Naples
One-time favourite of Luchino Visconti and Aristotle Onassis, this pocket-sized, vintage boutique is the place for prêt-à-porter and made-to-measure silk…
Must-see shopping in Italy
Lucca
For an exquisite pair of handmade leather shoes (men and women), jackets and leather accessories, delve into the fashionable boutique of Florentine…
Cagliari
Cagliari's historic morning food market is exactly what a thriving market should be: busy, noisy and packed with fresh, fabulous produce such as fish,…
Trieste
This jewel-box pastry shop and cafe was one of Joyce's favourites. Its nutty, spicy, boozy Triestine speciality cakes – putizza, presnitz and pinza – are…
Venice
Nelson Kishi's studio contains wonderful prints and original works, mainly in ink on paper, many of them depicting Venetian scenes. Kishi's delicate and…
The Veneto
Taking over the town's main piazza and surrounding streets, Asolo's monthly antiques market is one of the region's finest, peddling anything and…
Verona
Don’t be fooled by the name – this is no ordinary dusty antique shop. Rather, it is a treasure trove of vintage posters, maps, prints, engravings and…
Calabria
Even among Italian delicatessens, this long-established salumeria is something special. It’s a temple to all things fungoid (get your Sila porcini here),…
Volterra
One of only four female alabaster carvers in Volterra, Gloria Giannelli creates elegant hand-carved pieces that are rich in fretwork detail – the vases,…
Palermo
After years living abroad, Loredana Lo Verde returned to her native Palermo, opening this little studio-gallery in La Kalsa. Inspired by Sicilian icons,…
Venice
All of the Griffin's brightly coloured leather belts, bags and wallets are proudly made right here, using only traditionally tanned leather from Tuscany…
Milan
Founded in Rome in 1945, Brioni has been synonymous with luxury since the get-go. Its name comes from the beautiful Brijuni Islands in Croatia, a favoured…
Venice
Husband-and-wife team Francesco and Marianna run this classy store that stocks some of the most brilliant names in Italian fashion. Delicate silks and…
Milan
Metrosexual men the world over make a beeline for chic menswear and lifestyle store Larusmiani, which is home to heritage grooming experts G. Lorenzi…
Milan
Retailer Rosy Biffi spotted potential in the young Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace long before they became household names. More recently, Biffi got…
Milan
Stationery lovers won't be the only ones going quietly ga-ga in this showroom which stocks the entire Fabriano line. Everything from plain notebooks to…
Milan
For unique, one-off costume jewellery pieces, bags and hair pieces, look no further than the boutique of Donatella Pellini, granddaughter of famous…
Milan
Established in Omegna in 1921, Italy's most famous design factory has gone on to transform our homes with more than 22,000 crafted utensils, many of which…
Milan
Started as a carpet shop in 1979, this is now one of the best collectable design galleries in town, curated under the watchful eye of inimitable Nina…
Oltrarno
Every book tells a different story in this absolutely fascinating artist's workshop, home to Milan-born Lorenzo Perrone who creates snow-white Libri…
Venice
This postage-stamp-sized shop on the bridge of San Moisé sells fabulous jewellery by Muranese sisters Marina and Susanna Sent, whose designs can also be…
Milan
Loads of little stickers, clips, pencils and decorated stationery fill this graphic, colourful space, so much so that it's rather hard to 'behave' as the…
Parma
Tempting new visitors just steps from the train station is this bountiful delicatessen dating to 1829, with dangling sausages, shelves of Lambrusco wines,…
Milan
Sourcing antiques and funky vintage artefacts since the 1960s, Il Cirmolo is a little treasure trove of joy. You can spend a whole morning here picking…
Milan
Once a month a big former metalworks is transformed into what is probably the hippest market in town. The place for all your vintage loves, such as…
Milan
Established in 1930, Doriani is renowned for its ultrasoft cashmere knits, including polo shirts, cardigans and sweaters. Its quintessentially understated…
Milan
Milan’s Danese may not be as well known as Piedmont’s Alessi, but its products possess the same sense of wit and attention to everyday detail. If Enzo…
Milan
A husband-and-wife, DJ-stylist duo highlight some of Milan’s most avant-garde looks and sounds. Look for super-wearable ACNE workwear and puffball sleeve…
Milan
Now under the wing of Patrizio Bertelli (Mr Prada), the original '60s hybrid of sport shoe and smart casual loafer is set for a comeback in this flagship…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
The Anglo American Bookshop is well stocked and well known. It has an excellent range of literature, travel guides, children’s books and maps, and if it…
Venice
This grappa store positively gleams, thanks to its copper-chrome fittings. The Poli family has been distilling grappa since 1898, and the friendly sales…
Milan
A hole-in-the wall on chic Via della Spiga, Sermoneta's boutique store sells standards such as hand-stitched calfskin gloves alongside more unique styles…
Venice
This elegant store sells predominantly glass, most notably beautiful pieces by Nason e Moretti, but also has innovative items in wood, metal and even…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
With travertine walls, stunning contemporary art and sweeping red-marble staircase, the flagship store of Rome's iconic fashion house inside 18th-century…
Enoteca Regionale Emilia Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
Whose idea of shopping for wine in Italy doesn't involve a 13th-century medieval castle and a rigorous, six-member blind tasting board? This worth-a…
Bologna
For those looking for a true made-to-measure Italian suit, an exquisite experience awaits at this fiercely artisanal tailor, where Leonardo and Gianluca…
Alghero
Coral has long been harvested in the waters off the Alghero coast (the aptly named Riviera del Corallo) and transformed into jewellery. Agostino Marogna…
Southern Rome
Be prepared for some serious taste-bud titillation in this flash food emporium of gargantuan proportions built in the former terminal for airport buses…
Tyrrhenian Coast
This beloved sweet shop on Castelbuono's main street is the perfect place to stock up on unique foodie gifts. Make sure to try the cubaita, a crunchy nut…
Vernazza
Cinque Terre's lemon trees, vineyards and seashore are among the inspirations for the alluring fragrances created by the locally based perfume maker. At…
