Shopping

Naples is a great source for Italian designer clothes and accessories, as well as for antiques and crafts. You have to know your stuff, though, because Naples is where counterfeit goods were invented back in the 17th or 18th century. It is a good idea to stay away from fakes altogether, even if the price seems right. You risk heavy fines at customs on your way home, as most countries are cracking down on such purchases as a way to protect brand identity.

Opening hours for stores are generally Monday to Saturday from 10:30am to 1pm and from 4 to 7:30pm.

Riviera di Chiaia, Via Calabritto, Via dei Mille, Via Filangeri, Via Poerio, and Piazza dei Martiri in Chiaia are where to go for the big-name Italian fashion, such as Valentino, Versace, Prada, and, of course, Salvatore Ferragamo -- a Naples native (the latter four are on and around Piazza dei Martiri). The area is also great for exploring the many smaller boutiques and stores that mostly sell accessories and clothing.

In the vicinity are old-time local favorites, such as Marinella, Via Riviera di Chiaia 287 (tel. 081-7644214), famous for classic and colorful ties; Aldo Tramontano, Via Chiaia 149 (tel. 081-414837), for his handbags; and Mario Talarico, Vico Due Porte a Toledo 4/b (tel. 081-401979), for his umbrellas. You'll also find some of the most reputable antiques dealers, such as Regency House, Via D. Morelli 36 (tel. 081-7643640), and Navarra, Piazza dei Martiri (tel. 081-7643595), but also Maurizio Brandi, Via Domenico Morelli 9 (tel. 081-7643882).

Every third Saturday and Sunday of each month from 8am to 2pm (except in Aug), a fiera antiquaria (antiques fair; tel. 081-621951) is held in the Villa Comunale di Napoli on Viale Dohrn.

In the Vomero, the best shopping is centered on Via Scarlatti.

For more casual shopping and some specialty stores, try strolling the popular Via Toledo/Via Roma in the Quartieri Spagnoli/historical center. Here you will find the historic chocolate factory Gay-Odin, Via Toledo 214 and Via Toledo 427 (tel. 081/417-843; www.gay-odin.it). The area is also home to the elegant shops of the Galleria Umberto I, such as Ascione 1855 (tel. 081-421111) and its cameo workshop, where you can observe the delicate process of carving agate and coral, and also purchase unique jewelry.

The best place to shop for crafts is the historic district. Head for Via San Gregorio Armeno if you are looking for presepio. The most reputable workshops are Gambardella Pastori, Via San Gregorio Armeno 40 (tel. 081-5517107); Giuseppe Ferrigno, Via San Gregorio Armeno 8 (tel. 081-5523148); and Amendola, Via San Gregorio Armeno 51 (tel. 081-5514899). Via San Biagio dei Librai is lined with interesting shops selling paper goods and jewelry. Good addresses for antique prints and books are Libreria Colonnese, Via San Pietro a Majella 32 (tel. 081-459858); Dante e Descartes, Via Mezzocannone 75 (tel. 081-5516771; www.dantedescartes.it); and Libreria Internazionale Treves, Piazza Plebiscito (tel. 081-415211).

The Presepio -- Although the tradition of Nativity scenes -- called presepio in Italy -- dates back to the 13th century, the art form really reached its peak in the 18th and 19th centuries when the aristocracy competed to acquire figurines for their mangers, modeled by the famous sculptors of the time. All the great names of sculpture participated in this game, creating the terra-cotta parts of the figurines (usually the head and limbs). These were then mounted on mannequins of wire and stoppa (fiber) by craftsmen, and richly dressed with precious silk clothes embroidered with gold. Skilled sculptors, goldsmiths, tailors, and scenographers created everything from the figures to the complicated settings -- grottoes, buildings, rivers, and ponds -- combining their crafts into the first examples of multimedia art. Only the wealthier aristocrats could purchase such works of art, and all others had to make do with copies produced by Nativity craftsmen.

The presepio tradition is still alive today, and Neapolitan mangers go beyond typical Nativity representations to depict current historical and political happenings. Among the figures you'll find on sale are such recognizable characters as Princess Diana, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and even Versace. Via San Gregorio Armeno, near the Duomo, is where most of the historic workshops, along with several merchants, are located. The artisans who have carried on their crafts from father to son have organized into a guild that protects their traditions, but only a few of them have survived the times. In the shops along this street, you'll find everything from characters and rocks, to grottoes and miniature street lamps. At the back of the few authentic laboratories, you'll also find figurines carefully crafted in different sizes, from amazingly precise half-inch miniatures to life-size figures to realistic scenes. While commercial mangers come in a variety of prices, the real thing is rather expensive, and few customers can afford the real thing: A medium-size hand-painted and handcrafted terra-cotta shepherd can cost as much as 300€.