Scuola del Cuoio
Scuola del Cuoio
4.5
About
Leather Craftsmen inside the Monastery of Santa Croce since 1950 The unique location, the quality of its products and the commitment to tradition has made Scuola del Cuoio world famous. Today, it remains the largest genuine laboratory in Florence where clients can witness the artisans create the leather goods in the midst of centuries-old history. After four generations, the Gori family continues to be committed to the great tradition of quality products and personal customer service which has allowed Scuola del Cuoio to establish a refined clientele worldwide. A visit is worthwhile for the beauty of its location and the refinement of its creations.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Santa Croce
Stop and stare at the beauty and symmetry of the Basilica of Santa Croce any time day or night. Unraveling around it are a number of architectural and artistic masterpieces, from the Synagogue to the Central National Library. As a hub for young people, the area gets busy with people who want to have fun: a continuous flow of tourists and locals become animated by songs and dances.
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Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
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2,627 within 5 kms
Attractions
821 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Cassaundra S5 contributionsThe best place for fine leather goods!We got some fantastic leather pieces at a great price. One thing to note is that students are there Monday-Friday, so while you can shop on the weekend, you can't get items altered on the spot Saturday/Sunday. Such an amazing experience and I can't wait to get my custom bag!Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 22 October 2023
- Connector061086931401 contributionShopping for Italian leather!Excellent morning trip. We purchased gifts for family members, which were not only beautiful but also custom-made. They will size belts and add initials while you watch! Their handbags are beautiful. I fell in love with one of them but it wasn't the color I was looking for and didn't have feet. They let me place an order and told me it would take 3 months. I was so excited when I received the beautiful bag exactly when promised. It's beautiful.Visited August 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 1 January 2024
- medicalmarinaraBoston, Massachusetts133 contributionsThis is where to buy your leather!Buy your leather from here! Florence is full of hundreds of leather stores and it is tough to tell which are authentic. This was suggested by all of the locals and is where you can get your real Italian leather. It is a bit pricey, but such high quality products in there.Visited February 2024Travelled with familyWritten 28 February 2024
- PandD B3 contributionsExcellent leather shopOn on trip to Florence, we knew we wanted to purchase leather. After some research we found about about the school. This is a very cool place to go. The quality of their work is top notch. The people there are very helpful. They shipped our items home and they arrived safe and sound. We highly recommend.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 May 2024
- A KPhoenix, Arizona22 contributionsGreat place for high quality leather!Great place to buy high quality leather! It wasn’t the easiest place to find and is quite unassuming. All of their stuff is high quality. The staff is very helpful. I hadn’t intended to buy a jacket but when I tried one on I fell in love with it. I loved the embossing personalization and they shipped it to my home in the US for a very reasonable price. I thought that considering the quality, the prices were fair. Plus the whole experience of seeing the leather goods being made was really cool!Visited May 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 17 June 2024
- Mary Anne O8 contributionsSchool of Leather- Florence ItalyBeautiful and well priced leather products- bags, belts, wallets book marks, desk sets. They made President Eisenhower’s Oval Office desk set back in the day. They operate a leather school to become fine craftsmen/women. This place was started after WWII to give war orphans training and a good job. Wonderful!Visited February 2024Travelled on businessWritten 8 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
286 reviews
Excellent
212
Very good
48
Average
20
Poor
4
Terrible
3
Jacqueline D
83 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Read about this place so popped in.
Tucked away but close walking distance to Duomo.
Wandered in and mind blown.
All products Top Grain leather.
So buttery soft.
All products were able to be monogrammed and belts made to fit (shortened, extra holes) for no extra charge.
Watched while craftsman personalised all purchases for myself and family. Chose between yellow or white gold monograms on my leather.
Far exceeded expectations. Quality was unreal and prices realistic.
You get what you pay for but not outrageous. Fair prices for excellent quality. (€35 for belt, €40 for card wallet)
Easy shopping knowing everything in store was top grain and made on site.
Craftsmanship was excellent.
Tucked away but close walking distance to Duomo.
Wandered in and mind blown.
All products Top Grain leather.
So buttery soft.
All products were able to be monogrammed and belts made to fit (shortened, extra holes) for no extra charge.
Watched while craftsman personalised all purchases for myself and family. Chose between yellow or white gold monograms on my leather.
Far exceeded expectations. Quality was unreal and prices realistic.
You get what you pay for but not outrageous. Fair prices for excellent quality. (€35 for belt, €40 for card wallet)
Easy shopping knowing everything in store was top grain and made on site.
Craftsmanship was excellent.
Written 20 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben
10 contributions
July 2023 • Family
Husband here. My wife was very taken by the color and quality of the items at this artisan leather shop. I have been trying to steer my wife away from the top line brand bags like LV and Chanel as I question whether they are truly worth the price. I actually became an enabler in my wife buying 2 handbags here because they are beautiful and truly handmade and seem genuinely worth the prices charged (which are not cheap). To me these are truly unique pieces that reflect top quality craftsmanship and leather product. I’d rather have my money support this enterprise than to give into one more LV purchase. Beautiful workshop and store!
