Made in Italy! Shopping : what, where, and how

Shopping in Italy Italy is a shopper's paradise! Mass-produced souvenirs can be found in almost any of the cities we will visit. The following slides will explain the “artisanal” items that you can find in the major cities.

Venice – Glassware from Murano – Delicate lace from Burano – Cartapesta (papier-mâché) Carnevale masks

Florence Products – Marbled stationery – Leather goods – Shoes – Clothing – Gold/jewelry (Ponte Vecchio )

Florence San Lorenzo Market – Inexpensive souvenirs and clothing Via Tornabuoni, Via della Vigna Nuova, and Via dei Calzaiuoli – Luxury shopping (window shopping)

Rome Clothing Antiques Religious items (rosary, saints, Papal souvenirs) Luxury items – Via dei Condotti

Shopping in the historical center Via del Corso – nice shops and central location, from Piazza Venezia to Piazza del Popolo Campo de’ Fiori – morning flea market

Naples Nativity scenes and figurines Pulcinella figurines Pastries /chocolate Coffee!

Naples / sorrento / pompeii Lemons! Coral Music boxes – inlaid wood Cameos Food – olives, oil, figs Ceramic

It is customary to greet the store clerk with a polite Buon giorno or Salve (SAL-veh) when entering a store. USEFUL SHOPPING PHRASES: Mi dica? (Can I help you?) Posso guardare? Posso dare un’occhiata (DAH-reh oon ohk-ee-AH-ta) (May I just look?) Lo/La/Li/Le posso provare? (pro-VAH-reh) Can I try it (m/f)/them (m/f) on? Cosa sta cercando? (What are you looking for?) Quanto costa/Quanto costano? (How much does it/do they cost?) Altro? (Anything else?) Nient'altro, grazie. (Nothing else, thanks.) Mi fa uno sconto se ne compro due (tre, etc)? (Will you give me a discount if I buy two (or 3) of them? [use this in the mercato only]

The following words can be used in a variety of shopping situations. Soldi (sohl-dee) [m/pl] (money) cassa (kahs-sah) [f] (the cash register) carta di credito (kahr-tah dee kreh-dee-toh) [f] (credit card) cara (kah-rah) [f]; caro (kah-roh)[ m] (expensive) grande (grahn-deh) [m/f] larga/o (lahr-gah/goh) [f/m] (big; tall; large) Documento (document of identification) Saldi (Sales!) commessa/o (kohm-mehs-sah/soh) [f/m] (sales clerk) piccola (peek-koh-lah)[ f] piccolo (peek-koh-loh) [m] (small)

MONEY! It is highly recommended to use a Debit Card rather than carrying traveler’s checks or exchanging American cash. Before you go, check with your bank to find out what they charge for foreign transactions on your ATM card. Some banks charge a per cent, others charge a flat fee, and some banks charge both. If you plan to use a lot of cash, it might be a good idea to get an ATM card with a bank that has a low foreign transaction fee. Tips for getting money in Italy with your ATM card: You will need a 4-digit PIN code and your ATM card must be linked to your checking account (not savings) Find out your current daily limit for cash withdrawals, you may need to raise it Call your bank before you leave to let them know you will be using your ATM card in Italy Most Italian banks have Bancomats where you can get cash and they usually have an option for English language There is often a 250 euro limit for withdrawals imposed by Italian banks Have a back-up card and carry it separately from your primary card If you decide to use a pre-paid debit card, remember that if you lose the card you've lost the money so consider several cards with smaller amounts on each Getting cash with an ATM card is usually better than getting it with a credit card or traveler's checks

THE EURO Coins bills Prices are written with commas i.e. €5,99