🔑 Quick Answer: Shopping in Italy runs from open-air food markets and neighborhood supermarkets to artisan workshops, vintage boutiques, department stores, and designer streets, and each has its own etiquette. You point instead of touching at produce stands, weigh and tag your own fruit at the supermarket, haggle only at outdoor non-food markets, and shop for fashion during the January or July sales.
Shopping in Italy is as legendary as a plate of pasta alla bolognese, and it covers far more than designer boutiques: fish markets, leather stalls, artisan workshops, vintage shops, fruit and vegetable stands, supermarkets, and street vendors all count. Each has its own nuances, though, and a few things are worth knowing before you go.
Across the country, you’ll find streets lined with the most famous brands like Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci, street markets piled with produce, and, a few blocks past the main shopping drag, the artisan workshops most visitors walk right by.
Some of our travel clients want high-end brands near the Spanish Steps. Some want the best places to buy souvenirs. Others are after something very specific, like vintage Italian movie posters. Read on for 19 tips for shopping in Italy that will help you make the most of every euro you spend (and keep you from standing out as a tourist).
Who this is for: This guide is for couples, families, and friend groups who want to shop like a local on a first or fifth trip to Italy, whether that means a produce stand in Florence or a tailor in Rome.
Why Trust Us When It Comes To Shopping In Italy
I’m Rachel Vermiglio Smith. I’ve lived in Italy for 12 years, most of them in Florence, and I have a BA in Italian Renaissance art, an MA in art history, and a WSET Level 2 wine certification.
I’ve shopped here for everything from handmade jewelry to my kids’ clothing, and I still do my own weekly market run at Sant’Ambrogio. Since 2014, I’ve worked as an Italian culture consultant and writer, and I write the Italy content for Salt & Wind Travel.
Then there’s the planning side. Salt & Wind Travel has planned custom Italy trips since 2014, more than 200 of them, for couples, families, and multigenerational groups. That work means we know which markets are still local, which ones have tipped into souvenir territory, and which shops will ship a ceramic platter home so you don’t carry it through three train stations.
It also means we can introduce you. We book a Milan insider who spends three hours walking clients through the ateliers of Brera and the 5 Vie, and a Rome specialist who sources made-to-measure tailoring, vintage Italian ceramics, and eyewear from workshops with no sign on the door. We don’t name them here, because the introduction is part of what our clients pay for.
One honest note: we’ve kept the shop names in this article to public places anyone can walk into, and VAT refund rules change, so check the current threshold with Italian customs before you count on the money.
More Than 19 Tips For Shopping In Italy
Shopping in Italy comes down to three habits: how you buy food, how you buy everything else, and how you handle the practical side. Here, we break down what you need to know to shop like a local and where to go, no matter what you’re buying.
We start with food, because the produce stand and the supermarket are where most visitors make their first mistake. From there, we move to outdoor markets, the best shopping city by city, everything beyond the markets, and practical questions about hours, cash, VAT refunds, and getting it all home.
Food Market Shopping In Italy
A fruttivendolo (froo-tee-ven-DOH-low) is an Italian fruit and vegetable stand, and it’s where most visitors go shopping first in Italy. It often looks like something out of a movie, with prices handwritten on small squares of cardboard and elderly ladies lined up with their wheeled shopping carts. It can also feel intimidating, especially if you don’t speak Italian.
One rule makes it easy: only the vendor touches the produce. Your job is to point to what you want and say how much. That takes most of the nerves out of it, because you don’t have to handle or bag anything.
Measures: Kilos vs. Pounds
Once you’ve pointed at what you want, you have to say how much. Whole items are easy. For oranges or arance (ah-RAHN-chay) and apples or mele (MEH-leh), you hold up fingers. Spinach, onions, and ground beef are where people get stuck.
Italy sells food by the kilo, and one kilo is about 2.2 pounds. So a mezzo chilo (half kilo) is a generous pound, a quarto chilo (quarter kilo) is a bit over half a pound, and an etto (100 grams) is a little under a quarter pound. You’ll use the etto at the deli counter for sliced prosciutto and cheese. Memorize those three and market shopping gets a lot less stressful.
