Next stop for the trendsetting traveler is Italy. So many designers began their career here so it is no wonder that the Italians are the royalty of fashion.

Milan:

No words strike endearment into a fashion follower’s heart like Milan. You can find EVERYTHING here.

At Via Montenapoleone (or the Quadrilatero di’Oro, cross streets of Via Sant’Andrea and Via della Spiga) you will find EVERY famous designer. Georgio Armani, D&G, Fendi, Gucci, Prada, and others call this “golden square” home. As the name implies, do not expect any bargains, even during the sale season.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – The famous shopping mall with bold frescos and tons of designer shops. These scaling marble walls and golden frescoes are truly inspiring. To get here, exit metro stop Duomo and you will find the towering beautiful galleria to your left.
For more shopping, head west from the galleria on Corso Vittorio Emmanuele past the Duomo towards the metro stop San Babila. Along this route you will find department stores like La Rinascente, high end stores, and even stores like H&M, Zara, the North Face, Diesel and affordable boutiques .

Not to be missed is Corso Buenos Aires and the marketplace to the west (Galleria Buenos Aires between Via Francesco Redi and Via Plinio). From metro stop Porta Venezia to Loreto, you can find affordable H&M, Zara, department stores, United Colors of Benneton, and more Italian boutiques, as well as affordable grub and gelato.

Galleria Buenos Aires (an open marketplace) hosts some of the best fruit you will ever taste. Additionally, there is an abundance of supermarkets near Corso Buenos Aires, but beware of the street at night.

Portofino:

From Cannes, sail your yacht into the harbor find to find Hermes, Gucci, and everything utterly lavish. (Alternatively, coming from Milan, take the train to Santa Margherita Don’t forget to bring a picnic and follow the path on the south side of the harbor for a beautiful hike up the hillside for incredible views of the Mediterranean.

Florence:

A city of Renaissance beauty, Florence is sure to leave you astonished. After you have scaled all 463 steps to the top of  the Duomo, admired David, and ascended the steps to Piazzale Michelangelo, it is time for some fashion indulgence.

The morning is the best time for scanning the marketplaces, and the San Lorenzo market and central market are the best markets of Florence. Along Via Roma from the Battistero di San Giovanni down to the Piazza della Repubblica (Via degli Speziali) you can find Gucci and Zara. Further past Piazza della Repubblica towards Via Tornabuoni and via Della Vigna Nuova you will find the other high end stores Italy is famous for. To find essentials, there is a five story La Rinascente near Piazza della Repubblica.

Roma:

There are two main streets in the Eternal city that offer shopping galore.
Via del Corso runs from Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II all the way to Piazza della Popolo. Along here you can find Sisley, Calzedonia, and other affordable shopping.

For entertainment, you will often find street break dancers and chalk-artists.

The high-end district of Rome can be found near the Spanish Steps at Piazza di Spagna
along Via Condotti. This is arguably the most expensive shopping area in Italy. You can find the glamorous shops of Max&Co., Yves St. Laurent, and Burberry.

Make sure you take some time to rest at the Spanish steps or along the gardens along the edge of Villa Borghese between the Villa Medici and Piazza della Popolo. From the Pinicio you can see the entire city and is great for capturing Rome at sunset.

Photo Credit: Via Condotti by Jezuez471 on Flickr

Photo Credit: Galleria by Karynsig on Flickr