Market shopping in Italy
-
A
Santo Spirito Organic Market
This monthly market attracts artisans and organic farmers from around Tuscany, with stands devoted to fresh produce, hand-painted crockery, spices gathered from Chianti hillsides and much more.
reviewed
-
B
Mercato di Ballarò
Although it's popular with tourists, many Palermitans shop for their fresh produce and household goods at Mercato di Ballarò.
reviewed
-
Market stalls
Market stalls selling everything from fruit, flowers, pots, pans and clothes to useless clutter fill Piazzas Sordello, Broletto and delle Erbe and their surrounding streets on Thursday morning. More than a million pigs a year are reared in the province of Mantua. Try salumi (salt pork), pancetta(salt-cured bacon), prosciutto crudo (salt-cured ham) and risotto with the locally grown vialone nano rice.
Tortelli di zucca (sweet pumpkin-stuffed cushions of square pasta) is the city's most venerable dish, while risotto alla pilota (risotto with minced pork) and luccio (pike) also appear on most menus. Mantua is also renowned for its sweet specialities, including torta di…
reviewed
-
fresh-produce market
Modena's fresh-produce market has its main entrance on Via Albinelli.
Like Bologna and Parma, Modena is an important gastronomic town. Its most famous product is aceto balsamico, considered the best in Italy by gourmets, but the centre also produces an excellent prosciutto crudo and zampone (stuffed pig's trotter). Tortellini is another speciality, as is Lambrusco, a lively, sparkling red, to be drunk chilled and with everything.
reviewed
-
C
Spazio Multiculturale
Set up in an attempt to clear central Florence of some of its many street vendors, and put a lid on the conflict that had arisen between them, the police and local residents, this ethnic market on the banks of the Arno is now the place to come for an orderly browse of all those African carvings, North African fabrics and similar objects you might find in your local souq.
reviewed
-
D
Fresh Produce Market
On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, the main square Piazza del Duomo and its surrounding streets become a sea of blue awnings and jostling shoppers as Pistoia hosts a lively market. The town's fresh produce market occupies Piazza della Sala, west of the cathedral, and is situated close to the helpful tourist office .
reviewed
-
E
Borgo Parioli Market
Parioli is Rome’s most expensive residential area, and its weekend market is a hot date on the capital’s monthly shopping calendar. Among the often-expensive bric-a-brac, you’ll find original jewellery and accessories from the 1950s onwards, silverware, paintings, antique lamps and old gramophones.
reviewed
-
F
Mercato delle Stampe
The Mercato delle Stampe (Print Market) is well worth a look if you’re a fan of vintage books and old prints. Squirrel through the permanent stalls and among the tired posters and dusty back editions, and you might turn up some interesting music scores, architectural engravings or chromolithographs of Rome.
reviewed
-
G
Nightly Market
Coral, some of it found locally, is the big item in Santa Teresa, and you'll find no shortage of boutiques and jewellery shops. The pedestrianised Via Umberto and Via Carlo Alberto, leading south from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, also host a nightly market from June to September.
reviewed
-
H
Umbria Terraviva
On the first Sunday of the month, check out the Umbria Terraviva located along the side of the Duomo heading towards Via Bonanzi. You’ll find all sorts of organic fruits, vegetables and fabulous canned or packaged items to take home as gifts.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
I
La Duchessa
Gritty, multiethnic and obscenely cheap; head here for bargain denim, shoes, knickers, make-up and bootleg DVDs. Serious music buffs head in early to hunt for original, recent-release CDs and the odd hard-to-find special edition.
reviewed
-
Mercato di Poggioreale
Set in the city’s old slaughterhouse, this hugely popular market has 40 shoe stalls alone selling designer overstock and no-frills everyday brands. Equally fab are the cheap casual wear, suits, colourful rolls of fabrics and kitchenware.
reviewed
-
J
Via Sannio
This morning market in the shadow of Porta San Giovanni, near the basilica, is awash with wardrobe staples. It has a good assortment of new and vintage clothes, shoes at bargain prices, and a good range of jeans and leather jackets.
reviewed
-
Saturday Market
One of the area's better weekly markets, with clothing, household items, groceries, knick-knacks and munchies. It's a great place to pick up local fruits and vegetables. Plus, unique souvenirs are just a bottle of local honey away.
reviewed
-
Produce Market
Reggio’s central squares host a produce market. Typical local snacks include erbazzone (herb pie with cheese or bacon) and gnocco fritto (fried salted dough). Parmesan is also produced locally.
reviewed
-
K
Piazza Mercato di Pesce
There's a great open-air fish market, Piazza Mercato di Pesce, on the northern waterfront. Even if you're not buying seafood, it's a great place to stroll around and take in the sights, smells and sounds.
reviewed
-
L
Underground
Monthly market held underground, in a subterranean car park near Villa Borghese. There are more than 150 stalls selling everything from antiques and collectables to clothes and toys.
reviewed
-
Mercatino dei Miracoli
On the second or third weekend of each month, a fun bric-a-brac fair is held either in the Campo San Canciano and the adjacent Campo Santa Maria Nova or along Via Giuseppe Garibaldi.
reviewed
-
M
Wednesday Market
Spreading around Fortezza Medicea and towards the Stadio Comunale, this is one of Tuscany's largest markets and is great for foodstuffs and cheap clothing.
reviewed
-
N
CS Supermarket
An army of aisles stock everything from fruit and veggies to cheeses, toilet paper and blank CDs. Push it all around in some of the world's funkiest shopping trolleys.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
O
Covered Market
Found below Coop, you can buy fresh produce, bread, cheese and meat from this market. From Piazza Matteotti, head down the stairs of the arched doorway labelled £18A.
reviewed
-
P
La Fiera
Every morning except Sunday, Piazza Carlo Alberto is flooded by the chaos of a produce market, known locally as La Fiera , not dissimilar to a Middle Eastern kasbah.
reviewed
-
Gran Balôn
A giant antiques market takes place on the second Sunday of every month, while a smaller version (Balôn) is held every Saturday in the same location.
reviewed
-
Q
Coop
The largest grocery store in the historic centre sells all the staples, fruits and vegetables, and has a deli counter with fresh pasta and cheeses.
reviewed
-
R
Mercato della Vucciria
Palermo’s notorious street market, Mercato della Vucciria was once known as a den of Mafia activity but is a muted affair today.
reviewed