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Italy shopping
Prices in Italy soared with the introduction of the euro, but a strong artisan tradition means that even if you won't find the cheapest goods there, you will probably find the best. Shopping in the international fashion capitals of Milan, Rome, and Florence can be a near-religious experience. But Prada and Gucci stores in the big cities sell items for about the same as (or more than) everywhere else in the world. The intrepid should lay hold of a map and a car and drive to the outlets (Gucci and Prada among them) outside Florence. They're not easy to find, but for fashionistas, the bargain prices will be worth it. Other areas of Italy have their own specialties. Venice and the island of Murano are both known for handblown glass. Tuscany is a center for marble, carved into elegant sculptures or in great slabs for the portico back home. Lombardy produces wonderful pottery and handmade violins. And from Piedmont you can get elegant handmade gold jewelry.
With other branches only in Rome and St. Barths, this exclusive home-furnishings label operates out of two shops that face each other across the lane. Linen is...more
see the Capri guideMilan's original multibrand fashion store—with the accent on original. Owner Carla Sozzani, sister of Italian Vogue editor-in-chief Franca, has stamped...more
see the Milan guideWilma Silvestri and her daughter Giorgia have long been the first Roman port of call for fashion insiders on the lookout for great vintage pieces from designers...more
see the Rome guideIt would be hard to imagine how owner Dermot O'Connell could squeeze even one more slim volume into this tiny, long-established English-language bookshop in a...more
see the Rome guideAntonia Giaenti strides into the forest of fashion on our behalf and comes out with an exquisitely edited selection, which goes on display in her elegant but...more
see the Milan guideNow occupying chic new premises on the ground floor of a Renaissance palazzo in the Oltrarno, Aprosio continues to draw admirers from far and wide. All the...more
see the Florence guideThe Arezzo antiques market, Fiera Antiquaria (which takes place over the weekend that includes the first Sunday of each month), is arguably the best in Tuscany....more
see the Tuscany guideFamily-run Castorina was established in the early 1900s as a restorer of wood and gilding. Today, the craftsmen not only restore but also reproduce every...more
see the Florence guideIn business since 1912, Anichini, located just north of the river, is the oldest children's clothing store in Florence. The rails and shelves are filled with...more
see the Florence guideForget Savile Row: Custom-made suits reach their apotheosis in Rome. Brioni has been tailoring the best for dapper types since 1945; this was the preferred...more
see the Rome guide
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