In Pescia, for over a year now, a market dedicated to vintage and high-quality second-hand goods has become a fixture on the third Sunday of every month. Held beneath the grand vaulted ceiling of the former flower market, it attracts around a hundred stallholders and several thousand visitors.

It has proved a resounding success in terms of both visitor numbers and public acclaim, which is repeated at every event, thanks in part to the organisers’ ability to consistently offer new and interesting themes, backed by an effective campaign...

A few weeks ago, a leading national business newspaper reported, in an interesting article, that the current economic crisis has led two out of three Italians to buy second-hand goods, with sellers now outnumbering buyers, and found that 65 per cent of the adult population has either sold or bought a second-hand item.

Between the loss of purchasing power of wages and the rising cost of living, in order to make ends meet, people are turning to buying second-hand goods, which has undoubtedly contributed to the success of many websites dedicated to this topic and the emergence of numerous markets specialising in second-hand goods.

As always, clothing will take centre stage, but there’ll certainly be no shortage of footwear, accessories, costume jewellery, perfumes and many other items on display on the colourful stalls – amongst which it’ll be a pleasure to stroll and catch up with friends.

...and then there are vinyl records, cassettes, CDs, books, prints, stereo systems, bicycles, comics, video games, handmade items and much more, to the delight of enthusiasts and collectors always on the lookout for that one-of-a-kind item