7 Best Places to Shop in Ancient Rome, Rome

This tiny Monti art gallery/boutique/bar has some of the most sophisticated retro-inspired garments in Rome. Its owner, Carlotta Cerulli, sells clothes by her mother, Wilma Silvestri, who cleverly combines vintage and contemporary fabrics for her label Le Gallinelle, creating stylish fashions with a modern edge made for everyday wear.

On one of Monti's steeply sloping streets is the small jewelry shop where Tiziana Salzano and Antonio Marino make elegant necklaces and earrings using the finest gold or silver and a combination of semiprecious gemstones. Most pieces are unique, so if you feel something tug at your heart be sure to grab it. They also take orders for bespoke pieces.

This chocolate shop opened in 2014 and claims to be the first raw pastry shop in the world. Everything is 100% organic, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and made without refined sugar—and nothing is cooked above 108 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're skeptical, seeing (or, in this case, tasting) is believing. The pralines and truffles are as delicious as traditional ones, and there are also cookies, organic nut and chocolate spreads, pastries, and gelato. There are also locations in the Jewish Ghetto and Parioli.

Run by the nonprofit organization Humana People to People, which implements sustainable development projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, this shop is a popular destination for vintage and second-hand clothing for men and women. The racks are lined with all kinds of apparel from the 1960s through the '90s, from Levi’s jeans and Converse sneakers to made-in-Italy blazers and leather bags. There are also shops in Trastevere, on Via Cavour, and on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.

This pared-down little boutique on one of Monti's most charming streets sells women's clothes designed by owners Benedetta Piccirilli and David Anav. Their pieces tend to be familiar silhouettes made with colorful Italian fabrics and often feature botanical or Asian-inspired prints. Although each of their off-the-rack pieces is one-of-a-kind, they also make garments made to measure.

"The Artisan" is the place to go for handmade watches and rare vintage timepieces. The store's expert watchmakers specialize in nostalgic mechanical watches and chronographs from the early 1900s through the 1970s. Have an heirloom piece that has stopped working or that needs a little fine-tuning? Bring it to the shop, and the owners will get it ticking again in no time.

At her eponymous shop, Danish designer Tina Sondergaard creates beautiful dresses, skirts, and other clothes with 1950s-inspired silhouettes and bold, colorful prints in premium fabrics. She will personally tailor her designs to fit you like a glove.