Whether you’re looking to buy a couple of beautiful souvenirs or looking to invest in jewellery, art, or fashion, Italy is a shopper’s paradise. There are more than a hundred different reasons why you should visit Italy at least once in a lifetime. But, in order to create forever memories, you have to experience the best of shopping in Italy in some of the best cities. This country has got a lot for all those shopaholics out there! This shopping guide helps you to not only save time but also avoid the cheap mass-produced souvenirs, found near most of the tourist attractions. Instead, get to know the top shopping spots and steer yourself to the artisan shops and speciality boutiques where you can find quality merchandise.
Rome gives various opportunities to shop from designer fashion boutiques to chain and outlet stores, flea markets, and souvenir shops. If you are looking at luxury shopping, then head to the place near the Spanish Steps, as well as Via Condotti. You can also shop at chain stores, especially Via del Corso. The following markets and shops are the most recommended ones amongst others:
1.Porta Portese, Piazza di Porta Portese: This is the most well-known flea market in Rome.
2.Chez Dédé, Via di Monserrato 35: The most trendy boutique that sells everything, starting from artworks, home decor things to clothing.
Florence is the best place to shop artisan crafts, luxurious fashions, shoes, leather, jewellery, perfume, and stationary. If you only choose to do window shopping, head to the streets of Via Tornabuoni, Della Vigna Nuova, and Dei Calzaiuoli. Around the Central Market, you can find so many stalls selling inexpensive souvenirs and clothing. Looking for smaller speciality stores? Then pay a visit to cross over the Arno. They have some of the best shopping places in Florence. The following boutiques (outside the high-end fashion retailers) are recommended amongst many others:
1. Zecchi, Via Dello Studio, 19R: This store sells decorative handmade stationery, that makes a perfect gift for your loved ones.
2. Santa Croce Leather Workshop, Via S. Giuseppe, 5R: You won’t find better leather goods in Florence apart from this workshop which is a part of the Santa Croce Monastery.
Looking out for good shops for foodies, artisan workshops, jewellery, and fashion in Lucca? Check out Via Fillungo, the main high-end shopping street that runs through Lucca’s historic centre, but you can find more affordable shops as well as boutiques on Via Santa Lucia and Via Buia. We recommend the following:
1.Cioccolateria Caniparoli, Via San Paolino 96: This shop is for all those chocolate lovers visiting Italy. I’m sure you will be taking a bag of these back home!
2.Edison, Via Cenami at Via Roma: For all those book-worms, this paradise has numerous varieties of books, but most of them are written in Italian, with only a few written in English.
Naples is well-known for its native workshops that produce souvenirs for Italian nativity scenes, or presepi. Most of the workshops are located near Via San Gregorio Armeno. You can buy your own pieces and construct a nativity scene here. For other kinds of shopping visit Galleria Umberto, across the San Carlo Opera House. This is a historic shopping centre that’s quite picturesque. If you are looking at stores selling modern stuff do visit Via Toledo. There are numerous high-end fashion labels with boutiques here, that you can splurge into. The following shops are recommended in Naples:
1. Mario Talarico, Vico Due Porte a Toledo 4/b: You can buy beautiful handmade umbrellas here!
2. Maurizio Brandi, Via Domenico Morelli 9: Maurizio Brandi’s antiques will definitely make the best decor for your home, so don’t miss out to buy one of these as a memorable take away from Italy!
Perugia is the largest city of Umbria region in central Italy and has shops ranging from speciality stores to artisan workshops to high standard fashion boutiques. The best shopping streets of Perugia are Via dei Priori and Corso Cavour. Perugia is well-known for Baci chocolates and you can find them for sale across various stores and cafés. The following shops are recommended stores amongst others:
1. Maria Antonietta Taticchi, Via dei Priori, 70: You can buy beautiful ceramic pieces out here.
2. Sartoria Camiceria Lemmi, Via Guglielmo Marconi, 59: You can splurge on a collection of men suit that is of high quality and hand-made here.
Assisi, the most visited hill town in the Umbria region boasts many shops that sell souvenirs and cheap knick-knacks. Especially near Saint Francis Basilica, you can buy some unique or special gift in the artisan boutiques that have art, fashion, kids clothing, home goods, and wine. The following, are the recommended stores amongst many others:
1. Artestampa, Via S Francesco, 10C: This shop sells beautiful woodcut designs of Assisi.
2. Studio Assisi, Via Fortini 7: Try out some funky clothes here.
3. Il Lavandeto di Assisi, Corso Mazzini 16: This shop sells all lavender related products that grow on a farm in the outskirts of the town.
Sorrento, the charming town of Southern Italy definitely turns out to be the best place to shop for artisanal goods. Check out these shops amongst many others :
1. Augusto & Luca’s Workshop, Via Fuoro 50: Find Sorrento’s famous inlaid wood goods, all handmade at this workshop.
2. Corium Sandals, Via Degli Archi 20: This place has a huge selection of sandals that are handmade.
Venice is Italy’s most popular city for tourists and there are numerous souvenir stalls selling affordable mass-produced items. It also has historic shops and boutiques selling handmade masks and glass, two products for which Venice is famous. We recommend these shops, among others:
1. Papier Maché, Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, 5174/B: You can check out some of the most high-quality Venetian masks of Europe.
2. Vetreria Artistica Archimede Seguso, Fondamenta Serenella, 18: This 13th-century shop is a glassware workshop.I’m sure you will be able to spot antique glassware designs here.
I’m sure after all that travelling and sightseeing, you are going to have very less time to shop! So head down to any of these shops and buy the best to take back home. We at Pickyourtrail craft the best itineraries for our customers with all the activities that our customers are interested in. Oh now that you might be interested to plan an Italy vacation, head on to the tours you could book to Italy here.