Practical information : Treat yourself (& others) Naples
Timetable
While supermarkets and international brand stores remain open non-stop from 9am to 8pm, small shops take a break from 12:30-1pm to 3:30-4pm or even 5pm. They are generally open from Monday to Saturday. The big brand names are also open on Sundays, so you're sure to enjoy a Sunday shopping spree along via Toledo!
Budget & Tips
Near Caserta, 30 minutes from Naples, McArthurGlen's La Reggia outlet village brings together some 130 international brands. All the big names are present: Converse, Brooks Brothers, Patrizia Pepe, Hugo Boss, Roberto Cavalli, Guess and more. All items are 70% off. There's everything you need for a day's shopping, including food and beverage outlets. The outlet is easily accessible by car or by shuttle bus from downtown (piazza Municipio). See website: mcarthurglen.com.
Sales
In Italy, the winter sales start at the beginning of January, at the end of the winter vacations, on the Monday following or the last weekend of the vacations. The sales then run until the end of February/beginning of March. In summer, sales start at the beginning of July and end in mid-August. In recent years, Italy has adopted Black Friday, a shopping event that originated in the United States and takes place on the Friday following Thanksgiving, in November. Many businesses offer competitive prices that are not limited to Friday, but often extend over several days.
What's very local
Shopping at the markets. There's the Porta Nolana market in the Mercato district, and above all the Pignasecca market, near via Toledo, which is primarily a food market, but also features stalls selling textiles and household linen, kitchenware and more. Here, Neapolitans buy fruit and vegetables, fish, cheese and bread at prices that are generally lower than those charged in supermarkets. What's more, local origin is - more often than not - guaranteed.
Tourist traps
Even if Naples remains less touristy than Venice or Florence, T-shirts bearing the city's effigy, snow globes and magnets made in China are a common sight on store shelves. If it's tempting to bring back a gadget from your vacation, opt for the local and authentic to encourage the local economy.