Shopping
Shopping in Rome: Via dei Condotti, Monti and the Trastevere market
In Rome you shop between fountains and baroque churches. Here is our guide to shopping in Rome, from the luxury streets around the Spanish Steps to vintage in Monti and the Porta Portese Sunday market, with hotels in the middle of it all.
It is five o’clock and the light over the Spanish Steps is turning golden. People sit on the steps with a gelato, while shopping bags from Via dei Condotti drift past below in a stream of paper and ribbon. Shopping in Rome is as much a stroll as a spree. You wander from boutique to fountain, from church to espresso bar, and suddenly the whole day has gone.
Rome does not have Europe’s biggest department stores, but it has craftsmanship, leather goods, old family shops and some of the world’s most famous fashion streets. Here are the areas we would spend our time in, and the hotels right in the middle of them.
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How to choose the right shopping area in Rome
Luxury: Via dei Condotti and the streets around the Spanish Steps.
Chains and Italian brands: Via del Corso and Rinascente.
Antiques and art: Via del Babuino, Via Margutta and Via dei Coronari.
Vintage and young designers: Monti.
Flea market: Porta Portese in Trastevere on Sundays.
The Spanish Steps and Via dei Condotti
Via dei Condotti runs straight down from the Spanish Steps and is Rome’s best known luxury street, with the great Italian fashion houses in a row. The side streets of Via Borgognona and Via Frattina have more labels, and Via del Corso cuts across the area with more affordable shops. The Rinascente department store on Via del Tritone has a rooftop terrace overlooking the city’s rooftops.
Hassler Roma
At the top of the Spanish Steps
Hassler Roma: at the top of the Spanish Steps
The Hassler sits at the very top of the Spanish Steps, and from many rooms you look straight down the steps to Via dei Condotti. It does not get more central for luxury shopping.
The rooftop restaurant and bar have one of the most famous views in Rome.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Hassler Roma
J.K. Place Roma
A small design hotel near Via dei Condotti
J.K. Place Roma: small and elegant near Condotti
J.K. Place is a small design hotel on a side street between Via del Corso and the Tiber, a few minutes from Via dei Condotti. The rooms are personal and full of art and books.
A hotel for anyone who wants a discreet stay right in the shopping district.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at J.K. Place Roma
Hotel Vilòn
Next to Palazzo Borghese
Hotel Vilòn: hidden behind Palazzo Borghese
Hotel Vilòn is a small hotel attached to Palazzo Borghese, close to Piazza di Spagna. It is calm and intimate, even when the streets outside are busy.
A good choice if you want the luxury streets as neighbours without a big hotel around you.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Hotel Vilòn
Via del Babuino and Via Margutta: art and antiques
Via del Babuino runs from Piazza di Spagna to Piazza del Popolo and is lined with antique dealers, interiors and fashion boutiques. Parallel Via Margutta is the artists’ street, with galleries and studios in old courtyards. Further south, near Piazza Navona, Via dei Coronari is known for its antiques.
Hotel de Russie
A garden by Piazza del Popolo
Hotel de Russie: the garden by Piazza del Popolo
Hotel de Russie stands on Via del Babuino, next to Piazza del Popolo, with a secret garden climbing up towards Villa Borghese. Via Margutta and Via del Corso are right outside.
The garden is one of the loveliest spots in Rome for an aperitivo after a long day on foot.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Hotel de Russie
Hotel Eden
Between Via Veneto and Villa Borghese
Hotel Eden: Rome from the rooftop
Hotel Eden sits between Via Veneto and Villa Borghese, a short walk from the Spanish Steps. Its rooftop terrace looks out over the whole of the old city.
For anyone who wants a classic luxury hotel slightly away from the crowds, but still within walking distance of the shops.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Hotel Eden
Monti: vintage and young designers
Monti, between the Colosseum and Termini, is Rome’s most relaxed shopping district. Via del Boschetto and Via Urbana have young designers, vintage, jewellery and ceramics, and at weekends there is a market for local designers in the neighbourhood. Afterwards, sit down with a glass of wine on the piazza by the fountain.
Porta Portese and Trastevere
Porta Portese is Rome’s big flea market, held on Sunday mornings in Trastevere. You will find everything from vintage clothes and old cameras to kitchenware. Arrive early, watch your valuables and finish with lunch in the narrow streets of Trastevere.
Tax free shopping and sales in Rome
Visitors who live outside the EU, including UK residents, can reclaim VAT when they spend over a minimum amount in the same shop. Ask for a tax free form and validate it at the airport before check-in.
The Italian sales, saldi, start in January and July. Many small shops close for a long lunch, and some stay shut on Sundays or Monday mornings.
When should you book your hotel?
Spring and autumn: the best months for walking, and hotels fill up.
Easter and major religious holidays: book early.
Flexible rates: choose a cancellable room if you are planning far ahead.
Frequently asked questions about shopping in Rome
Where is the best shopping in Rome?
Via dei Condotti and the streets around the Spanish Steps are best for luxury, Via del Corso for chains and Italian brands, Monti for vintage and young designers, and Via del Babuino and Via Margutta for art and antiques.
What is the most famous shopping street in Rome?
Via dei Condotti, which runs from the Spanish Steps, is Rome’s most famous shopping street. The great Italian and international fashion houses stand side by side along it.
When is the Porta Portese market?
Porta Portese is held on Sunday mornings in Trastevere. Arrive early for the best choice and the smallest crowds, and keep a close eye on your valuables.
Can UK visitors shop tax free in Rome?
Yes. UK residents live outside the EU and can reclaim VAT when they spend over a minimum amount in the same shop on the same day. Ask for the form in store and validate it before check-in at the airport.
Where should I stay for shopping in Rome?
Stay around the Spanish Steps. The Hassler is at the top of the steps, J.K. Place and Hotel Vilòn are a few minutes from Via dei Condotti, and Hotel de Russie is on Via del Babuino by Piazza del Popolo.