Venice Shopping

This past Saturday my two roommates and I had taken a day trip up to Venice. Venice is a beautiful city and I would recommend taking a trip up there if you have a chance. While I was in Venice I had bought some souvenirs for my friends at home. I had bought mask key chains from on outdoor vendor on the side of a street. I had gotten 6 key chains for 12 euro. I did bargain with them a little. However, the stores in Venice are a little pricier and there is no bargaining going on inside of them. The shops are small and offer very nice items but the prices of an item are higher than one would be in Rome.

Many of the shops located around Venice are filled with glass objects, masks, jewelry, and souvenir products. Along the Grand Canal running around Venice is lined with vendors who are selling much of the same products the small shops are selling. So if you get a chance to go to Venice and want to buy a couple items, take a look around at the vendors and the small shops to get the best price!

Zara

Rome is loaded with many places and streets to shop on! All up and down Via del Corso are clothing, handbags, souvenir, shoe, bathing suit, etc. shops. One of the major shops along Via del Corso is Zara. Zara is a large store that offers women and men clothing and shoes. Zara is located in two locations on Via del Corso. Both stores are located on the right hand side if you back is to Il Vittoriano.

The prices vary depending on what you get. So far I have only bought a belt for 20 euro and a tunic for about 40 euro. Zara holds various sorts of shoes from high heels, gladiator sandals, and closed toe flat shoes. They range in various prices. Most of the sandals I had looked at cost about 40 euro. Zara's clothing is trendy with the most recent styles I have seen on the streets of Rome. If you ever get a chance to stop into Zara I recommend it. The prices can get a little steep but if you look around the entire store you will find some more reasonable prices that may fit in your price range!

Coin

While I was in Florence I went to a department store called Coin. The department store was fabulous and held four floors of various items. On the entry level floor was cosmetics, jewelry, and menswear. On the ground level, below the entry level they stored all of their home furnishing items. On the third floor was women and the fourth level consisted of children clothing. The prices vary depending on the brand and item. I had bought a four strand beaded necklace for 13 euro which was a good price. The item was made well and was worth it. Other necklaces ranged from 10 euro to about 30 euro. Coin is located around Italy is some of the major tourist cities such as Rome, Venice and Florence. If you ever get a chance while staying in one of these cities, stop in and take a look. You can get some nice deals depending on the items for a nice price.

Florence markets

Last weekend a group of us headed on up to Florence for a nice weekend travel. On our way to our hostel from the train we ran into a huge open-air market. This open-air market was filled with handbags, scarves, paper products, jewelry and clothing. We wanted to drop off our suitcases at our hostel and go back to the market when we had learned by asking one vendor, that they had been opened every single day from 9 am to 7 pm unless rain would come there way.

Just like many other open- air markets that are held around Rome, you can bargain down the price of an item. I had been offered a leather bag for 76 euros that was originally 95 euros. It is a nice option when you are shopping on a budget but you may need to be prepared to walk away if the bargaining does not work in your favor. I had bought scarves for three euro a piece. If you are looking for cheap scarves and you get the chance to go to Florence I suggest buying these items there. They are great prices and the same scarves are as much as 9 euro in Rome.

Florence Shopping

This weekend a group of us went to Florence to sight see and shop! On our way to our hostel after arriving in Florence, we walked through a open air market filled with souvenirs, clothes, scarves, handbags, etc. Of course, later that afternoon we had to check out the market which offered great deals and the vendors left room for some bargaining.

The open market did not seem to have a name but was located on Via del Canto de' Nelli. My roommates and I bought mostly scarves from the market. Usually we were able to bargain three scarves for ten euro which seemed to be a great deal. I priced some of the leather bags and most of them were anywhere from 50 euro to 100 euro depending on the size of the bag. This market was large and offered a variety of items that many may be interested in. If you ever make it to Florence make sure you check out the markets along the streets of the city.

Accessories Anyone?

Italy has a variety of shops to choose from ranging in prices and items. Via del Corso is lined with shops on both sides of the famous street. Along the Via del Corso is a store called Accessories that offers a variety of items that will spice up an outfit! If your starting at the beginning of Via del Corso walking with your back to Il Vittoriano, the quaint shop is up about a mile on your left hand side.

Accessories sells jewelry, handbags, shoes, dress up clothing for kids, and hair accessories. Depending on your price range for jewelry and accessories, the accessories can be a little more pricier and better quality than the jewelry that Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe may offer, which are American stores that sells accessories for cheaper. I picked up a fabulous bracelet that was around 22 euro's and decided to wait. Most of the necklaces and bracelets ranged from 20 to 35 euros. So if you are looking to splurge on some nice looking jewelry with pretty good quality I suggest Accessories. They have a variety of items and colors to mix and match with an outfit!

Porta Portese

There are many open air markets throughout Rome that offer many items to buy but Porta Portese is a must to make time for. Every Sunday an open flea market is held on the street of Via Ippolito Nievo inTrastevere. This outdoor market is a must see and experience, but, is only open on Sundays from 6:30 am until 2:00 pm. Porta Portese outdoor flea market offers such a variety of items including, handbags, clothing, jewelry, linens, luggage, CD's, flowers, etc.

