Mercato della Prigione Femminile
Giudecca, Lido & the Southern Islands
Giudecca locals head here early to stock up on organic vegetables grown in the 'Garden of Wonders' in the women's prison and sold on a stand out the front…
Must-see shopping in Italy
Capri
The flashy selection of watches here is made by local watchmaker Silvio Staiano. The prices start surprisingly low, around €70 for a relatively…
Venice
American transplant Trina Tygrett studied glass-making at the Academy of Fine Arts and subsequently married into a Murano-glass family. She now works…
Perugia
Modern, handmade jewellery born in Perugia and crafted by Alessio Burzigotti. Themed lines are all over the shop, from classic to offbeat, angels to…
Venice
Restyle your life at this modern design showcase, which stocks a sharply curated selection of Italian and international jewellery, accessories, homewares…
Milan
Milan's main flea market stretches down Viale Papiano and across Piazza Sant'Agostino. Recent years have seen some of the stalls flooded with cheap…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
This historic clothes market sits in the shadow of the Aurelian Walls near San Giovanni metro station. Scruffy and fairly compact, it's awash with…
Centro Storico
This intriguing tunnel of a place is browsing heaven, stashed full of second-, third-, even fourth-hand clothes and accessories. Battered leather satchels…
Centro Storico
An old-school outfitter specialising in classic clothing for ladies and gents, Davide Cenci has been dressing Rome's well-heeled politicians and…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Sailors, pirates and armchair seafarers should navigate to this canalside storefront, which stocks every maritime map and sailor's-knot manual needed for…
Venice
Step out in stylish, well-heeled and surprisingly practical shoes, made right in Venice. Algae-green high-button boots, ox-blood Oxfords and strappy…
Naples
Located outside the main gates of Parco Virgiliano, this isn't the cheapest market, but it's generally the best for quality goods. Top buys include women…
Matera
Pick up a unique souvenir at this workshop, where craftsman Eustachio Rizzi has spent decades recreating the unique architecture of Matera in miniature…
Centro Storico
Tailors to the Roman clergy since the late 18th century, this historic shop has dressed seven popes, including the current pontiff, hundreds of bishops…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Gabriele Gmeiner honed her shoemaking craft at Hermès and John Lobb, and today jet-setters fly to Venice just for her ultra-sleek Oxfords with hidden …
Venice
Work your way through Venice’s most decadent vices at this Willy Wonka–esque shop, where lip-smacking edibles include plague doctor masks. Ganache-filled…
Procida
The fashions here are made from wispy fine cotton, perfect for those sizzling summer days. Floaty dresses patterned with wild flowers, long light-as-a…
Capri
In 1959 Clark Gable stopped off at this tiny, unpretentious shoe shop to get a pair of handmade leather sandals, and the shop still sells a range of…
Rome
Part of the Auditorium Parco della Musica complex, this attractive modern shop offers a sizeable collection of books, from bestsellers to hefty art tomes …
Ottimi Vini & StePH's Wine Bar
Eastern Tuscany
For advice on purchasing wines from small producers in Tuscany, Umbria and the Friuli, including many organic and biodynamic choices, head to this modern…
Procida
A sweet little boutique selling brightly coloured accessories, including jewellery that looks good enough to eat: necklaces strung with what resemble M&Ms…
Venice
Spare white bisque cups seem perfect for a Zen tea ceremony, but look inside – that iridescent lilac glaze is pure Carnevale. Danghyra's striking ceramics…
San Polo & Santa Croce
A magnet for local students and tourists looking for something out of the ordinary, this delightful unisex clothing store stocks unusual labels, with a…
Centro Storico
An institution in the Jewish Ghetto, and supposedly one of Rome's oldest shops, this well-stocked basement store sells everything you could possibly need…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Stairs at the rear of this boutique are lined with shoe boxes, providing a most appropriate visual backdrop. The women's shoes sold here are extremely…
Venice
Housed in one of the pretty Liberty villas at the end of verdant Viale Garibaldi is this association of Venetian ceramicists (the Bochaleri). Every…
Naples
King of the Christmas nativity scenes, Ferrigno's terracotta figurines are sought by collectors worldwide. Part studio, part shop, its shelves are lined…
Centro Storico
Spice up your Roman romance at this upmarket erotic boutique just off Via del Governo Vecchio. Resembling a Victorian boudoir with crimson walls and…
Centro Storico
This historic ecclesiastical shop is one of a number in the area between Largo di Torre Argentina and the Pantheon serving the city's population of…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
The Mercato delle Stampe is worth a look if you’re a fan of vintage books and old prints. There aren't many stalls, but among the tired posters and dusty…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Run by the younger generation of a long line of chocolatiers, this is an exotic world of scarlet walls and old-fashioned glass cabinets set into black…
Venice
Either a shooting star just landed on your shoulder, or you’ve been to Gualti, where iridescent orange glass bursts from clear resin stems on a supernova…
Venice
Globally oriented but with Italian tastes firmly in mind, this volunteer-run fair-trade co-op sells Vietnamese bamboo steamers, single-origin drinking…
Centro Storico
The extravagant window displays at this landmark toy shop are almost as flamboyant as the sculptural gymnastics on display at Piazza Navona's fountains…
Venice
Attached to a graphic-design studio and editorial consultancy, Bruno is one of the most innovative art and design bookshops in Venice. It produces…
Rome
This modish Parioli boutique has long been a local go-to for the latest fashions. Alongside sandals and vampish high heels, you'll find a range of jeans,…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Make your own cucina (kitchen) look the part with the designer goods from this famous kitchenware shop, which stocks everything from classic caffettiere …
Livorno
This coffee roastery in the city's Mercato Centrale is a good place for self-caterers to stock up on beans.
Venice
Precarious stacks of books appear in constant danger of collapse at this wonderfully ragtag secondhand bookshop. Some books are displayed in a gondola –…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Simple, good-quality bags in soft leather and in a brilliant array of colours is why the handbagging hordes keep flocking to Furla, where all sorts of…
