Shopping

Shops are usually open in the morning from 9am to 12:30pm, and from 4pm to 7:30pm. Some places may be closed on Wednesdays, so call before you go or ask your hotel concierge.

Venice
The most famous shopping in Venice is the Mercerie, a set of narrow streets that links St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto. Here you can purchase anything from designed clothing, glass products, handbags, footwear, linens and books. For the greatest selection of tradtitional glass pieces and lace, take a boat to the islands of Murano and Burano.

Milan
The best fashion gazing is to be done along four adjoining streets north of the Duomo known collectively as the Quadrilatero d'Oro (Golden Quadrilateral): Via Montenapoleone, Della Spiga, Via Borgospesso, and Via Sant'Andrea, lined with Milan's most expensive high-fashion emporia. Follow Via Manzoni a few blocks north from Piazza della Scala; San Babila is the closest metro stop. The main artery of this shopping heartland is Via Montenapoleone, lined with chic boutiques and elegant fashion outlets, with the parallel Via della Spiga running a close second.

For more Milanese shopping, cruise wide Corso Buenos Aires (northeast of the center and just east of Stazione Centrale—follow Via Vitruvio from Piazza Duca d'Aosta in front of the station; metro stops Lima and Loreto are the gateways to this bargain stretch), home to a little bit of everything from shops that hand-sew men's dress shirts to CD megastores. As it crosses Piazza Oberdan/Piazza Venezia heading south, it becomes Corso Venezia and the stores start moving up the scale.

Lake Como
Lake Como produces 80% of Europe’s silk and has been doing so since the 14th century. There are boutiques in the centre selling high-quality silk merchandise along with a few factory outlets. Scarves, ties and shirts all make good buys.

There’s a regular Saturday market—food and clothing—in the town of Como and once a month there is an antique market on Sunday.