This market is extremely large and stretches up the road at least a good mile or so. I had walked the entire market and found some excellent deals. The key to this market is bargaining. Make sure you do not take the first price offered. Make sure you work the vendors to a price that is comfortable for you. Be prepared to walk away if you have your heart set on an exact price because they may not be willing to go lower. I had to walk away from these bracelets due to the uncompromisable price that I wanted. Overall, my experience was excellent and I was able to talk down the prices of jewelry and clothing walking away with three pieces of jewelry and two tunics for a total of forty-one euro's. I strongly suggest to make a Sunday free to go to this market. It is a great market to get great deals at and I hope everyone has the same luck that I found!

H&M

If you ever get a chance while in Rome, make sure you take a stroll down Via del Corrso which is filled with many shops. If you are familiar with the shops in America you will see some stores that may interest you being that they are the same. Today in between my classes, I had taken a walk down Via del Corrso to take a look at some of the shops close to Sede di Roma, where my classes are held.

I had found an H&M while I was walking down the street and decided to take a look in to compare to the one I am fond of, King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania. Upon walking into the store, I spotted an elevator and stairs, automatically knowing that there were more floors to this store. The store was filled with clothing, shoes, and jewelry on all of the four floors that were available to shoppers. H&M offered cashiers on every floor as well which made the set up of the store more unique than the King of Prussia H&M which consists of one floor with one line of cashiers. The clothing are marked at reasonable prices and they have a variety of selection in terms of types of clothing. The prices in Rome in some stores can get expensive so look around for a more familiar store and take a look inside!

Capri

Over the weekend a group of us decided to take a trip to the Amalfi Coast. On Saturday we took a boat out to Capri (picture above) which is only twenty minutes away from our bungalow in Sorrento. While visiting the beaches and amazing views from Capri, a group of us walked up at least three hundred steps to get to the main road and town of Capri. Along that shopping strip there were many shops and restaurants with wonderful views at all angles. The stores included clothing, high end jewelry, glass vases and bowls, and shoes. Most of the stores were pricier than some of the stores in Rome. However, down near the beach area there was little stands that offered an array of collection of jewelry in different colors. I had bought a bracelet for about five euro. So needless to say these type of stands that are randomly placed on the island are cheaper than some of the small shops along the main stretch of the town. But, these small stands still offer nice looking souvenirs to remind you of a place where you had visited.

Via Del Corso

Today a group of us decided to go shopping down Via del Corso. Via del Corso is a main street aligned with quaint shops, restaurants, pizzaria's, gelato stops, ATM's, and side streets. The shopping experience in Rome is quite different than shopping in the States. Some of the shops are small clothing shops or souvenier shops. Except for the Galleria Alberto Sordi. Galleria Alberto Sordi appears to be small shops along the street of Via del Corso. However, upon walking into and out the other side of a store names Zara, we realized that it was a mini inside mall that connected the shops (picture to the left). It is a nice inside area to cool down from the hot sun and heat. The Galleria Alberto Sordi included clothing stores as well as a book store. The ceiling was beautiful as well as the wood architecture in the Galleria Alberto Sordi.

Along Via del Corso there are many small clothing shops, one in which I entered and bought a dress! The stores name was named Sconti which was filled with dresses, shirts and pants. This experience was different than shopping at the King Of Prussia mall. The clothing sales woman was helping me pick out things and try them on for the entire time I was there. The dressing rooms were never able to be fully closed so people could see me changing. Once I got up to the register I showed her my student ID card. She proceeded to tell me there was no discount but she gave me a beaded necklace because I was a student! Sconti was a very nice little story with affordable clothing and the service was very nice. I would suggest the store to many women while looking for a nice outfit for a night out in Rome!

You Better Shop Around

For my class, I have to select a theme of my interest for my blogs. I have chosen shopping since Italy has such a selection of streets and open markets to shop in. Thus far, I have enjoyed roaming the wonderful shopping areas that Rome as to offer.

This wonderful day in Rome, after class, a group of us went to the Via Della Condotti. Via Della Condotti is home to the most traditional Rome designers such as Giorgio Armani and Versace. Along this popular shopping street lies stores such as Tiffany&Co., Bvlgari, Prada, Gucci, Cartier Jewelers, Valentino, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Puma, Foot Locker, H&M and many others. This famous strip of shopping hosts an array of stores. The experience was amazing and convenient with pizzaria's, cafe's and other eateries along Via Della Condotti.

The streets were extremely busy with shoppers and tourists walking down one of the "smartest shopping areas in the world." Via Della Condotti has a beautiful view of Piazza di Spagna. The Spanish steps aligns with the street of Via Della Condotti which forms a magnificent view. Many of the visitors of the Spanish steps miander down Via Della Condotti because of its neatly placed convenience.

Picture Link:
www.ewh.ieee.org/.../Via%20Condotti%20notte.JPG

Publishing, DK. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: DK Travel, 2003.