It makes no difference how wealthy or worldly you are, or how many times you have visited New York City to shop. Every trip is a new adventure in designer labels, luxurious accoutrement’s and the best of the best. If you have never been shopping in New York City, make a point of putting it on your ‘life list’ today. It is an experience that you will not soon forget. If you want to take full advantage of the shops and designers that are at your beck and call in the Big Apple, you will want to read the rest of this article. Just make sure you take plenty of plastic with you – sticker shock is a given but for those of us looking for the ultimate in brand name and quality, it is always well worth the price tag. For an ideal strategy map to guide your shopping trip, I recommend shopping in the golden triangle of designer shops – Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue and 57th Street. Lucky for you, all of these locations are close to one another. As a matter of fact, if you start your shopping expedition at the corner of 5ue and keep walking up 57th, you will cross Lexington, Park Avenue, Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue – in that order.

Fifth Avenue
Running right through the heart of Manhattan, and along the east side of Central Park, Fifth Avenue is lined with expensive park-view real estate and historical mansions and is a definitive status symbol for the wealthy. Fifth Avenue is one of the most expensive streets in the world; comparable with Tokyo, London and Paris. Between 34th Street and 59th Street is the some of the best shopping in the world. Whether you are looking for designer threads, a trendy handbag or luxury jewels, some of the notables on Fifth Avenue include Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Bergdorf’s, Bendel’s, Saks and FAO Schwarz.

Madison Avenue
Madison Avenue is deep in the heart of Manhattan and the lifeblood of the city. The Avenue runs from Madison Square to the Madison Avenue Bridge. In the enclave between 57th and 85th Streets is what is called ‘Fashionable Road’ for the plethora of high end shops. This decisively haute couture area offers a whopping 15 blocks of designer glory including Georgio Armani, Prada, Hermes, Chanel, Calvin Klein and Jean Paul Gauthier. Other notable stores include Ralph Lauren Polo and Barney’s.

57th Street
Just two blocks south of spectacular Central park, and running east-west in Manhattan is 57th Street. Aside from many upscale eating establishments and trendy bars, some of the best shopping in NYC can be found on 57th Street. Traditional to trendy, contemporary to edgy – anything you want can be found on 57th Street. Some of the stores include Chanel, Buccellati, Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Victoria Secret.

Shopping in Italy can be an experience that is diverse and interesting as you want to make it. There are the ultra-rich shops, boutiques and arcades of Milan, the old world sentimentality of Rome or Sicily, the majestic art galleries and museums of Florence or the countrified simplicity of towns like Deruta. What you want to see or purchase is up to you.

Like any country, Italy has its own cities and sections of cities that allow for upscale shopping. Some sections of cities offer Italian pottery, while other areas offer antiques that make American antiques seem young by comparison. Still other cities offer art districts. Cities like Florence and Milan, long cultural icons, offer both art and high fashion.

In Rome, there is a thriving antique industry, with airy shops offering frescos, prints and other pieces of antique art along with furniture and equipment that have spanned centuries. In Milan, Florence and Venice, there are shopping districts that boast some of the best Italian, American and European clothiers and apparel shops. Naples and Perugia are known for their collegiate atmosphere as well as some of the best shopping experiences available in the country.

If you can only visit a few destinations, Perugia is a great bet. This cosmopolitan city is home for two universities and it hosts a world famous jazz festival in the summer. It is a walled city on a hilltop with great views and a very interesting and upscale central square.