Useful Italian Phrases For Shopping
These words will carry you through a market run.
Pro Tip: Prepare for your next trip to Italy by reviewing these 105 basic Italian expressions for travel!
| Italian | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Vorrei | vor-EY | I would like |
| Un chilo | oon KEE-low | One kilo (about 2.2 lb) |
| Un mezzo chilo | oon MET-zo KEE-low | Half a kilo (about 1.1 lb) |
| Un quarto chilo | oon KWAR-to KEE-low | A quarter kilo (about half a pound) |
| Un etto | oon ET-toe | 100 grams (a little under a quarter pound) |
| Quanto costa? | KWAN-to KOS-ta | How much does it cost? |
| Prezzo fisso | PRET-so FEES-so | Fixed price (no haggling) |
| Posso? | POS-so | May I? (ask before touching anything) |
Supermarket Shopping In Italy
A supermercato (soo-per-mer-CAH-toh) is an Italian supermarket, and it works like an American one with one big exception: you bag, weigh, and tag your own produce before you get to the register. Supermarkets are also a quick way to taste the local culture and stock your Italian pantry, since most carry regional specialties you won’t find at home.
Bag Your Own Produce
Nothing screams tourist like this classic mistake. At a fruit stand you don’t touch the produce, but at a supermarket you bag it yourself. Picking what you want and walking to the register isn’t enough, though.
Weigh And Tag The Produce
Next to the produce, you’ll see a stand with gloves and bags. Put on a glove before you touch anything. Put your fruit in a bag, take it to the scale, and press the number that matches the produce. A sticker prints out. Stick it on the bag and close it.
Have Produce Bagged, Weighed, And Tagged Before You Pay
At the register, the cashier weighs the bag again to check the price, then scans it. If you skip the scale, they can’t scan the fruit and won’t sell it to you. The rest of the supermarket works just like at home, with a meat counter, bakery, spirits, wine, beer, and more.
Outdoor And Weekly Market Shopping In Italy
A mercato all’aperto (mer-CAH-toe all-ah-PAIR-toe) is an open-air market, and it’s the best place to buy artisan goods of every kind. You can hunt down classic finds like jewelry (gioielli, joy-ee-EL-lee) in Naples, glass (vetro, VEH-trow) in Venice, vintage and antiques in Milan, leather (vera pelle, VEH-rah PEL-lay) in Florence, and marble (marmo, MAHR-mo) in Rome.
Plenty of these markets aren’t artisan at all. They’re the weekly markets locals count on for household basics, from the regular flea market in Forte dei Marmi to the weekly market in Florence’s Cascine park and the Monday market in Milan’s Brera district. If you want to find the one near your hotel, ask us and we’ll sort it out.
Negotiating Prices At An Italian Market
Outdoor markets are less intimidating than indoor ones, with one big question: should you negotiate? Outdoor non-food markets are the only place where haggling is acceptable, and even there you have about a 50 percent chance of lowering the price, depending on the vendor.
At Florence‘s Mercato di San Lorenzo, for example, vendors will negotiate on almost anything. It might not be the haggling you expect, though. Instead of a price cut, they’ll often offer a deal if you buy more than one.
What Prezzo Fisso Means
Prezzo fisso means fixed price, and more vendors now post it on a sign next to their goods to shut down haggling altogether. If you don’t see the sign, you can try to knock off a few euros. Keep your expectations modest. At best, you’ll save a few euros; at worst, you’ll walk away empty-handed.
The Best Shopping In Italy, City By City
The best shopping in Italy depends on what you want to bring home, because each city has a specialty it has made for centuries. Use this table to match the buy to the city, then read on for the markets and streets we send clients to in each one.
| City | Best buy | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Florence | Leather, marbled paper, gold | Mercato di San Lorenzo, Via de' Tornabuoni, Ponte Vecchio |
| Milan | Fashion, design, antiques | Quadrilatero della Moda, Brera, Mercatone dell'Antiquariato |
| Venice | Murano glass, Burano lace | Rialto area, Murano and Burano islands |
| Rome | Antiques, food souvenirs, luxury fashion | Via dei Coronari, Mercato di Campagna Amica, Via Condotti |
| Naples | Nativity figures, coral and cameos, mozzarella | Via San Gregorio Armeno, Mercato Pignasecca |
| Palermo | Ceramics, pistachios, sundried tomatoes | Mercato del Capo, Mercato Ballarò |
| Turin | Chocolate and gianduiotti | Via Roma and the historic cafés under the arcades |
Markets are some of the busiest spots in any Italian city, and each city has its can’t-miss places. Almost every corner of Italy has a market to explore, from Livorno’s covered market to Catania’s fish market. If you’re heading to any of these cities, don’t miss these markets.
