A long-awaited holiday and fun shopping trip – it’s a match made in heaven! Italy will leave you with a lasting impression in terms of shopping; there is a huge variety of shops, designer boutiques, various outlets, shopping malls not to mention sales.
To take advantage of the various deals and perks that come around you should choose the timing of your trip and your itinerary carefully. The best shopping destinations are Rome, Venice, Florence, Bari, Verona.
When is the right timing for shopping?
The perfect time for best deals is sale season; it goes without saying that sales are the best time to purchase shoes, jewellery and designer clothes. Also, consider opening hours. Do not plan any shopping at the weekend as almost all the shops are closed. Most boutiques are open either 9am to 1pm or 3pm to 7pm.
Small privately-owned shops are often closed on Saturdays therefore the best period for shopping is Tuesday to Friday.
Sales in Italy
In Italian they are called sconti. There are two sales per year, winter and summer. Winter sales start the second week of January and end beginning of March. Summer sales last from the beginning of July until the end of August. Keep in mind the so called off season. Historically it is August, when all the locals are on their summer holidays and all the shops, boutiques, restaurants and factories are closed.
The ideal time for successful shopping is the first two weeks of sales. As a rule, this is when the shops offer the best variety in different sizes – they can sell out very quickly. Consequently, it might not be a good idea to plan a shopping trip a month into the sales. You might be better planning a visit for the following season.
