Rome Shopping Tips by icunme Top 5 Page for this destination

Women's Clothing: Biggest MALL in Rome - Parco Leonardo Women's Clothing Review

Popular and largest Rome mall - short and pleasant Regional train ride - you exit the train from Termini or Trastevere at the stop BEFORE Fiumicino and the Mall is right there. For the serious Rome "shop till you droppers!" A city within a city - always great buys and choices here.

What to buy: Anything and everything!

What to pay: very competitive prices - reasonable

Directions: Regional Train to Fiumicino - exit at PARCO LEONARDO - stop before Fiumicino - the Mall is right there in front of you!

Theme: Department Store

Website: http://www.parcoleonardo.it

Bartolucci: Giapetto is alive and well in Roma

This is just an amazing shop close to the Pantheon. These charming items are the result of a patient manual labor - made of pinewood - designed and created by the Bortolucci family - Francesco, Matteo, Chiara, and Anna. The photos do not do justice to the great detail. For more than 60 years, three generations of Bartolucci's family are united by a common passion: the art of working wood. The firm Bartolucci started the enterprise producing accordions in 1936. Four brothers worked there: Leopoldo, Ernesto, Silvio and Matteo Bartolucci.
After different productions (furniture, old fashioned furniture...), in 1981 Francesco, Chiara and Annamaria, Matteo's son and two daughters started the present production of wooden ware.

Address: Via dei Pastini 98

Directions: Close to the Pantheon - across from the Mask shop and the 100 flavors Gelati

Phone: 06 69.190.894

Theme: Toys and Games

Tax-free shopping in Italy

Tourists in Italy arriving from outside the European Community are entitled to the refund of I.V.A. (Value Added Tax) which ranges from 12 to 35% on amounts exceeding 155,00 euro spent in the same shop. To enjoy this benefit it is necessary to apply to shops that have an agreement - Tax Free, Italy Free Shopping, Tax Free System, Euro Tax, Tax Refund posted in their window and/or inside. The refund can be obtained inside the shops with the proper sign - or at Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport of Fiumicino in the Customs Office or by post. Items must be new, in original boxes, and you must have all receipts. Go early to the airport if you intend to complete the procedure there.

I'm updating this tip with the following information from a visitor to my pages indicating that he has used this tax free service in Italy and they were very efficient:
www.premiertaxfree.com

Happy shopping in bella Italia.................

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.premiertaxfree.com

Capri: Absinthe - more Rome deca-dance! Food or beverage Review

An entire window filled with Absinthe and the paraphanelia attendant to its ritual beckons to the curious tourist. He hesitates, capitavated - looks about to see who might be watching - and bolts through the door!

Dubbed "the green fairy" it is an emerald color - distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs, flowers and medicinal leaves of Artemisia absinthium (wormwood).

Absintheurs typically add water to a dose of absinthe, which causes the drink to turn cloudy (called “louching”) - the same delightful metamorphosis happens when you add water to Pernod and it turns a bright, foggy chartreuse.

My introduction to absinthe was, indeed, a ritual. Once the absinthe was poured into a lovely stemmed glass, a slotted spoon was placed across the mouth of the glass - a small sugar cube placed on the spoon - absinthe poured over the sugar - the cube of sugar set aflame - and as it melted into the absinthe below, a little ice water was added. My taste buds were enchanted!

The ritual complete with special slotted absinthe spoons and other accoutrements is essential to the experience of drinking absinthe. The flavor is similar to anise-flavored liqueurs. If you like Pernod - you will love Absinthe!

Although it originated in Switzerland as an elixir, it is associated with France and Parisian artists and writers whose romantic link to the drink still lingers in pop culture. You will see a brand in the shop, Capri, with a portrait of Van Gogh. Was he an Absintheur, perhaps? At one time absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug due to the chemical thujone. (Not my experience!)

By 1915 it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States. Even though it was vilified, no evidence shows it to be any more dangerous than ordinary alcohol although few modern medical studies have been completed. A modern absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale.

What to buy: Absinthe - they say they can send it to you in the U.S. but you cannot send it to yourself.

