548 Best Places to Shop in Italy

Dorsoduro's liveliest square is the setting for a colorful morning food market.

One of Venice's finest wine bars is just as popular for the ample choice of excellent bottled wines and spirits sold to go.

Since 1995 these watchmakers, who opened their store here in 1964, have produced the distinctive, jeweled Capri Watch—the full range is available here.

Glass master Davide Toso, who belongs to one of Murano's most renowned families, has opened a new shop near Campo Sant' Aponal. Here you can find many of the classic Venetian-glass objects such as "millefiori" paperweights, bowls, and dishes of various sizes and complexity, and more modest mementoes, made to the highest standard.

Elisabetta and Stefano, with their daughter, Giulia, founded this shop in 2008 and have made it one of the city's most remarkable sources for handmade paper (some of it bamboo) and an astonishing variety of objects made from it. Their handiwork always combines charm, style, and imagination.

If you're looking for something that's easily portable to take back from Capri, then eau de toilette, potpourri, or perfumed soap might be just the thing. Carthusia has been making perfumes since 1948, but—as they will proudly tell you—the tradition of perfumery on the island stretches back hundreds of years to the days of Queen Giovanna of Anjou. You can see the perfumes being made through a window at the factory, close to the Certosa di San Giacomo.

Here you'll find a selection of made-on-Capri eau de toilettes and perfumed soaps. Another branch is in Capri Town.

French artist Elise Collet Soravito has made Alicudi her home, and in her studio, she creates chunky, colorful jewelry, pottery, and paintings inspired by the island, from lemon still-lifes to landscapes. Shopping is a very rudimentary experience (there's no storefront per se), but you can arrange a visit to see her work and pick up handcrafted souvenirs of your stay. 

For home-decorating ideas and useful kitchen utensils in classic or more contemporary forms, Casa Mia is the ideal stop.

This fragrance shop has been in the business of heavenly scents for more than 60 years. In addition to offering an array of labels like Bois 1920, Bond No. 9, and Comme des Garçons, the store has courteous, multilingual staffers who know the merchandise, making a shopping experience here a lot more pleasant than a dash through duty-free. There are three locations around the city: two on Via Frattina and one on Via Oslavia in the Prati neighborhood.

In a city where it seems just about everybody carries an expensive leather bag, Cellerini is an institution.

"Cinderella" creates unique handmade lampshades out of silk, old lace, and real parchment, embroidered and decorated with gold braid and cotton or silk trim. It also sells restored lace and embroidered vintage clothing. The pieces on display are a perfect match for country- and antique-style furniture. The owner will be happy to discuss special orders.

The colorful ceramics at this gorgeous factory showroom along the Amalfi Coast road east of Positano include vases, plates, decorative tiles, wall hangings, and outdoor sculptures. The shop also has a small boutique in hilltop Scala, along the coast.

Among Italians, Erice is known for the quality and delicate floral designs of its majolica ceramics, well represented in this ceramics store off Piazza San Domenico, one of the best in town.

Run by the same family for three generations, this ceramics-making compound is 3 km (2 miles) from Montelupo on the road heading east toward Florence. Here you'll find a sun-drenched spazio aziendale (selling floor), a factory workshop, the family residence, and a yard where terra-cotta planters are displayed. The ceramics, all priced reasonably given the high-quality handcrafted work, include large vases, plates suitable for hanging, and brightly colored serving pieces for the table.

This local ceramics factory and producer has been around since 1683 and is still a family business. The showroom is filled with unique hand-painted pieces that reflect the history and artistry of the town. The owner is often at the showroom and has been known to hand-wrap plates, cups, and other souvenirs.

Some tax-free "bargains" might be possible from Capri institution Chantecler, where you can find miniature replicas of the San Michele's Bell of Good Fortune.

From the end of November to the first week after New Year's there's a traditional Christkindlmarkt in Piazza Walther, with stalls selling all kinds of Christmas decorations and local handcrafted goods.

Chock-full of educational, fair-trade, and eco-friendly toys that share shelf space with retro and vintage favorites, Città del Sole is a child-friendly delight. Items are arranged by age group, and the staffers are knowledgeable in guiding you toward the perfect puzzle, gadget, or book.

In her tasteful shop, Claudia has amassed a limited choice of antiques, small paintings, original etchings from the 16th to 19th centuries, and plenty of interesting-looking bric-a-brac, including silver ex-votos and period souvenirs, such as brass ashtrays in the shape of lions' heads and various door knockers. Baroque-looking earrings are made of cultured pearls and bits of old brass or bronze.

You'll find an enticing array of dresses and coats in this busy little boutique on the main Via Etnea. The bold yet subtle colors and patterns of these original designs are a refreshing change from the bright blues and yellows that are ubiquitous in Sicily. You could even team up your outfit with a pair of shoes, a bag, or a scarf. The ‘t’ is silent in CLOT.

Architects Giulia Giannini and Costanza De Cecco craft jewelry inspired by Italy's most beautiful structures. Available in silver and gold, standout designs from the contemporary brand include bold curved earrings in the shape of the Pantheon's internal dome and delicate rings based on Venetian arches.

Department stores aren't the norm in Italy, but Coin comes close with its large selection of upscale accessories; cosmetics; and clothing for men, women, and children. Searching for a pressure-driven espresso machine, a simpler stove-top Bialetti model, or a pizza wheel? You can find these and other high-quality, stylish housewares, too. There are 10 branches of this store around Rome, including a smaller one at Termini station.

Giovanna Colomba is the creative force behind this store near the hydrofoil port, where typical Sicilian motifs and artifacts are given a vibrant new style. There is no single theme to the choice of objects on sale, which include eye-catching handbags decorated with citrus fruits, flamboyant ceramics, colorful cushions, and T-shirts with floral designs, but all share a very Sicilian exuberance as well as respect for local tradition and quality of manufacture.

Contini shows only 20th-century artists and is Italy's only dealer for Botero, Zoran Music, and the marble and bronze sculptures by Mitoraj. There's a second location at San Marco 2414.

In two large showrooms housed in medieval buildings, you can shop for alabaster objects, including bookends, ashtrays, and boxes.

Choose a leather design from the hundreds of options on display, and the cobbler will custom-craft a pair of sandals for you.

Filippo and Silvia Trevisanello are continuing the work begun by their father 50 years ago. They make Byzantine and rich Renaissance handcrafted frames of gold-leafed wood and inset with antique glass beads, mosaic tesserae, and small ceramic tiles. The more-elaborate pieces look their best when used to frame an old mirror.

The primary passage between Taormina's two imposing gates (Porta Messina and Porta Catania) is a pedestrian-only thoroughfare lined with both locally owned boutiques and massive international chains. During the height of summer, it can be an untenable traffic jam of foot traffic, but in the shoulder seasons, it's a lovely quick stroll for shopping and stops for coffee at area cafés.