Shopping

Paris:
If you like to shop Paris, France is the capital of the shopping world. The variety and style of the stores makes a Paris shopping trip a must for any fashion-conscious traveler. In Paris shopping is an art. Parisians take fashion very seriously, so shopping in Paris can be savored and enjoyed as much as a meal in one of the city’s many excellent restaurants or a visit to one of its world-class museums.

Aix-en-Provence:
Aix is known for its selection of clothing and accessory shops, but not for its bargains. The historical city center, with its narrow winding streets offering numerous boutiques. Some retailers sell the latest fashion trends while others sell signature Provençal gifts. Some of these local crafts include patterned linen, olive oil, wine, and pottery.

Calissons are a sweet native to Aix-en-Provence. They are made of fruits and sweetened almonds and can be found in any confectionary in the city. A couple of these sweet shops are Calissons du Roy René located at 10 Rue Clémenceau, and Léonard Parli at 35 Avenue Victor Hugo. The shopping super center, Monoprix, is located conveniently on the thoroughfare Cours Mirabeau and is a clothing store as well as a grocery store.

There are also many markets throughout Aix-en-Provence. In Place Verdun (in front of Palais de Justice) on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings there is a flea market that has a nice selection of trinkets. A beautiful and fragrant flower market (marché aux fleurs) on Place de l’Hôtel de Ville occurs simultaneously with the Place Verdun market.

Vendors at food markets sell tasty treats such as local produce, cheese, breads and honey. Food markets are located on Place des Prêcheurs and Place de la Madeleine every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The food market on Place Richelme is open everyday. Typical shop hours are 8am to 12pm and 2pm to 7pm. Some store stay open during lunchtime.

Nice:
Since the Middle Ages, Cours Saleya has been the heart of Nice’s market square. Every afternoon until 1pm markets still rule the square with vendors selling beautiful fresh flowers, gifts, produce, spices and other Riviera specialties. This market has the best prices on flowers and gifts in the city.

Jasmine, carnations and roses are the specialty flora of the Riviera. Fresh seasonal produce includes zucchini, mushrooms, white asparagus, and strawberries. Other specialty fares are sun-dried tomatoes, olive varieties and aromatic spices. On Mondays, this same market switches into an antique market. Cours Saleya is conveniently located right off the beach in Old Nice.

Place Garibaldi is another location for shopping. This area is lined with beautiful buildings that make shopping a pleasure. The boutiques here offer another opportunity to pick up gifts from the French Riviera. There is also a mall in Place Garibaldi called TNL Commercial Center. The shops in this center have a selection of brands ranging from pricey to inexpensive.

Florence:
Most visitors interested in gold or silver jewelry head for the Ponte Vecchio and its tiny shops. If you're looking for a charm or souvenir, these shops are fine. But the heyday of finding gold jewelry bargains on the Ponte Vecchio is long gone. The street for antiques is Via Maggio: some of the furnishings and objects d'art here are from the 16th century.

Florence's Fifth Avenue is Via dei Tornabuoni, the place to head for the best quality leather goods, for the best clothing boutiques, and for stylish but costly shoes. Here you'll find everyone from Armani, Gucci, Versace, Coveri, to Ferragamo.

Besides shops, Florence is rich in open-air markets. The Market of San Lorenzo, situated in the center of the city, is the preferred destination of tourists. At the Flea Market, near Piazza Santa Croce, one can make good deals on small antique items. The last Sunday of every month except July, the market expands into the adjacent streets

Siena:
Siena is filled with one of a kind boutiques and shops at every corner, but you'll want to stroll along three main pedestrian streets for sure: Via di Cittá, Via dei Banchi di Sopra and Via dei Montanini. Styles range from trendy to classic. You'll find a gelateria, pizza shop or bar between every few shops, so you can stop for gelato breaks between browsing.

Besides shops, there is an open air market held at the La Lizza (at the Fortezza) every Wednesday from 8am to around 1pm. You can find stylish clothing, house-wares or "do as the Italians do," and shop for fruits, vegetables and Italian cheeses. On the second Sunday of each month, there is Mercatino delle Crete. This is a street market with all kinds of local arts and crafts.

Rome:
Like the city, shopping in Rome is varied. For the most part though, Rome's shops seem to cater for a more egalitarian crowd than the other major cities. The city’s most exclusive and high-end boutiques reside within a stone's throw of the famous Spanish Steps. These shops, like the high percentage of those found in the famous shopping districts of Italy, are designed for the obscenely wealthy.

Rome is full of remnants of the past—from the ruins, to the art, to the ancient cathedrals and town squares—and the shopping is no different, with a vast accumulation of antiques awaiting your perusal. The long stretch of Via del Corso is a focal point of any Italy shopping tour, and contains a number of chic boutiques (and plenty of less-chic ones for the budget conscious) that cater mostly to the vibrant Roman youth. Rome also has the widest selection of neighborhood markets, where you can casually peruse everything from fresh fruit to handcrafted goods.