What to pay: A nice gift package - Absinthe, spoon, glass - costs 60 to 80 Euro

Address: Via del Traforo, 154

Directions: Just South of Piazza Barberini - East of Spanish Steps - right before the tunnel

Phone: 06.428.23750

Theme: Food and Drink

Ivy Oxford: Cashmere sweaters 58 Euro - ITALIAN Men's Clothing Review

We pass this shop often as it is just down Via due Macelli from the Spanish Steps. We always see excellent prices posted on items and a tasteful display of men's clothing at exceptionally reasonable prices. We especially like that the items are Made in ITALY (not Hong Kong).
Photo - 58 Euro Cashmere sweaters

What to buy: 58 Euro cashmere sweaters - made in ITALY!

What to pay: reasonable

Address: Via Due Macelli 98

Directions: Spanish Steps

Theme: Men's Clothes

A few of the best: Chocolate - ciocolatte Food or beverage Review

Bernardi
Via di Porta Cavalleggeri, 43
Telefono: 06/636934

Bottega del Cioccolato
Via Leonina, 82
Telefono: 06/4821473

Godiva
Galleria Alberto Sordi
Via del Corso

Chocolat
Dogana Vecchia 12-13 - San Eustachio

Cioccolati
Via Marianna Dionigi , 36
Telefono: 06/36006165

Moriondo e Gariglio
Via del Piè di Marmo, 21
Telefono: 06/6990856

What to buy: Chocolate

Theme: Food and Drink

ArcheoArt: Reproductions Roman artifacts

Marco says that he maintains a laboratory for the reproduction of archeological artifacts. They are quite good - many excellent marble/alabaster statues, both large and small. Lots of Gladiator artifacts that look as if they could be or could have been cinema props. Excellent array of reproduced ancient jewelry. Very entertaining!

What to buy: Reproductions of Roman artifacts - Jewelry especially

What to pay: Negotiate with Marco Bocchio - always ask for the tax to be deducted over 155 €

Address: Via del Teatro di Marcello, 12

Directions: Forum area

Phone: 00830360566

Theme: Art

Website: http://www.marcobocchio.com

La Maschera: Can't get to Venice - masks here in Rome 4 U

This is a small shop - right across from Bartolucci's wood working shop and close to the Pantheon. The owner is most accommodating and has a great number of fascinating masks to choose from.

What to buy: Fantastic Masks

Address: Via della Guglia 69

Directions: Pantheon area

Phone: 06 67.89.667

Theme: Other

La Feltrinelli: Favorite bookshop in Rome Books Review

This just happens to be my personal favorite here in Rome as it was in Milano - primarily due to the personal assistance rendered by the staff here - perhaps it also has to do with finding the little hardcover, elasticized, pocket notebook indispensable to many writers - the "Hemingway notepad" as it is sometimes called. Load up when you find them as they are not so easy to get - perfect size for waist pouch. Photo 3. You will find foreign books in 60 languages (including English), books for kids, computers, didactic, dictionaries, eastern philosophies. The staff here will find the book you want - if not in their particular shop, they will search other Feltrinelli shops to see where it might be available for you. They treat you as if you were a permanent privileged client - not a transient tourist. They had no way to know that I do, in fact, reside in Rome and am not a tourist.

Check back for photos...........

What to buy: Books in your choice of 60 languages.

Address: Galleria Alberto Sordi

Directions: Via Alberto Sordi and Via del Corso

Phone: 39.06.36001873

Theme: Books

Porta Portese outdoor market: Flea market shopping for the adventurous

SUNDAY ONLY The particular "type" for this shopping tip is catagory "other" because it is "all of the above" - books, clothing jewelry, toys/games, bath and beauty, etc. This is a huge flea market - most items are from India, China, Africa - some Italian second-hand goods. This market has become increasingly ridden with junk - however, you CAN find good things if you have the time to get through all the other stuff. Last visit I bought 100% linen pants for 50 cents € as I stopped by when most sellers had already closed up and were driving out. WATCH YOUR WALLET/PURSE here - I only go here with the waist pouch.

What to buy: You must be very discerning and carefully choose good bargains among all the junk - which you CAN find.

What to pay: Barter - they will take MUCH less rather than pack things up to re-load on their trucks if you are there around 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Address: Porta Portese Piazza, Trastevere

Directions: 1st bus stop after crossing the Tevere into Trastevere.
Many buses going to Trasteere but I know the #3 that says "Trastevere" goes there.

Theme: Other