Must-see shopping in Italy

  • La Scarabattola

    Naples

    La Scarabattola's handmade sculptures of magi (wise men), devils and Neapolitan folk figures constitute Jerusalem's official Christmas crèche, and the…

  • Pesce Fresco

    Livorno

    Livorno-born Stefano Pilato (b. 1965) is the creative talent behind the sculptures and collages crafted from recycled tools, scrap metal, old hooks and…

  • Laboratorio Zanzara

    Turin

    A delightfully eccentric collection of handmade objects, light fittings, posters, textiles, cards and calendars fills this bright shop, which is run as a…

  • F. Pettinaroli

    Milan

    One of Milan’s most historic outfits (with a plaque to prove it), Pettinaroli has been furnishing the city’s best desks and purses since 1881 with luxe…

  • Confetteria Moriondo & Gariglio

    Centro Storico

    Roman poet Trilussa was so smitten with this chocolate shop – established by the Torinese confectioners to the royal house of Savoy – that he was moved to…

  • Il Magnifico

    Siena

    Lorenzo Rossi is Siena's best baker, and his panforte (spiced fruit-and-nut cake), ricciarelli (sugar-dusted chewy almond biscuits) and cavallucci (chewy…

  • Mercato Logge del Grano

    Arezzo

    A treasure trove of locally grown and produced foodstuffs, this organic market sells fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, olive oil, dried pasta and legumes,…

  • Libreria Palazzo Roberti

    The Veneto

    This gorgeous bookshop, housed in an 18th-century noble palace, is one of the most beautiful in Italy, if not the world. Owned by the three Manfrotto…

  • Cyrano

    Alghero

    A cool independent bookshop doubling as a cafe and cultural centre. Most books are in Italian, but in summer it stocks a small range of English-language…

  • Le Sorelle

    Lucca

    Be it a metallic-gold table bag for wine, a stone to keep your paper bread basket’s contents warm, body-care products made from olive oil or beautiful…

  • La Bottega di Alberese

    Southern Tuscany

    Showcasing produce from the local farm of the same name, this shop is manna from heaven for self-caterers – look out for top-quality Maremmana beef, honey…

  • E Marinella

    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…

  • Raffaello Degusteria

    Urbino

    The best spot in town for local products, with an encyclopeadic selection of casciotta d'Urbina cheeses, salumi, biscotti (biscuits), wines, craft beers,…

  • Benheart

    Lucca

    For an exquisite pair of handmade leather shoes (men and women), jackets and leather accessories, delve into the fashionable boutique of Florentine…

  • Mercato di San Benedetto

    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,…

  • Pirona

    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…

  • Codex Venezia

    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…

  • Mercatino dell’Antiquariato

    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…

  • Libreria Antiquaria Perini

    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…

  • Alta Salumeria Campanaro

    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),…

  • Gloria Giannelli

    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,…

  • Lurù Maison d'Artiste

    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,…

  • Il Grifone

    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…

  • Brioni shop entrance

    Brioni

    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…

  • Taschen shop front

    Taschen

    Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio

    Despite Taschen’s catalogue of beautiful books, it’s the interior of their Via Meravigli showroom that steals the show. Art books sit splendidly in steel…

  • Mio Concept store in Venice. Looking for locally handmade, creative, sustainable, fun and unusual objects, street-art, jewellery and souvenirs, don’t miss this one-of-a-kind concept store situated on a side street off the famous via Tornabuoni. About 40 different local artist, including famous street artists like BLUB, EXIT-ENTER, KRAITA, CLET  cram this small “treasure hunt” gallery/boutique stylishly curated by international globetrotter Antje who’s passion is to find innovative and upcoming artists and jewellery makers. Her criteria is “ Design inspired by the Elegance of Awareness…” You will certainly feel uplifted the moment you step into this joy-filled shop.

    Mio Concept

    Santa Maria Novella

    Design objects for the home – made in Italy and many upcycled – as well as jewellery, bags and belts crafted from old bicycle tyres and inner tubes by…

  • Shop front, Sbigoli.

    Sbigoli Terrecotte

    San Lorenzo & San Marco

    This family-run ceramics workshop and showroom, founded by the Sbigoli family in 1857, is littered with hundreds of handmade and painted tableware pieces…

  • The Brian & Barry Building front view

    Brian & Barry

    Duomo & San Babila

    From humble beginnings in Monza in 1924, Pietro and Maria Zaccardi built the Brian & Barry brand from scratch. Their impressive, 12-storey flagship store,…

  • L'Ottico Fabbricatore's spare and essential shopfront

    L’Ottico Fabbricatore

    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…

  • The Larusmiani shop entrance

    Larusmiani

    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…

  • Close up of Biffi shop window

    Biffi

    Milan

    Retailer Rosy Biffi spotted potential in the young Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace long before they became household names. More recently, Biffi got…

  • Fabriano window display

    Fabriano

    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…

  • Wait and See shop front.

    Wait and See

    Duomo & San Babila

    With collaborations with international brands and designers such as Missoni, Etro and Anna Molinari under her belt, Uberta Zambeletti launched her own…

  • Pellini shop window detail

    Pellini

    Milan

    For unique, one-off costume jewellery pieces, bags and hair pieces, look no further than the boutique of Donatella Pellini, granddaughter of famous…

  • Alessi shop exterior.

    Alessi

    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…

  • Close-up Nilufar shop window

    Nilufar Gallery

    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…

  • Pupi Solari shop window

    Pupi Solari

    Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio

    Many Milanese from a certain kind of family will recall regular Pupi Solari visits for shoe fittings and picking out exquisitely decorated party dresses…

  • outside facade, Lorenzo Perrone

    Lorenzo Perrone

    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…

  • Al Bazar shop window

    Al Bazar

    Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio

    Created by Milanese fashion icon Lino Ieluzzi, this store is a must for all sartorially inclined men. More than just showcasing the Italian look, it's…

  • Marina e Susanna Sent, as well as jewellery, the Sent sisters also make glass vases.

    Marina e Susanna Sent

    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…

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