Shopping
Shops are usually open Monday through Saturday between 09.00 to 13.00 & 16.00 to 19.30. Many stores (except food shops and bakeries) are closed on Sundays and Monday mornings.


Some helpful advice
when shopping
- Greet the shop owner or assistant when entering and leaving a shop. The standard greeting is ‘Buongiorno’ or ‘Buonasera’ according to time of day.

- Barganing is sometimes acceptable in outdoor markets.

- Always check your change, ‘mistakes’ are often made, especially with foreign customers. The added excuse of the new currency makes these ‘mistakes’ more justifiable!

- Don’t expect to be able to use your credit card everywhere. Many shops, even large chain stores or supermarkets, accept debit cards (called ‘Bancomat’), but not credit cards. Many smaller shops do not accept them either, and often refuse to even to accept a cheque...cash only!

- Be aware of pick-pockets in all crowded areas.
Groceries and Supermarkets
The major supermarket chains in Italy are GS Supermercati, PAM Supermercati, Sidis, Coop, Eurospin, Sir, Todis, Auchan, Esselunga and Euromercato.  They are located throughout the region and the opening hours are usually between 8.30 and 20:30. In the summer, the supermarkets are usually opened half an hour longer.

MAIN SHOPPING AREAS
COMO
Como’s most famous and frequented shopping street is Via Vittorio Emanuele III, named after the former King of Italy. Here you find exclusive clothes and accessories shops catering for all ages and sexes. Being the capitol of silk in Italy, there are also a number of silk boutiques and elegant show-rooms. In the area between Via Bernardino Luini and Via Diaz there are various shops which specialize in furnishing materials and interior design. The same streets also houses various antique shops with paintings, carpets, glassware and chinaware.

MONZA
The main shopping area in Monza is situated around three main streets, which are Via Vittorio Emanuele, Via Carlo Alberto and Via Italia. Here, you can find stores selling most of famous national and international brands within clothing and accessories. In Via Italia there is also a smaller shopping centre like Rinascente. Other centres like Coin, Upim and Oviesse” can be found in the centre of the city. In Via Bergamo, an open antique market is held every 2nd Sundays of the month. There is also an open-air market held twice a week in the very center of Monza. Also note that approximately 20 minutes away from the city in the area of Carugate there are Ikea, Auchan and Carrefour situated one next to the other.

VARESE
The main shopping area in Varese is Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Here you can find various kinds of clothing and accessory shops. In the centre of Varese, Piazza Repubblica, you can also find Le Corti, a 4 floor shopping centre. Another area is in Matteotti in the historic centre of Varese. Three times a week (Monday, Thursday and Saturday) a very big market is held in Piazza Trieste where people can buy all kind of goods, from clothing to shoes, from pets to flowers, from vegetables and fruits to salami and cheese.

MILAN
Milan has become synonymous to the world with “trend and class”. The glittering streets of Via della Spiga, Monte-Napoleone, S. Andrea and Bigli are probably the best places in the world to go (window) shopping. Renowned designers of clothes and accessories such as shoes, bags, hats, jewellery, beauty products and perfumes display their designs in these streets. In the outer area of the city, including Corso Buenos Aires, Via Paolo Sarpi, Corso Vercelli and Corso di Porta Romana, you can find other big names at slightly lower prices.