Living in Naples: Shopping

Besides their food, Italians are also famous for their fashion. When I wasn;t busy taste testing my way around Naples, I did some serious shopping. There are two good markets that you can go to during the week. There is the mercatino in Fuorigrotta which is very close to the Cumana railroad station, and there is the Posillipo market that is on the road to Parco Vigiliano.

Posilipo Market: 

This market has the best clothes in the area for the best prices.  It is large, stretching the entire length of the street, however, it only occurs on Thursdays.  If you can ask for the morning off it is definitely worth the trip.

Fuorigrotta Market:

This market is open every day except Sundays.  You can get clothes, food, household items and more at this market.  Not only is this an outdoor market, but there also is a part that is in the building that the outdoor part surrounds.  The easiest way to get there is to take the C19, C9, or 152 bus lines and stop a few stops after the tunnel.  Then walk to the Cumana station and ask where the Mercatino is.

Shoe Alley: 

While perhaps not as easily accessible as the Posillipo and Fuorigrotta markets, Shoe Alley offers more variety at better prices.  It is in Poggioreale, near the prison.  Many people consider this one of the best markets in Naples.  It is open Friday, Sunday, and Monday morning.  It is better to get there in the mornings because otherwise it is either too crowded or all of the good deals are gone.

Other good places to shop:

Via Toledo: 

In the heart of Naples, near the Piazza Plebiscito, Teatro San Carlo, and Galleria Umberto, Via Toledo is one of the best shopping streets in Naples.  It is within walking distance to the consulate, but more easily accessible by taking the R3 bus line.  While the stores on this street can be very expensive, it is often worth a trip there to window shop or for the atmosphere.    There are also some nice bars along the street and the Scimmia gelateria in Piazza Carità is considered the best in Naples.

Vomero:

Vomero, a part of town located up on the hill above Mergellina is almost like another town.  You can get there using many different routes.  The Funicolare runs from Piazza Amedeo, about a 15 minute walk from the consulate, to Vomero.  Or you can take the C31 from Capo Posilipo, the 181 from Fuorigrotta, or the C28 from Piazza Amedeo.  A good place to start is on Via Scarlatti, which is closed to traffic and provides a great place to walk around.  There are some great places to buy shoes and bags in this area.

Via Chiaia

Another great shopping street begins at Piazza Vittoria and ends at Via Toledo. This area has the expensive stores like Gucci and Prada, and also some of the best and most reasonable shops. A couple of areas to take particular note of are Piazza dei Martiri, which is a good place to get a coffee and rest for awhile. The bookstore Feltrinelli is on this street, too, which is a bookstore on par with our Borders or Barnes and Noble. 

 

What are your favorite Italian cities to shop in???