Where to buy leather in Venice, Florence or Rome

We bought in Florence.

I think most people would recommend Florence. There's a pedestrian street between the Medici Chapels and the Central Market full of stalls full of leather goods. I'm not much of a shopper so I didn't pay much attention, but there seemed to be a lot of choices for good prices. Presumably the real high-end leather goods are in stores.

I've purchased leather goods at Massimo Leather on Borgo la Noce near the Central Market in Florence and have been very happy with my purchases. His coats, bags, purses and wallets are good quality at reasonable prices, and he stands behind what he sells. Not all stores in Florence sell good quality leather, so be careful (especially in the San Lorenzo street market stalls mentioned above). Avoid bags and purses sold by street vendors (the ones displayed on blankets), as they're rumored to be made of recycled Chinese tires worked to look and feel like leather. By shopping carefully, you can find good quality leather in Florence without going to an expensive high-end store.

If you like Mephisto shoes, prices at the Mephisto store on Via Martelli near Eataly and Duomo are about half what you'd pay in USA (plus potential VAT refund for even more savings).

Florence.

I can't remember the name of the shop, but it was next to some school of leather working in Florence. They had good prices and lovely goods.

Thank you for your input. I will make a note of those places to find.