Florence Markets
Florence has three main markets: Mercato Centrale, San Lorenzo, and Sant’Ambrogio.
Mercato Centrale
Mercato Centrale is an indoor market on two levels. The ground floor sells produce, meat, bread, and other groceries, and the upstairs is a place to eat and socialize. The market is heavily touristy, and for good reason. It’s still one of the major shopping spots for Florentines and a great place to pick up souvenirs and treats. For a fast but delicious lunch, head upstairs to the almost endless row of local food vendors.
The market was renovated in 2014 to preserve the ground-floor food market and fill the long-abandoned second floor with artisan food stalls. The same team has since opened similar food halls in Rome (at Termini station) and Milan (at Milano Centrale), and all of them go by “Mercato Centrale.”
Mercato di San Lorenzo
Just outside Mercato Centrale, the San Lorenzo market is a run of street vendors selling leather goods, homewares, clothing, and more. In recent years, the number of made-in-Italy products here has dropped, and foreign goods have filled the gap. Finding real Italian artisans is much harder than it used to be. Your money is usually better spent inside a shop, but browsing the stalls is still fun.
Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio
Sant’Ambrogio Market is Florence’s most historic market, named for the Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood on the opposite side of the city from Mercato Centrale. It’s a single-story market with a few lunch spots worth checking out, but mostly it’s a place to buy meat, produce, cheese, and other food.
After 12 years in Italy, this market is my favorite because most of the shoppers are Florentines doing their daily market run. A pop-up market for non-food items sometimes sets up around the outside, which is handy if you need clothes or something for your rental. I never miss a stop inside for my favorite truffle cheese and, some days, an Italian pasta dish to go.
Milan
Milan is one of the best shopping cities in the world, and for good reason. Beyond the high-fashion Quadrilatero della Moda around Via Monte Napoleone, it has incredible vintage shopping, antiques, concept stores like 10 Corso Como and Spazio Rossana Orlandi, and gourmet grocers.
Mercatone dell’Antiquariato
Milan’s most prized open-air market is the Mercatone dell’Antiquariato. As the name suggests, it’s an antiques market that takes place on the last Sunday of the month along the Naviglio Grande, the city’s main canal. You’ll find everything from used books to vintage jewelry across almost 400 stands.
Naples
Head to one of Naples’ shopping streets or markets to see this famed city at its loudest and most chaotic. Via San Gregorio Armeno is a narrow street known across Italy for its pastori, or nativity figures, and the historic Ferrigno workshop is worth a stop even if you’re not buying. Many visitors head to Mercato di Porta Nolana for everything from fresh mozzarella to cheap luggage, but we suggest spending your time at Mercato Pignasecca, Naples’ oldest market.
Palermo
The capital of Sicily offers chic shopping in its modern quarter and workshops to explore in its old town, but it’s best known for its food markets. Palermo has three main standing markets, Mercato Ballarò, Mercato Vucciria, and Mercato del Capo, and they’re legendary both for what they sell and for how clearly they show the island’s layered history.
Ballarò and Vucciria are worth a visit, but Mercato del Capo is the easiest for visitors to navigate. From Sicilian street food to some of the best local produce in the country (oranges, sundried tomatoes, pistachios), a morning in one of these markets is a crash course in Sicilian food.
Venice
Mercato di Rialto
The Rialto market is the best-known and busiest market in Venice. It sits just northwest of the Rialto Bridge in the San Polo neighborhood, a short walk from San Marco and many of the city’s most visited spots. It’s the place to see and sample Venetian specialties and watch locals do their daily shopping. The produce market and the seafood market sit side by side, and with the Adriatic right there, the seafood is the reason to come.
