Oh my goodness, what a charming little shop I stumbled upon!
This is a true hidden gem, away from the touristy Ponte Vecchio shops and other major attractions of Florence.
A small display case hanging on the wall outside the shop first caught my attention and when I peeked inside the shop through the door, I saw how truly tiny this shop was. I just had to go in.
Barely bigger than your pantry closet, inside sat a petite, elegant Japanese lady who warmly greeted me. There were so many lovely pieces inside the shop, all handcrafted by Hiroko, the owner and creator.
After spending some time, I went with my gut instinct and asked Hiroko to show me a pair of earrings hanging in the outside display case made with pearls and amethyst. My partner purchased this beautiful pair for my mom as a special gift from Florence. Hiroko asked me who these were for, and when I said they are for my mom, she packaged it with such care and attention to detail in a small drawstring gauze bag and then in a black paper back finished with a ribbon, folded so it sits flat inside my suitcase.
I am not a big jewelry wearer but this shop made me consider getting my ears pierced again!
There is a handful of small, artisanal unique stores in Florence that I would come back to and Lo Spillo is definitely one of them. read more