Shopping in Rome

Nobody goes to Rome and goes home without shopping for souvenirs, designer duds, and uniquely Italian treasures.

If you're planning a trip, remember that stores are closed on major holidays.

These include: January 6 - Epiphany; March/April - Easter Monday; April 25 - Liberation Day; May 1 - Labour Day; June 29 - Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul; August 15 - Feast of the Assumption; November 1 - All Saints Day; December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception; December 25 - Christmas Day; December 26 - Feast of St. Stephen.

Clothes

For fashion fanatics, three streets can do it all for you: Via del Babuino, Via del Corso and Via di Ripetta. You can even take in the famous Spanish Steps after you've shopped your way through the boutiques on the Via Condotti.

Belfe e Belfe

Via del Gambero 9. Not haute couture, but it does have the right selection of necessary things like all-weather jackets, sports and golf shoes, sweaters, and designer running suits, since jogging is about the only physical recreation readily available in Rome.

Borsalino Boutique

Piazza del Popolo 20. A treasure trove of hats, including the ever-distinguished Panama. Dressy, stylish, and informal.

Need to buy new shoes after all that sightseeing?

Campanile

Via Condotti 58. The place (and an expensive one, too) where residents and tourists alike treat their feet to the classiest footwear in Rome.

Ferragamo Uomo

Just a step away, at 65 Via Condotti. You can even go there barefoot and come out with shoes handcrafted from the finest Italian leather.

Antiques

Are you a collector of curios?

Enrico Camponi

Via Delle Stelletta 32. Specializes in the old, and the antique glass vase, some by Venetian masters. However you can also get lovely Murano pieces from the 1940s and 50s for good prices.

Antichita Il Postiglione

Via Mario De Fiori 5. A very American-style antique shop, dealing in furniture, porcelain, and a limited number of prints. A great place for the true antique lover, because a bit of searching often turns up a treasure in the less prominently displayed items.

Jewelry

Put a little sparkle in your life at one of the fine jewelry shops that abound in Rome.

Bulgari

Via Condotti 9. So exclusive (and so careful of their treasures), that you have to ring to be admitted to the shop, where the small but exquisite displays in the windows, will dazzle you.

Buccellati

Via Condotti 31. Steeped in history, this Florentine jewelry house specializes in exquisite silver pieces and nostalgia items harking back to the days of tiaras and lorgnettes.

Food

A little something for the palate, perhaps?

Buccone

Via di Ripetta 19, carries an excellent selection of wines, boxed sweets, and also serves light lunches if the goodies make you hungry.

Ai Monasteri

Corso del Rinascimento 72. This is the perfect place to pick up a little gift for someone. (Even for yourself!) Specializes in handmade liqueurs, jams and chocolates by Cisterian monks.

Various

Oh go ahead... buy something different!

Cesari

Via del Babuino 193. Has frills, seduction, and sumptuous ladies lingerie. Or, on the more prosaic side, you can buy fine linens, towels and other ordinary items here.

Lavori Artigianali Femminili

Via Capo le Case 6. Offers intricately embroidered household linens, women's blouses, and baby layettes.

Skin

Via dei Due Macelli 59. Here you can buy virtually anything you want in leather: shoes, jackets, suits, purses, in a rainbow of colours. They also display high fashion designs by Missoni and others.