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.