Milan Shopping - Shopping in Milan Italy

Milan is without doubt the one of the main centres for shopping in Italy and the numerous districts in Milan provide a shopper's paradise. Whether you are looking for high fashion, antiques, furniture or home accessories, rest assured that shopping in Milan, Italy, will provide you with a huge choice. Milan is renown for its pride in craftsmanship and if you want to see real craftsmen at work, simply wander around Milan's Piazza Santa Spirito or any other of the narrow streets of the Oltrarno, the part of Milan that stands on the south side of the river. You can also admire the wonderful monuments, statues and fountains as you walk downtown for some serious Milan shopping.

Milan shops are generally open from 09:00 to 13:00 and from 15:30 or 16:00 to 19:30 or 20:00, although many of the bigger shops in Milan now open all day. On Saturday shops tend to close earlier at around 17:30 and only a few open on Sundays. Also, many shops in Milan do not open on Monday morning. There is usually late-night shopping every week on Thursdays in Milan.

Fashion in Milan - Milan, Italy Milan is Italy's top source of 'alta moda' (high fashion) and it is only to be expected that there are many famous designer fashion and clothing outlets in the city. Leading national and international fashion designers all have stores within the area between Via Manzoni, Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and Via Sant'Andrea, with famous names including Armani, Laura Biagiotti, Gucci, Krizia, MaxMara, Missoni, Prada, Trussardi, Valentino and Versace, to name but a few. There are also many other smaller shops and stores in central Milan, where there are plenty of stylish outfits and fashion accessories to be found.

Department Stores in Milan - Milan, Italy As with most of large Italian cities and towns, there are not many department stores in Milan. La Rinascente is probably the most prestigious department store in Milan and has eight floors with everything from clothing and perfumes, to toys and food. It is located in central Milan, directly opposite the Duomo and is open seven days a week, staying open until 22:00. Other large stores in Milan include the Coin in the Piazza Cinque Giorante, with quality product at reasonable prices, Upim in the Piazza San Babila, selling clothes and many other items at fairly low prices and also the Centro Bonola, an enormous Coop supermarket and department store, with many other shops, bars and cafes nearby.

Food Shops in Milan - Milan, Italy Milan's delicatessens and food shops are very well stocked with fine food and local delicacies, including hams, salami, cheeses of all kinds, breads, ready-made dishes, chocolate, cakes and a wide choice of gourmet food. One of the most famous food shops in Milan is Peck, which has been trading for over 100 years and is highly regarded amongst the locals. In many of these shops you will also find some of the best Italian wines, ideal to enjoy with your fresh food on a picnic in one of Milan's squares or parks. Sales in Milan (Saldi) - Milan, Italy Milan's sales are held twice a year in January, just after Epiphany, and again early July. Large discounts are offered, sometimes as much as 75 per cent, but be sure to check goods thoroughly before you purchase, to make sure that they are genuine bargains. For all-year-round bargains in Milan, there are numerous outlets, such as Il Salvagente at Via Bronzetti 16, which is one of the most well-known shops.

The following are the main clothing stores that sell famous name brands:

Armani, via Durini 24, via Sant' Andrea 9

Basile, via Monteleone 27

Chanel, via S. Andrea 10/A

Dolce & Gabbana, via della Spiga 2

Enrico Coveri, corso Matteotti 12

Fendi, via Sant' Andrea 16

Fiorucci Store, galleria Passerella 1

Gianfranco Ferrè, via della Spiga 11

Gucci, via Monleone 5

Kenzo, via Sant' Andrea 11

Krizia, via della Spiga 23

Laura Ashley, via Brera 4

Laura Biagiotti, via Borgospesso 19

Les Copains, via Montenapoleone 2

Max Mara, corso Emanuele

Mila Schon, via Montenapoleone 2

Missoni, via Sant' Andrea 9, piazza Duomo 21

Moschino, via Sant' Andrea 12

Pierre Cardin, via Verri 6

Romeo Gigli, corso Venezia 11

Ungaro, via Montenapoleone 27

Valentino, via Santo Spirito 3

Versace, via Montenapoleone 11

Yves Saint Laurent, via Verri 8

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The best shoe stores of Milan are the following:

Bally, via Montenapoleone 8

Diego Della Valle, via della Spiga 22

Salvatore Ferragamo , via Montenapoleone ang. v. Borgospesso

Fratelli Rossetti, via Montenapoleone 1

La Vetrina di Baryl, via Statuto 4

Magli, corso Vittorio Emmanuele ang. v. San Paolo

Marilena, via Tornio 13; Pollini, corso V. Emanuele II 30

Sergio Rossi, via della Spiga 15

Teras, via Torino ang. v. Lupetta

Timberland Store, corso Venezia 9

Vergelio, corso Vittorio Emanuele 10

Vierre, via Montenapoleone 27

The most exclusive jewelry shops of the city are the following:

Agalma, via San Tommaso 8

Bernasconi, galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II, 33/35

Buccellati, via Montenapoleone 4

Bulgari, via della Spiga 6

Cartier, via Montenapoleone 16

Cusi, via Montenapoleone 21/A

Faraone Tiffany, via Montenapoleone 7/A

Pomellato, via San Pietro all' Orto

Romani Adami, via Bagutta 3

Scav, via della Spiga 9

Schreiber, via Manzoni 40