Rome is a great place for shopping, with designer outlets and department stores all over the city. A cosmpolitan and thriving capital city for over 2000 years, Rome provides a multi-ethnic mix that is both attractive and explosive! Rome is home to a diverse array of shopping opportunities; The following five areas are the most renowned shopping areas in Rome.

» Piazza di Spagna - Spanish Steps - Via dei Condotti. This street is one of the richest streets in Italy and one of the best streets for shopping in Rome. The Via Dei Condotti is home to Italy's top designer stores such as Armani, Prada, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci and other notable names. This is also the street where the shop owners used to charge you just for walking in the door! Thankfully these days all of the shops sport an 'ingresso gratuito' sign which means you can go in and have a poke around without any obligation to buy!

» Via del Corso - Bustling pedestrianised street that runs from Piazza del Popolo down to Piazza Venezia. Via del Corso is very popular with Romans and Tourists alike and is home to famous shops like the Ferrari flagship store and Swarowski Crystal. If it's retail therapy in Rome you are after then the Via del Corso is a must! Hotels nearby: the Grand Hotel Plaza - Via del Corso, Hotel Stendhal, Hotel Delle Nazioni, Hotel Tiziano, Hotel Raphael Rome.

» Trastevere - located just over the River Tiber, the Trastevere district of Rome whose name literally translates as "across the Tiber". A Bohemian spirit grips Trastevere and you can take great pleasure in getting lost in its many winding streets. See the outdoor food market in Piazza San Cosimato. This is a great chance to watch local Trasteverians buying and bargaining with vendors. The market starts about 7:00am and closes at 2:00pm.

» Viale Marconi and Porta Portese - Viale Marconi is very good for shopping and is particulary popular with young trendy Romans. A bit out from the city centre, it can be reached by talking the Metro Line B to Marconi. It is about 15 minutes away from the Colosseum.

» Porta Portese is the famous Roman flea market which takes place every Sunday from 8:00am until about 2:00pm. Hotels nearby: Happy Holidays, Hotel Hiberia, Hotel Sole al Pantheon.

» Piazza Vittorio - food market with a mesmerizing array of fresh foods, fruits, fish and meat, run by people from all over the world. Hotels near Piazza Vittorio and Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore: Hotel Mecenate Palace, Hotel Montreal, Antico Palazzo Rospigliosi.

» Piazza Navona - Via del Governo Vecchio - Piazza Navona is a great place for art lovers, the surrounding streets contain lots of art galleries and antique shops. There is a great film and cinema shop in Via del Governo Vecchio which is definitely worth a browse particularly if you are a fan of Italian Cinema. Hotels in Piazza Navona include - Hotel Tiziano and Hotel Traiano.

» TimeOut - Shopping - Shopping in Rome is a serious business. Devotees stalk their prey rigorously, taking price, style and quality into careful consideration.