Rome
Compared to Venice and Florence, Rome is a massive city with many markets, and almost every neighborhood has its own weekly or daily one, such as the Testaccio and Esquilino markets. You’ll run into a market or two just by wandering. If you want to seek out a couple of the best, don’t miss Campo de’ Fiori, one of the oldest in the city, and Mercato di Campagna Amica.
Mercato Campo de’ Fiori
This market sits in the square it’s named for, Campo de’ Fiori, in the historic center of Rome. This part of the city has given way to tourism in recent years, and locals are harder to find here than they once were. The market has been here so long, though, that it’s still a real piece of Rome. Arrive early in the morning and you’ll see it still serves as the main market for the neighbors who remain. It sells groceries of every kind, and you’ll still hear a Roman accent or two while you shop.
Mercato di Campagna Amica
If you want edible souvenirs, head to the more modern Mercato di Campagna Amica near Circus Maximus. This farmers’ market only sells products grown and made in Lazio, the region around Rome. It’s a great place to find local honey, prosciutto, and sauces and other prepared foods that travel well.
Where To Shop In Italy Beyond The Markets
Shopping in Italy goes well past the markets, and the same cities that host the best food markets also have vintage boutiques, department stores, designer streets, and outlets.
Vintage And Antique Shopping
For vintage lovers, almost every major Italian city has phenomenal boutiques with high-quality vintage clothing and accessories (search “vintage” on Google Maps).
Shopping Malls
If you’d rather stroll indoors, Italy has regular shopping malls with mainstream stores like Zara. Look for a centro commerciale (CHEN-trow coh-mer-CHAL-ay) on the map. Most are modern, like Milan’s Gae Aulenti plaza.
Department Stores
At the heart of many downtowns, you can visit Italian department stores like COIN and Rinascente to find everything from makeup to clothes to homewares. The Rinascente in Milan sits right on Piazza del Duomo, and its rooftop food hall looks straight at the cathedral spires.
High Fashion Shopping Streets
If you’re a luxury brand lover, the designer boutiques line the famous shopping streets in Rome (Via Condotti near the Spanish Steps, and Via del Corso), Milan (Via Monte Napoleone), Turin (Via Roma), and Florence (Via de’ Tornabuoni). For jewelry and antiques in Rome, walk Via dei Coronari near Piazza Navona. In Florence, stroll Via dei Calzaiuoli; in Milan, window-shop in the Brera and Cinque Vie districts.
Outlet Stores
If you want designer labels at a discount, head to an outlet. The Mall, the designer outlet outside Florence, carries high-end Italian brands like Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Versace, and Valentino at reduced prices.
Italy Christmas Markets
From late November to early January, festive markets pop up across the country as one of Italy’s main Christmas traditions. We’ve shared our favorite Italian Christmas markets and what to buy at each, from Bolzano and Verona to Perugia and Rome.
Bi-Annual Sales
If you’re a true fashion die-hard, your best shopping in Italy will happen during the saldi, the twice-yearly sales. The winter sales start in early January, and the summer sales start in early July, and each runs about six weeks. Dates vary by region, so check your destination before you book. It’s the time to go on a shopping spree at prices you won’t find the rest of the year.
Practical Tips For Shopping In Italy
A few practical rules make shopping in Italy go smoothly, and they’re the ones our clients ask about most.
Store Hours And The Afternoon Break
Many small, independent shops in Italy close for a midday break, often from about 1 to 3:30 or 4 p.m., and many close on Sunday and Monday morning. Big-city centers, department stores, and chains generally stay open all day, including Sundays. Plan errands at small shops for the morning or after 4 p.m.
Paying: Cash Or Card
Italian law requires businesses to accept card payments, and most do, but market stalls and small artisans still run on cash, and a few will tell you the card machine is “broken.” Carry some euros for markets and small purchases. If the terminal offers to charge you in dollars instead of euros, choose euros, because the dollar conversion costs you more.
Getting The VAT Refund
Italy charges a 22 percent value-added tax (IVA) on most goods, and non-EU residents can claim part of it back. The minimum purchase is 70 euros in a single store on a single day. Ask for the tax-free form at the register (you’ll need your passport), and have it validated at customs before you leave the EU, within three months of purchase. Expect to get back roughly 12 to 15 percent of the price after processing fees, not the full 22. Italian customs (Agenzia delle Dogane) publishes the current rules.
