Shopping in Italy

Italy is a place where you could combine a love for travel with a love for shopping. The diversity that characterizes Italy can be seen in the great possibilities of purchase that the visitor has. In Venice, for example, a city of retailers from where Marco Polo departed, it is possible to find beautiful Crystal pieces of Murano, or embroiders of Burano, made with techniques used since the sixteenth Century. You can also find the classical Venetian Carnival masks in the street markets that are scattered by the island.

Outlet malls are becoming popular in Italy. They can be found sprouting up in most major cities. Some of the famous outlet malls are The Mall (outside of Florence), McArthur Glen Serravalle (Piedmont), and Fashion District (just south of Rome). Many major labels have shops in these outlet malls. Most of the fashion houses have outlet stores in or near Milan, Florence, and Turin. All offer a designer shopping environment and friendly, courteous staff that speak a number of different languages.

And what to say of Milan, home of the world fashion, where it is possible to obtain the last tendencies in clothes, footwear and accessories. In Rome and the Vatican, the visitor can buy all type of religious objects. Also there are musical instruments, like the accordions of Castelfidardo or the magnificent violins of Cremona, and perfumes, to choose between huge varieties of aromas.

In the islands, weaves and carpets of exclusive design can be bought. In Naples, bronze objects and porcelain. Florence and Sardinia have the best wickers and rafia products. The objects with marble of Carrara, gold and silver pieces of Toscana and the silver objects of the Veneto are other good options of purchase.

Although normally shops are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 / 4 p.m. to 7:30 / 8 p.m., in large cities and tourist areas there is a tendency to stay open from 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. with possible variations from town to town. Department stores such as La Rinascente, Coin, Upim are found in many Italian cities and towns and are open from 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Some excellent purchase options are: Clothes for men and women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts); lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver items, alabaster, woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware.