108 Best Places to Shop in Rome, Italy

"The Artisan" is the place to go for handmade watches and rare vintage timepieces. The store's expert watchmakers specialize in nostalgic mechanical watches and chronographs from the early 1900s through the 1970s. Have an heirloom piece that has stopped working or that needs a little fine-tuning? Bring it to the shop, and the owners will get it ticking again in no time.

La Perla was founded in Bologna in 1954 and is now the global go-to for beautifully crafted lingerie and glamorous underwear for that special night, a bridal trousseau, or just to spoil yourself on your Roman holiday. If you like decadent finery that is both stylish and romantic, with plenty of well-placed frills, you will find something here to make you feel like a goddess. There are silk boxers for gents, too.

For an interesting jumble of stalls hawking vintage jewelry, furniture, artwork, and other collectibles, check out this colorful flea market held on the first and third Sunday of every month (except for August). It's open from 9 am until sunset.

Originally from Rome but now based in Milan, Laura Urbinati is a fashion designer whose swimwear has appeared on the pages of Vogue, Elle, W, and other magazines. At her namesake shop on a street just off Piazza del Popolo, you'll find colorful silk tops, pants, dresses, and skirts with bold prints and patterns in addition to the swimwear she's famous for.

If you're looking to purchase some traditional Italian pottery, Le 4 Stagioni has a colorful selection of glazed pots, plates, and charming ceramic-flower wall ornaments made by artisans in Sicily and Puglia. All can be shipped internationally if you can't quite fit the gorgeous bowls and platters in your suitcase.

A familiar face at the city's fashion shows, designer Susanna Liso, a Rome native, mixes raw silks or cashmere and fine merino wool to create captivating, enveloping garments that sometimes feature seductive or playful elements. Both her haute-couture and ready-to-wear lines are much loved by Rome's elite.

One of the best parts of Libraccio (part of the IBS chain of bookstores) is the wide variety of European cinema and music selections. Another perk is the discount the store dishes out on its stock of remainders and secondhand books. The shop also has a modest selection of English-language paperbacks and hardcovers.

The sisters who run this discreet store near the Spanish Steps were raised by their tailor father and developed a love of luxe fabrics early on. A fixture in Rome for nearly four decades, Lingerie D'Elia specializes in silky loungewear and is rumored to be where Princess Diana shopped for made-in-Italy lace-trimmed nightgowns.

One of Rome's preferred shops for those who appreciate exquisite writing materials, Manufactus specializes hand-bound leather journals but also sells such items as wax seals, presses for paper embossing, Venetian glass pens, and ink stamps. There are three other locations on Via della Rotonda, Piazza Navona, and Via dei Coronari.

Part of the Max Mara group, Marella is sometimes described as Max Mara's little sister, as it sells slightly more youthful and affordable clothes than the original. Expect elegant, high-quality coats, jackets, and pants; dresses, skirts, and blouses that are often done in colorful prints; and accessories such as shoes, bags, scarves, and sunglasses. During semiannual sales (in January and July), you can find especially good deals. There's also a location near the Spanish Steps on Via Frattina.

The place to go for unique, handmade-in-Rome bathing suits, Marisa Padovan has been sewing for Hollywood starlets like Audrey Hepburn and the well-heeled women of the Eternal City for more than 50 years. Choose from ready-to-wear coverups or suits trimmed with Swarovski crystals, or have the staff help you design a bespoke bikini or one-piece. The chic, cheery boutique also sells daughter Flavia's line of velvet trousers, knit ponchos, silk dresses, and cashmere coverups that make it easy to transition from a day by the sea to an evening on the town.

Drawing heavily on ancient Roman and Etruscan designs, the jewelry from former costume designer Massimo Maria Melis will carry you back in time. Working with 21-karat gold, he often incorporates antique coins in many of his exquisite bracelets and necklaces. Some of his pieces are done with an ancient technique, much loved by the Etruscans, in which tiny gold droplets are fused together to create intricately patterned designs.

Taking its name from the common childhood demand “put me down,” this shop has been styling the littlest Romans for more than three decades. It's stocked with European brands to outfit children from head to toe, plus all the toys, bags, and adorable accessories a tiny tot can tote. There are two neighboring storefronts: one for ages 0–3 and the other for ages 4–14.

Notable for its lightweight bohemian knitwear designs with instantly recognizable patterns of zigzags, waves, and stripes (some of which are influenced by folk art), the now high-end brand started in northern Italy producing tracksuits in the 1950s. Missoni now designs everything from elegant evening wear to must-have swimsuits, and is unlike other Italian fashion families: in three generations there have been neither vendettas nor buyouts by huge multinational conglomerates to stain their colorful history.

Run by two friendly brothers, who took over the business from their father, this barbershop is preferred by actors performing at the nearby Teatro Sistina. It was founded in the 1970s and still has charmingly retro decor. They offer haircuts, beard care, manicures, pedicures, facials, and massages and have their own line of products. For extra privacy, you can request the private room.

When strolling down Via del Governo Vecchio, a street popular for funky and edgy clothing boutiques, you can't help but stop and stare at this shop's windows, where the family-run business displays some of its best hippie-chick and bridal-chic gowns, as well as Japanese Noh theater–inspired coats. The highly original and highly coveted clothes are carefully crafted and hand-painted with one-of-a-kind designs.

Dating from 1850 and adhering strictly to family recipes passed on from generation to generation, this shop makes some of Rome's finest chocolate delicacies and other sweet treats. The selection of more than 80 confections includes everything from dark-chocolate truffles to marrons glacés. The chocolates shaped like every letter of the alphabet are perennial favorites, though.

If you can't make it to Venice to shop for its famous handblown glassware, your next best option is to visit Murano Più, where items include vases, tableware, chandeliers, and jewelry. Each piece is handcrafted by a master glassblower using ancient techniques kept alive by artisans since 1291.

Since the 1950s, the Nardecchia family has been in the business of selling beautiful 19th-century prints, old photographs, and watercolors that depict Rome in centuries past. Can't afford an 18th-century etching? The store has beautiful postcards, too.

This massive covered market is an excellent place to wander thanks to its Italian, Asian, and African specialties. Many of Rome's top restaurants get their main ingredients here.

This fiercely independent bookstore with neon signs and bursting shelves stocks English-language best sellers as well as vintage postcards and used Italian books. It also regularly hosts chats with authors and has a particularly charming children's book section focused on all things Rome.

Patrizia Pepe first emerged on the scene in Florence in 1993 with an aesthetic that's both minimalist and bold. Jackets with oversize lapels, playful pleats, mesmerizing mesh, and the occasional feathered poof set the designs apart. Spending time in the shop of this relative newcomer to the Italian fashion scene gives you the opportunity to pick up an item or two before the brand becomes the next fast-tracked craze.

Specializing in timeless styles for the youngest Romans (ages 0–16) since 1932, Piccadilly is bursting with Liberty-print floral frocks, bloomers, scalloped collars, and dress shorts with suspenders. It's known for its special occasion–worthy clothes and impeccable tailoring.

Vintage aficionados, university students, musicians, and the occasional costume designer looking for something a little offbeat all love browsing through the racks of this hip vintage clothing emporium. The clothes fly off the racks quite quickly thanks to its eclectic selection of 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s apparel and shoes at hard-to-beat prices. The shop has another location on Via dei Serpenti in Monti.

This outfit has been making exclusive stationery since 1774. The first Rome shop opened at the request of the royal household, and this is where the city's aristocratic families still come for engraved wedding invitations and timeless visiting cards. It also sells desk accessories, wallets, and briefcases made using the best Florentine leather.

One of the biggest flea markets in Italy welcomes shoppers in droves every Sunday from 7 am to 2 pm. Treasure seekers and bargain hunters love scrounging around the hundreds of tents for new and vintage clothing and accessories, antique furniture, used books, and other odds 'n' ends. Bring your haggling skills, and cash (preferably small bills—it'll work in your favor when driving a bargain); many stallholders don't accept credit cards, and the nearest ATM is a hike.

Mario Prada founded the Italian luggage brand in 1913, but it has been his granddaughter, Miuccia, who updated the designs into the timeless investment pieces of today. You'll find the Rome store more service-oriented than the New York City branches—a roomy elevator delivers you to a series of thickly carpeted salons where a flock of discreet assistants will help you pick out dresses, shoes, lingerie, and fashion accessories. The men's store is located at Via Condotti 88/90, while the women's is down the street at 92/95.

Started in 1996, Pro Fumum (also seen as Pro Fvmvm) is a cult classic in Italian fragrance design. Each of its unisex scents comes with a poem that describes the intention of the artisans. The philosophy here is that smell can trigger memories more powerfully than any photo, so the pricey-but-worth-it fragrances are created to evoke experiences like walking through a forest or listening to a thundering Roman fountain.

Well-heeled moms shop for their budding fashionistas at Pure Sermoneta where you'll find garments straight off the catwalk. High-end luxury labels include Fendi, Diesel, Dior, Marni, Juicy Couture, Nolita, and Gucci, with the designer price tags to rival any adult-sized shopping spree.

Dating from 1938, this shop showcases exquisite, antique, micro-mosaic jewelry painstakingly crafted in the style perfected by the masters at the Vatican mosaic studio. The small works were beloved by cosmopolitan clientele of the Grand Tour age and offer modern-day shoppers a taste of yesteryear's grandeur. You'll also find 18th- and 19th-century cameos and beautiful engraved stones, one-of-a-kind rings from the 1960s and ’70s, as well as contemporary jewelry.