"Bridal gowns and boutique wares For a city as small as Genoa , there are endless numbers of beautiful bridal boutiques (so if you are on the hunt for a wedding gown, make sure to browse the storefronts in the ancient part of town). But Sidoti, with a few wedding dresses, mainly sells boutique women's clothing in a stunning setting - just a few meters away from the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Browse for high fashion handbags, colorful women's hats, and other stunning pieces to add to your ever-changing Italian wardrobe."

"Shop for Genovese food (and handmade art) in one place This lovely boutique, placed on the ground floor of one of the historic Palazzo di Strada Nuova, sells traditional artisan Genovese food products alongside gorgeous handmade pottery, textiles, and papers. Enjoy the knitted scarves, grab a jar of Salsa di Noci (the Genovese pasta sauce made with walnuts) to go with your corzetti pasta, and snag a bottle of local wine to enjoy with the rest of your meal."

"Beautiful art in a beautiful setting Set down a small alley just a few meters from Piazza San Lorenzo, the art gallery Il Vicolo is a lovely spot to browse, and purchase, contemporary art in the ancient city. One of the oldest galleries in town, Il Vicolo routinely changes their artistic focus - thus one can come back often for pieces and exhibits from new, well-followed, and even young emerging artists."

"Handmade ceramics and printed fabrics Half boutique, half workshop, the women who run L'aria del mare are truly artists themselves. Working to keep the handmade traditions of woodblock fabric stamping and hand-thrown ceramics alive, they sell gorgeous examples of both arts. Of special note are the small creche figurines made from the left-over clay - a traditional craft that has been created in the rural areas surrounding Genoa for nearly 1000 years. Come to shop, or to take one of their hands-on art workshops (for adults and children alike)."

"Pandolce Probably originating in Persia, Pandolce has been a Genovese staple for centuries - an homage to the incredible amount of global trading that has occurred in this ancient port city. Enjoy one of these delicious fruited cakes from Le Gramole during the Christmas season with a cup of cappuccino and the morning newspaper, and watch the city come alive through the morning sea mist."

"Boutique children's clothing If you are traveling to Genoa with children, or just need a few presents for your return home, drop by Milla in Bicicletta for stunning, organic cotton children's clothing, soft toys, and shoes. Tucked away on the ancient butcher's alley, Milla is surrounded by other fabulous boutiques (including a shop solely devoted to Tango shoes), specialty food stores, and delicious restaurants - a true destination shopping experience."

"Gorgeous women's shoes Even after chatting with the owner, I'm still slightly confused as to why this lovely women's shoe boutique/art gallery is called Plastic Passion, but like so many things in Genoa , we just go with it. Drop by this lovely little shop to pick up Italian-made suede heels, or my favorite, the kitten-heeled black t-strap beauties. And take a minute to check out the upstairs art gallery before you head out."

"Enjoy the January and February sales If you come to Genoa in late winter, you will have to deal with many cool and rainy days. BUT, you will get the privilege of shopping the amazing (i.e. 40/50% off) sales. So it's a toss-up! If you are looking for women's clothing, Lo Spaventarasseri has beautiful, artisan options in a lovely calm environment - perfect for trying clothing on after the holidays of overeating!"

"Explore the Via XX Settembre While most of the shops located under the arcades of Via XX Settembre are chains (like Zara, H&M, etc), you can find a few local boutique gems as well - and the covered area makes a perfect afternoon for shopping out of the rain! (You can also find quite a few coffee shops and focaccerias under these arches too, so it's easy to make a full afternoon here.)"