548 Best Places to Shop in Italy

Tonara, a short and scenic drive southwest of Fonni, is the capital of torrone (nougat) production in Sardinia. You'll find some of the sweetest and nuttiest examples in this traditional store in the heart of the village, all handmade and available in a range of flavors.

This store has arguably the best selection, in both quality and quantity, of handmade masks in Venice. Gualtiero Dall'Osto studied art at the Accademia and is a trove of historical information as well as an excellent source of information about Carnevale parties. The shop also turns out a limited number of costumes made from hand-printed cotton fabric.

Since 1865, this place has been crafting fine leather luggage, bags, belts, and wallets.

In business since 1821, Trimani Vinai a Roma occupies an entire block near Termini Station with one of the city's largest selections of wines from all over the world, plus Champagne, spumante, grappa, and sundry liqueurs. With thousands of bottles to choose from and knowledgeable wine stewards to consult, Trimani will give you the opportunity to explore Italy's diverse wine regions without leaving the city. It also offers gift boxes and will ship almost anywhere in the world.

This Milan-based label offers sleek, fashion-forward accessories, leather goods, and clothes.

Young and promising Italian and international artists are shown here, along with their established counterparts.

First opened in 2019, this Catanesi-owned shop and clothing line embraces body positivity. So much so, they abandoned all traditional sizes and instead offer five unique fits. Constructed with an eye on sustainability, the clothes are made of all natural, vegetal fabrics. And the owners work with local women artisans to highlight their handcrafted accessory wares (like necklaces and purses) within the shop. 

Even after the departure of its founding father, Valentino Garavani, this fashion brand still flourishes.

Valentino fills most of Piazza di Spagna, where the designer lived for decades in a lovely palazzo next to one of the multiple boutiques showcasing his eponymous designs with a romantic edginess—think studded heels or prêt-à-porter evening gowns worthy of the Oscars. Rock stars and other music lovers can also have their Valentino guitar straps personalized when they buy one at this enormous boutique.

Gifted seamstresses (and seamsters) should look no further than this place, which sells sumptuous silks, beaded fabrics, lace, wool, and tweeds by the meter.

One of Naples's oldest jewelry workshops, operating since 1850, sells its exclusive, contemporary silver and/or gold jewelry—the original designs of its gifted artisans—in this chic salon as well as a branch in Vomero.

Run by flamboyant Donatella Versace and known for its rock-and-roll styling, the first store of this fashion house opened on Via della Spiga in 1978, not far from its current location in the Quadrilatero della Moda shopping district.

Versace's Rome flagship is a gem of architecture and design, with Byzantine-inspired mosaic floors, futuristic interiors with transparent walls, and merchandise that has a sexy rocker-Gothic-underground vibe. Here you'll find apparel, accessories, and home furnishings in designs every bit as flamboyant as Donatella and Allegra (Gianni's niece).

Vintage-clothes hunters, costume designers, and stylists alike love browsing through the racks at this fun, inviting shop, which is stocked wall to wall with funky 1960s and '70s apparel. There's definitely no shortage of goofy sunglasses, flower-power bell-bottoms, embroidered hippie tops, psychedelic boots, and other trippy merchandise from the days of peace and love.

One of three outlets in Venice, this Roman business inspired by travel and ethical goods is filled with unusual gifts and fashion accessories, from recycled aluminum jewelry and scarves to men's wallets and hats.

Stained-glass artists create and sell contemporary secular and religious works here. If you want to learn the technique, they also offer workshops and apprenticeship programs.

Pop in and see Michele at work in his workshop and browse the wonderful glass creations, including various jewelry pieces and glass-ball bottle stoppers. The vibrant handcrafted objects here are far more affordable than in many overpriced glass outlets in Venice.

Family-run and operated, this shop sells beautifully handcrafted leather bags, wallets, jackets, and belts, just down the street from the Basilica of San Lorenzo.

Merano's narrow, arcaded main shopping street runs west from the cathedral. Here you can find regional products—wood carvings, Tyrolean-style clothing, embroidery, cheeses, salami, and fruit schnapps—alongside standard clothing-boutique stock.

Fresh foods, including farm-fresh cheeses and other dairy products, are available at the morning market near the Giardini della Biennale. There's also a handy Coop supermarket nearby.

The Argento family has been in the puppet business since the late 19th century, and the tradition is alive and well in the hands of Vincenzo, whom you can see at work in his tiny workshop, or laboratorio artistico, near the cathedral. Here you will find puppets in all stages of production, with plenty of examples for sale in all their finery. The family also puts on daily puppet shows in nearby Via Novelli.

This shop makes good use of silver and coral in its cameos, rings, necklaces, and bracelets. They also sell fancy designer watches.

The owner of this shop specializes in discovering the best wines from across Italy. During the fall you can taste the latest wines, and all year you can purchase your favorites and have them shipped home. You can even buy futures for vintages to come.

These sassy shoes have just enough fantasy to be stylish and make a vibrant statement, but not too much to be over-the-top.

A ghost of its former self, Vucciria—whose name translates to "voices" or "hubbub"—was once the most vibrant market in Palermo, memorably captured in Renato Guttuso's canvas of the same name (now exhibited in Palazzo Steri). It is now reduced to barely more than a single street and piazza. It takes on more of a street food/block party atmosphere at night, when no-name bars open to sell cheap cocktails to the crowds gathering around the smoking grills that are wheeled outside after dark.

As you would expect from a town renowned for its ceramic products, ceramics stores are ubiquitous in Sciacca, mostly filled to the rafters with attention-grabbing displays of exuberant plates, spoons, pine cones, moor's heads, jugs, and birds. In this store, though, you will find these same designs but imbued with the singular artistic vision of the young craftsman Giovanni Muscarnera.

Trendy Zara, part of a Spanish chain known for its cheap-and-hip fashions, delivers the goods at a reasonable price.

Clothing and accessories here have a definite Eastern feel. Owner Federica Zamboni is also a jewelry expert; ask to see her collection of antique Indian necklaces and earrings.

For more than 110 years, the brand founded by Ermenegildo Zegna has been a powerhouse of men's clothing in terms of both construction and fabric. Indeed, to ensure a high standard of quality, Zegna produces all the wool fabric it uses at its mill in the Italian Alps. Although there are also lines of sportswear, shoes, and accessories, this really is the place to splurge on a formal, tailored suit.

Owned by antiques dealer Pietro Maria Zotti—who has worked for more than 40 years in the trade—this always-changing shop has fascinating finds from Venetian artworks to stylish mid-century furniture, plus lots of smaller, more affordable items, including books, prints, jewelry, militaria, and coins.