Corniglia
This Italian fashion brand markets itself as an all-female workshop of ethical fashion, and has thoughtfully designed pieces in organic cotton and other…
Must-see shopping in Italy
Centro Storico
If your 12 year old (or younger child) needs a wardrobe update, look up Rachele in her delightful shop just off Via del Pellegrino. With everything from…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
During the 1960s Ferruccio Serafini was one of Rome’s most sought-after artisans, making handmade leather shoes and bags for the likes of Liz Taylor and…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Whether it's a unicorn or a steampunk explorer mask you're after, this traditional workshop will see you right. Alternatively you can paint your own…
Bologna
A temple for musical purists, this old-school record shop is of more modest days, when browsing rows of vinyl and CDs was a perfectly entertaining way to…
Centro Storico
Take home some Mediterranean sunshine. Artist Maria Grazia Luffarelli's paintings are a riotous celebration of Italian colours, with sunny yellow…
Naples
Pick up anything from Italian DVDs and music CDs to novels and coffee-table tomes at this buzzing three-level book-and-music megastore, complete with cafe…
Centro Storico
Materie is a lovely showcase for unique handcrafted jewellery. Each year owner Viviana Violo travels to source new pieces from designers and artisans…
Venice
Vintage mirrors and beautiful wooden shelving adorn this attractive, long-standing hat store. Owners Roberta and Misty stock traditional panamas and…
Cagliari
Wine buffs will enjoy exploring the racks at this specialist wine shop on Piazza Yenne. The onus is on Sardinian wines but you'll also come across Italian…
Perugia
This old-fashioned, handle-with-care shop showcases high-quality majolica ceramics. Their wares hail from Deruta, a nearby town that has been renowned for…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Buying leather gloves in Rome is a rite of passage for some, and the city's most famous glove-seller opposite the Spanish Steps is the place to go. Choose…
Venice
Get that ‘just got in from Monaco for my art opening’ look beloved of cashed-up bohemians. The high-drama Delphos tunic dresses make anyone look like a…
Venice
Utilising traditional Murano techniques and materials, including oxides and resins, Sabina Melinato conjures up contemporary glass and costume jewellery…
Venice
Daniela Lavera and Alessandra Gardin work with ceramics, porcelain, wood and glass to turn out contemporary homewares and stylish jewellery. Shapes are…
Rome
In 1933 Alfonso Bialetti revolutionised domestic coffee-making by creating his classic moka caffettiera. His design has by now become a household staple,…
San Lorenzo & San Marco
A well-curated collection of vintage fashion for men and women fill this twinset of neighbouring boutiques, a short hop, skip and shopping-bag flick from…
Amalfi
Unabashedly tourist-geared, Il Ninfeo has a vast showroom displaying an excellent selection of ceramics, ranging from giant urns to fridge magnets. If…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Selling produce from its Tuscan farm, this shop is a great place to pick up presents to take home. Choose from different varieties of pesto, honey and…
Sorrento
There are numerous shops selling leather sandals in the centro storico, but head to the far end of Via Fuoro and you’ll find this tiny, old-fashioned…
Santa Croce
Each Friday a colourful fresh-flower market spills across spruced-up Piazza del Ciompi, a historic market square once home to Florence's fish market and,…
Milan
This is probably Milan's leading commercial photographic gallery. It showcases the work of internationally famous photographers such as William Klein and…
Venice
This small family-run business turns out a candy-coloured range of gloves and bags in the softest leather. The gloves are hand-stitched in Naples and are…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Watch marmoraro (marble artist) Sandro Fiorentini chip away in this atelier filled with his decorative marble plaques engraved with various inscriptions:…
Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio
Head to Risi for a dose of effortless Milanese chic. Here you can stock up on soft grey and white linen shirts and trousers; honeycomb polo shirts in…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
One of a growing number of shops serving Rome's record collectors, this San Lorenzo store has a devoted clientele. Its eclectic collection of vinyl LPs,…
Porto Venere
A delightful perfumery selling fragrances named after enchanting places around the region, including lemon citrus-scented Tramonti and the melding of…
Centro Storico
Technology might have largely done for pens but their romance remains and this old-fashioned shop has a wonderful selection. Choose from everyday…
Procida
This slick little bottle shop stocks the best of Campanian vino and a smattering of other Italian drops. The friendly owner will advise you (in Italian)…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
Elizabeth Paradon's unique handworked jewellery is coveted the world over by celebrities and fashionistas. Combining micro-Murano glass beads, gold,…
Matera
This craft shop stands out among the tawdrier outlets selling tufa lamps and tiles. Its speciality is the cuccù, a brightly painted ceramic whistle in the…
San Lorenzo & San Marco
This unassuming little shop resembles dozens of others, but closer inspection reveals one of the city’s best purveyors of ceramics. Specialising in wares…
Corniglia
A crafty store where you can find adorable children's T-shirts bearing the store's namesake marine mammal (le balene means 'the whales'). The friendly…
Centro Storico
The flagship store of hip clothing label SBU, aka Strategic Business Unit, occupies a 19th-century workshop, complete with cast-iron columns and wooden…
Trieste
Come and do your daily shop with the good Triestini at this multipurpose covered market (produce on the ground floor, clothing and homewares above). It…
San Lorenzo & San Marco
The entire Scarpelli family works hard to preserve the art of pietre dure, puzzle-like marble mosaics, at this lovely boutique and workshop tucked beneath…
Duomo & San Babila
You can’t fail to notice illustrator Federico Monzani’s joyful shop window sporting a host of his imaginative cartoon characters, graphic T-shirts and…
Genoa
A traditional pasticceria (pastry shop) and chocolate shop that follows the seasons – chocolate, chestnuts and cream dominate in winter, fresh stone fruit…
Catania
Every morning except Sunday, Piazza Carlo Alberto (just off Via Etnea) is flooded by the chaos of La Fiera. Not dissimilar to a Middle Eastern kasbah, the…
Venice
Handbags become heirlooms in the hands of Venetian designers Massimiliano Battois and Silvano Arnoldo, whose handcrafted clutches come in bold turquoise…