Written 11 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Minh H
Birmingham, AL455 contributions
June 2023 • Family
Beautiful leather shop and leather school in an old monastery. Off the beaten path so you will not just stumble on it. We had a personal shopper who made us an appointment and we met with the founder's grand daughter. Beautiful, great quality. Better than the shops that you see around town and the leather market in the city center. this is not a place to get a cheap leather souvenir for a friend. The prices are a little more but well worth it. The craftsmanship is impeccable and they will even emboss your initials for free in gold leaf. My daughter got a beautiful little wallet and my wife had a ostrich belt custom made for a fraction of what it would have cost us in the US. Highly recommended
Written 14 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susy_Traveler
Houston, TX392 contributions
Nov 2021
It was fascinating to visit and watch the artisans work- plus the selection of quality products was outstanding. The friendly staff members helped me select my gifts, which the artisans then monogrammed on the spot. Definitely worth a visit!
Written 16 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RachelTravel13
Austin, TX82 contributions
Apr 2022
Tucked away within the Santa Croce Church, this hidden leather school produces beautifully crafted leather goods. We were blown away by the creativity and quality of their items. The staff was very helpful and helped me find the perfect leather purse with a beautiful gold chain. It's one of those "special" items that I will have for years to come! It's definitely worth popping in and treating yourself to a beautiful, handmade good.
Written 23 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
creichmann
Toronto, Canada3 contributions
May 2022 • Business
Florence is world renowned for its leather and no where else in this wonderful city is it more evident than the Scuola Del Cuoio.
This is where the age old tradition of hand crafting the best of the best leather is on full display. Each item, from key chains, to handbags to Jackets and much more is hand made here and you can even see it happen.
Skip the shops in town and go straight here, to watch the artisans craft the most exquisite leather goods and brows their extensive display of items for sale.
The staff is extremely courteous, knowledgeable and helpful.
I highly recommend shopping here.
You will not be disappointed.
This is where the age old tradition of hand crafting the best of the best leather is on full display. Each item, from key chains, to handbags to Jackets and much more is hand made here and you can even see it happen.
Skip the shops in town and go straight here, to watch the artisans craft the most exquisite leather goods and brows their extensive display of items for sale.
The staff is extremely courteous, knowledgeable and helpful.
I highly recommend shopping here.
You will not be disappointed.
Written 30 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ItalianLoveAffair
Toronto, Canada77 contributions
Oct 2021 • Solo
This place is tucked away behind the Santa Croce church. It’s a bit hard to find but magical. There is a store in the leather school which you can’t miss. The leather quality is top notch. The designs in the store are stunning. And they have small gift items too for almost any price ranging from 5 euro - 5.000 euro. Bought a purse and a number of key chains and had them all monogrammed. Definately coming back.
Written 16 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CabKings
Tampa, FL550 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
This is a great place to purchase quality leather bags, belts, wallets etc…at much much less that named retailers. Staff if very helpful and many items to chose from. Highly recommend you visit here and pick up a gift or two and something for yourself.
Written 22 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RonL40
Utica, NY3,589 contributions
June 2023 • Family
If you visit one of the outdoor markets in Florence, you'll see dozens of vendors selling leather goods. Be sure that you also stop by the Scuola del Cuoio, located adjacent to Santa Croce. You'll see leatherworkers working on actual projects as well as the shops where the Scuola sells a variety of goods, from less expensive keepsakes to bags and coats costing thousands. Great experience to see the museum-quality leather art from the Scuola craftspeople.
Written 10 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Connector06108693140
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Couples
Excellent morning trip. We purchased gifts for family members, which were not only beautiful but also custom-made. They will size belts and add initials while you watch! Their handbags are beautiful. I fell in love with one of them but it wasn't the color I was looking for and didn't have feet. They let me place an order and told me it would take 3 months. I was so excited when I received the beautiful bag exactly when promised. It's beautiful.
Written 1 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonsoir,
A quelles dates pouvons nous suivre le cours de réalisation de ceinture à plusieurs élèves ? Merci BAV
Written 30 September 2019
Dovete contattare la scuola del cuoio per mail
Written 1 October 2019
Sonia
Padua, Italy
È possibile visitare soltanto la scuola del cuoio, poiché abbiamo già prenotato la visita alla basilica di Santa Croce e la capoella dei Pazzi?
Written 13 August 2019
Buonasera, si può visitare la Scuola del Cuoio passando da Via San Giuseppe 5R , è un androne con grandi foto dei nostri artigiani . I nostri orari sono 10/18 aperto tutti i giorni. Grazie
Written 13 August 2019
Hello could you tell me if it is possible to enter the Scuola without going through the church of Santa Croce?
Written 4 February 2019
Hello. Thank you for your message and sorry for the late reply. Yes, you can use our private entrance located in Via San Giuseppe 5R, on the left side of the Church.
Written 13 February 2019
I'm planning be in Florence next month and the shop looks awesome! I'd love to buy some small wallets, purses as souvenir gifts. What is the price range? Are small items available affordably?
Written 17 September 2018
We plan to visit in May. Are there certain times we can watch students making the product?
Written 12 February 2018
Hello. Well, we’ll be glad to welcome you. Please note that our masters make our products and you will find them at work from Monday to Friday all days. As for our students, they are in class between 10.30 am and 5.00 pm. You can observe them from the window outside of their workshop but unfortunately we can’t let visitors in.
Written 12 February 2018
We will be in Florence in February. Please can you tell me the opening hours of the store. Thank you.
Written 31 January 2018
Hello, We'll be happy to welcome you from Monday to Saturday between 10.00 AM and 6.00 PM.
Written 1 February 2018
I lost my receipt for the Vat refund would you be able to give me another copy ?
Written 21 September 2017
Hello. Sorry about that. If you are still in italy we can possibly assist you. Please contact our administrative office by email.
Written 21 September 2017
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