Bringing Food Home
U.S. Customs lets you bring back hard cheeses, olive oil, vinegar, dried pasta, sealed jars of honey and sauces, chocolate, and wine (you’ll owe a small duty above one liter, and it’s rarely collected). It does not allow cured meats like prosciutto, salami, and mortadella, or most fresh fruit and vegetables, and the fines are real. Check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection list before you fill the suitcase, and remember that the $800 duty-free personal exemption covers most shopping hauls.
Is Shopping In Italy Cheaper Than In The US?
For Italian brands, yes, usually. Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo, and Max Mara typically cost 10 to 30 percent less in Italy than in the US before the VAT refund, because you skip import duties and US retail markups. Add the refund and the gap widens. Leather, ceramics, and food are also better value at the source. Electronics and American brands cost more in Italy, so leave those off the list.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shopping In Italy
Milan has the best shopping in Italy for fashion and design, Florence leads for leather and artisan goods, and Rome combines luxury streets with antiques and food markets. For food shopping, Palermo and Venice are hard to beat. The best city for you depends on what you want to bring home.
Buy what a region is known for. That means leather from Florence, Murano glass from Venice, ceramics from Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, coral and cameos from Naples, chocolate from Turin, and food such as olive oil, aged cheese, dried pasta, and wine from wherever you are. Made-in-Italy fashion, especially during the sales, is also a good value.
Milan is the best place to shop for clothes in Italy, from the designer boutiques of the Quadrilatero della Moda to the vintage shops of Brera and the Rinascente department store. Rome's Via Condotti and Florence's Via de' Tornabuoni cover luxury, department stores like COIN cover mid-range, and The Mall outside Florence covers designer outlets.
You can haggle only at outdoor non-food markets, such as Florence's San Lorenzo stalls, and even there you have about a 50 percent chance of a small discount. Never haggle at food markets, in shops, or where a sign says prezzo fisso (fixed price). Expect a few euros off or a two-for-one deal, not a big price cut.
Italy holds two national sales seasons, the saldi, each year. Winter sales start in early January and summer sales start in early July, and each runs about six weeks. Exact start dates are set by region and shift slightly each year, so check the dates for the region you're visiting before you book a shopping-focused trip.
Yes. Non-EU residents can reclaim part of Italy's 22 percent VAT on purchases of at least 70 euros in one store on one day. Ask for the tax-free form with your passport at checkout, get it validated at customs before leaving the EU within three months, and expect roughly 12 to 15 percent of the price back after fees.
Department stores, chains, and shops in big-city centers and tourist areas are generally open on Sundays. Many small independent shops close on Sunday and Monday morning, and plenty also close for a midday break on weekdays. Food markets are morning affairs, and most wind down by early afternoon, so shop early.
Learn a few Italian phrases, let the vendor handle the produce at a stand, weigh and tag your own fruit at the supermarket, carry cash for markets, shop small stores in the morning or after 4 p.m., save your receipts for the VAT refund, and skip the cured meats if you're flying home to the US.
Tips For Drinking Coffee In Italy
You may want to order an espresso to keep you fueled up for shopping in Italy. So we’re sharing tips for coffee in Italy, from how to order it to the classic Italian coffee drinks and historic Italian cafes to visit on your next trip.
Classic Italian Recipes
Cook up these classic Italian recipes to get a taste of the country in the comfort of your home:
Italy Travel Guide
Looking to travel to the Bel Paese soon? Check out our Italy Travel Guide for more cultural tips, itinerary ideas, and advice on what to eat and where to stay.
Have Us Plan Your Italy Trip
Did you know we’re also a boutique travel agency specializing in Italy travel planning? If you’re looking to plan one of the best trips to Italy, our Italy trip planner services are here to help you plan your perfect itinerary.
Photo Credit: Opening photo by Simone Pellegrini on Unsplash; fruit stand photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash ; Florence covered market photo by Kiev.Victor; Mall in milan photo by Zac Wolff on Unsplash
