Cagliari
Local designer Alice Tolu displays her vintage-inspired fashions at her chic boutique on trendy Via Sulis. Alongside her seasonal creations, you'll find a…
Must-see shopping in Italy
San Giovanni & Testaccio
A hot find for footwear fiends, Etel stocks a carefully curated collection of fashionable women's shoes by mainly Italian labels. Designs range from…
Southern Tuscany
Located close to La Piccola Gerusalemme, Maria Laura Ferranti's atelier is a showcase of her lovely hand-woven creations, which include table runners,…
Siena
A stuffed boar's head sits above de Miccoli's entrance, fine aromas waft from the doorway, and the windows are festooned with sausages, stacks of cheese…
Centro Storico
Located in the same building the company was founded in, Tebro has been keeping Rome's well heeled in household linens and luxurious nightwear since 1867…
Eastern Sardinia
As you cross through the spellbinding high country between Dorgali and Baunei, watch for the turnoff to Formaggi Gruthas, where you can stop to buy farm…
Merano (Meran)
A stylish but very serious wine shop, a few minutes' walk from Merano's centre. It's a great place to discover a number of the region's best producers in…
Turin
This Torinese fashion institution – the city's first 'concept store' – stocks a tightly curated selection of Italian and European high fashion, along with…
Venice
SV Lab sells deadly cool men's and women's apparel with a rock-and-roll sensibility but a patrician's eye to quality. The silk and cashmere jackets are…
Venice
Resist buying inferior mass-produced Carnevale masks until you've checked out the traditionally made papier-mâché and leather masks at this long…
Taormina
Apothecary-like La Torinese stocks mouthwatering local edibles such as olive oil, capers, marmalade, honey, cheese, cured meats, old-fashioned sweets and…
Turin
Two pretty rooms are packed with beautiful women's clothes, accessories and a select number of perfumes and homewares. There are locally made items as…
Lake Garda
A rare Italian junk shop and real Aladdin's cave selling everything from 1990s Nokia phones and art-deco lampshades to 1970s stuffed toys and defunct…
Venice
This interesting store showcases rare vintage prints of Venice from the Fratelli Alinari photographic archives alongside the work of current photographers…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
With a window bedecked with fresh black truffles, you know you've found a source for Italian foods of the highest order. This traditional shop (note the…
Trieste
Five times a year this top-notch craft market sets up in Piazza Barbacan. Stalls display the work of established and up-and-coming designers, artists and…
Tuscany
Find this luxury fashion designer outlet 35km from Florence; buses (adult/reduced single €7/3.50, return €13/7.50) depart every half hour from the SITA…
San Polo & Santa Croce
As well as selling a good range of traditional papier-mâché masks – from simple to over-the-top – this atelier sells and rents elaborate Carnevale…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Turin-based jeweller Valentina Laganà is known for her contemporary pieces in brass, silver, copper and bronze. Well priced, her rings, earrings,…
Centro Storico
Famed for its antique prints, historic Nardecchia sells everything from 18th-century etchings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi to more affordable 19th…
Genoa
A clever collection of international labels along the conceptual spectrum, with both glamorous and beachy summer options. The shoes are especially…
Valle d'Aosta
Cogne is known for its lace-making; you can buy the local fabrics at this charming craft and antique shop. You'll also find warm mountain clothing,…
Trieste
This bookshop has revitalised literary life in the historic San Marco. Most of the books as well as the talks are in Italian but there's a good…
Bologna
An interesting shop for unique, nearly 100% Italian-made (there's one Spaniard represented) jewellery, funky ceramics and interior design pieces, many of…
Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Northwestern Tuscany
Fragrances, skincare products and ancient herbal remedies from this offshoot of Florence's historic perfumery-pharmacy, founded by Dominican friars in…
Bologna
Pick up a bottle of Lambrusco and so much more at Bologna's award-winning and most authentic wine shop, with over 4000 different Italian labels and a…
Genoa
An intriguing historic chocolate shop (established 1780) that specialises in candied flowers and floral waters: it really does feel as if nothing has…
Naples
Overlooking the spectacular Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo is this erudite little bookshop, popular with writers and intellectuals. There's a small foreign…
Cagliari
This airy showroom is a cut above Cagliari's other souvenir shops. It showcases a range of products made by island artisans, including hand-crafted…
Taormina
This eclectic shop is a fun place to browse for striking Italian jewellery, as well as ceramics, paintings, local fragrances and curiosities that might…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Everything's handmade at this longstanding mask workshop specialising in mainly traditional designs: from commedia dell'arte (masked theatre) characters…
Trieste
Ludovika, a jewellery designer, and Nika, a photographer, showcase the work of Trieste's young creatives in this beautifully bohemian shop front. Their…
Venice
Prolific sibling artisans Maddelena Venier and Alessandro Salvadori pack their tiny boutique with whimsical creations such as wire fish-skeleton…
Emilia-Romagna
This is the spot to come to buy (and taste) local products like Brisighella's famous olive oil, Km0 Sangiovese wines and other artisanal products culled…
The Dolomites
Visit local wool manufacturer Moessmer for cashmere and Tyrolean tweeds from its outlet shop on the town's outskirts, or just for an interesting slice of…
Western Sardinia
Seneghe's award-winning olive oil comes in containers of every shape and size at this market in the heart of town. Grab an ultra-portable 250mL bottle (€5…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
The trademark of this luxury Italian brand is its rubber-studded loafers – perfect weekend footwear for kicking back at your country estate. There's a…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Popular La Rinascente is an upmarket department store with five floors of his and hers fashions, a basement exhibition area and a panoramic food hall…
Livorno
The walls of this extraordinary cheese shop, in business since 1955, are lined floor-to-ceiling with giant rounds of parmesan; on market days, the queue…
Milan
Franco Jacassi's multilevel store stocks pristine vintage woollens, 1930s evening wear from Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga and Vionnet, belts, buckles, bags,…
