change, so check them again before you go.
By car. A1 motorway, Incisa-Reggello exit, then towards Pontassieve as far as Leccio.
The practical tip
Take one of the first buses in the morning. You arrive at opening time, when the shops are still tidy and the queues at the tills short, and you have time to compare calmly. For the return there are buses until 19:20: there is no need to head back in mid-afternoon.
Barberino Outlet
The name has changed
Many guides still call it by its old McArthurGlen name. Today the centre is simply called Barberino Outlet and has its own website: McArthurGlen no longer lists it among its Italian outlets. The address is the same, Via Meucci in Barberino di Mugello, phone +39 055 842161.
What you will find
Over 130 shops with discounts of 30 to 70%, open every day from 10:00 to 20:00. The range is mid-market: Adidas, Boss, Furla, Guess, Brooks Brothers, Coccinelle, Calvin Klein Jeans, Geox, Pinko, Luisa Spagnoli and Tommy Hilfiger, to name a few. It is the right outlet for restocking your wardrobe, not for a luxury handbag.
Getting there
Shuttle from Florence. It leaves from Santa Maria Novella station with three runs a day. The summer timetable, from June to September, is:
- from Florence at 10:00, 12:00 and 15:00;
- from Barberino at 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00.
Meet 20 minutes before at the Sightseeing Visitor Centre, in the station's ticket hall. The winter timetable may differ: check it on the outlet's website. The same website also sells a combined train and shuttle ticket. If you need the wheelchair ramp, request it a few days in advance; there is also a hotel pick-up service, to be booked through the InfoPoint (+39 055 8421691). A similar shuttle runs from Bologna bus station.
On partner platforms the return shuttle from Florence can be booked from €13. Partner platform prices change and we check them regularly.
From Florence: Round-Trip Shuttle Bus to Barberino Outlet
(309 reviews) from €13
Book on GetYourGuideBy car. A1, Barberino exit.
Valdichiana Designer Village
This is the former Valdichiana Village, which has changed its name to Valdichiana Designer Village. It is at Foiano della Chiana, Via Enzo Ferrari 5, and claims over 130 brands with discounts of up to 70%. Opening hours are usually 10:00–20:00, but they vary on public holidays: check before you go. Phone +39 0575 649926.
Getting there
- By car: A1, Valdichiana (Bettolle) exit. About 30 minutes from Siena and from Arezzo, about an hour from Florence.
- By public transport: train to Arezzo, then the LS5 local bus (Arezzo–Foiano–Bettolle), about 50 minutes. Check the return times before you set off: services are not as frequent as in town.
If you are coming from Rome, or touring the Val d'Orcia, it is the only one of the three that fits into your trip without a detour. For ideas on how to spend the day, see Arezzo and Cortona and from Rome to Tuscany.
How to plan the day
An outlet works well as a half-day trip and badly as a full day. After four hours in the shops, tiredness makes you buy worse, not better. A few practical rules:
- Choose a weekday. Saturdays and Sundays are generally the busiest days.
- Arrive at opening time. With a journey of about 50 minutes, the 08:40 or 09:10 Busitalia bus gets you to The Mall around opening time; for Barberino the first shuttle is the 10:00.
- Make a list. Knowing what you are looking for, and what it costs at full price, is the only way to tell whether the discount is real.
- Don't combine two outlets on the same day. The Mall and Barberino are on opposite sides of Florence, and Valdichiana is an hour away on the motorway.
- Leave room in your suitcase, or bring a foldable bag: shoe boxes take up more space than you think.
If you have just one free day in Florence and want to see a bit of countryside too, The Mall pairs with the Valdarno; Valdichiana, if you have a car, with an afternoon in Cortona.
Organised tours: when they make sense
On partner platforms you will find a four-hour private tour to The Mall from Florence, from €390. For one or two people it is not worth it. The Busitalia bus runs eleven times a day right to the outlet's door and costs a fraction of that amount.
The tour makes sense in two cases: a group splitting the cost, and anyone expecting to carry away a lot of shopping who doesn't want to ride the bus with their bags. In every other case, take the bus, or the shuttle if you are going to Barberino, and spend the difference in the shops.
Tax free: the VAT refund
If you live outside the European Union you can reclaim part of the VAT on your purchases. The general rules:
- ask for the tax free form at the till, and always bring your passport: without it, the form cannot be issued;
- keep the goods unused and with the receipts, because customs may ask to see them;
- before leaving the EU, have the forms validated at customs at your last European airport, before checking in your luggage if the purchases are in your suitcase;
- the refund comes in cash or to your card, minus a commission charged by the company that handles it.
At The Mall there is also an advance refund for purchases over €70 per shop. According to the outlet, the goods must then leave the European Union within 20 days if you depart from Italy, or within 9 days if you leave from another European country. As a rule, if the validation does not arrive in time, the amount advanced is charged back to your card.
Mistakes to avoid
- Searching for "McArthurGlen Barberino" on your satnav. Use the address: Via Meucci, Barberino di Mugello.
- Searching for the old name Valdichiana Village. Guides and maps still use it; the current name is Valdichiana Designer Village.
- Going to The Mall without checking the list of brands. Shops change: if you want a particular fashion house, check first.
- Cutting it fine for the last Barberino shuttle. There are only three return runs: miss the last one and you are left without a shuttle.
- Forgetting your passport if you are entitled to tax free shopping.
- Paying for a private tour for two people. The bus makes the same journey.
Related pages
If the outlet is just one stop, combine it with the rest: from The Mall, the Valdarno and Florence are close by, and from Valdichiana you can head on to Siena. For more day-out ideas, see day trips from Florence and experiences in Tuscany.