Shopping

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 titles. Books apart, it's a lovely spot to hang out over a cof…

Giorgio Maffei was one of the world's most dedicated collectors of books by 20th-century visual and literary avant-garde artists, including Futurist, Dadaist and Surrealist work but also by conceptual artists from t…

Pocket-sized Damocle is both a bookshop and publisher, translating literary greats like Oscar Wilde and Luigi Pirandello, as well as showcasing emerging writing talent, from contemporary Chinese poets to Spanish wri…

Designed by Studio Urquiola, the Triennale's bookshop stocks beautifully produced architecture, design, fashion and photography books as enthralling as the exhibitions themselves. In addition, you can pick up some e…

Italy’s largest bookshop has six floors and some 500,000 titles plus rare antiquarian books, as well as English- and German-language sections. Don’t neglect to browse the Italian shelves; local publishers are known …

The international branch of Italy’s ubiquitous bookseller has a splendid collection of books in English, Italian, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese. You’ll find everything from recent bestsellers to dictionarie…

Particularly good for university reference books, 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 hasn’t got t…

This is how a bookshop should look: a crammed haven full of rip-roaring reads, with every millimetre of wall space containing English-language fiction and nonfiction (including children's) and travel guides. Heaven …

The first bookshop ever to open on Giudecca. With a range of new and used books in English, as well as a fine selection of children's books and out-of-print titles in Italian, it's an exciting addition to the island…

For trekking and climbing maps and guides, check out Namaste. It stocks Maurizio Oviglia's Pietra di Luna (€50), a comprehensive rock-climbing guide covering the Cala Gonone, Jerzu and Baunei areas; Corrado Conca's …