Many Italian products, especially clothes, shoes and bags, are world-famous for their style and quality. Florence, Milan and Rome are important fashion centres. Some places are known for particular products, such as Carrara (Tuscany) for marble. In several parts of Sardinia, writing paper made of cork is produced. Cremona (Lombardy) is famous for its handmade violins. Valenza (Piemonte) has a large number of goldsmiths and Sulmona (Abruzzo) produces ’confetti’ (sugar-coated almonds) used all over Italy for wedding celebrations. Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna) is famous for mosaics and Volterra (Tuscany) for alabaster goods.
Rome: Designer names are focused around the fashionable Via Condotti. Old books and prints can be bought from bookstalls of Piazza Borghese. Rome’s flea market is at Porta Portese in Trastevere on Sunday mornings.
Milan: The city’s industrial wealth is reflected in the chic, elegant shops of Via Montenapoleone. Prices tend to be higher than in other major cities.
Venice: The island of Murano, famous for its glassware, is also home to art dealers and skilful goldsmiths.
Florence: Boasts some of the finest goldsmiths, selling from shops concentrated along both sides of the Ponte Vecchio. Florentine jewellery has a particular quality of satin finish called satinato.
Siena: Full of individual shops selling fatto a mano (made by hand) goods, such as paper, clothes, ceramics and candles.
Southern Italy: In the south, there are still families handmaking the same products as their ancestors: filigree jewellery and products of wrought iron in Abruzzo; wood products in Calabria; and a variety of textiles, including tablecloths, in Sicily and Sardinia.
Shopping hours: Generally Mon-Sat 0830-1230 and 1530-1930, with some variations in northern Italy where the lunch break is shorter and the shops close earlier.
|
|
