Big and small Shops of Italy
The biggest and most expensive shops in Italy are in the big cities such as Turin, Milan, Naples and Rome. They sell fashionable clothes, shoes and accessories by famous designers. Large, bustling department stores are also found in the centre of these major cities.
In Italy there are also small family-run shops like the frutterie that sell fruit, the panetterie that sell bread and cakes, and the gelaterie that sell ice cream. Tobacconists called tabaccheria, also sell stamps.
Italian specialities
Hand-made goods such as ceramics, lace and pottery are often sold in small shops, especially in areas where there are tourists. Different parts of Italy have their own special products, such as glass ornaments which come from workshops in Venice, leather from Naples and gold jewellery from Florence.
Italy Tourism Shops Opening hours
Shops are usually open from 9 am until 1 pm. Many close until about 4 pm and then stay open until about 7 pm. This is to avoid the heat in the middle of the day in summer, especially in the south of Italy. Butchers' shops are sometimes closed on Fridays and on some religious days. This is often done in Roman Catholic countries as a sign of fasting.
Italy Market stalls
Fresh fruit and fish are used a lot in Italian cooking. These foods, as well as salamis and other meats, are often bought in open-air or covered markets. There are not as many supermarkets and hypermarkets in Italy as there are in some other European countries. This is especially true of the southern areas.
There are regular 'flea markets' in many of the larger cities. These are markets where people come to buy and sell almost anything.
