stores Archives - Revealed Rome

The Saldi Are Here. So’s Italy’s Biggest Zara Yet

January 13, 2011 No Comments

It’s that time of year again — saldi time. But for diehard shoppers, the winter also brought something else exciting: Italy’s Zara flagship store.

Not just any Zara store, this Zara, the biggest in the world outside of those in Barcelona and Athens, commands five separate levels. It’s in the Palazzo Bocconi, a gorgeous structure built smack on Via del Corso in the 1880s. And it’s (relatively) eco-friendly, using 30 percent less energy and 70 percent less water than comparably-sized stores.

All of that makes 189 Via del Corso a pretty sweet stop for any Zara lover. But, as much as my jaw dropped, just a little bit, to see a store this slick and this big in little old Rome, it also made me a little sad. Let’s be honest: There had to be some transformation that went along with putting a multinational chain in a 120-year-old palazzo. Preservationists’ tears might be mitigated by the fact that, before, the palazzo was home to La Rinascente — the department store — but still. Yet another chain isn’t exactly helping Rome’s struggling artisans.

Ah, well. If you’re going to go — to Zara or any other Rome shop (including local artisans!) — go now. The saldi end on February 15.

Explainers, Rome, Shopping, Tips & tricks

What the Heck is a Tabaccaio…and How Do You Pronounce It?

August 4, 2010 No Comments

Even with the best English-Italian dictionary, some Italian words baffle. Like tabaccaio. "Tobacco shop," sure. But what else is going on in there — and why does everyone seem to think it's so useful?

First, make sure you have the pronunciation right: "ch" is hard in Italian, so it's tah-back-ee or tah-back-aye-oh, not tab-atch-ee. (One poor tourist confessed to me the other day, "Oh no! I've been saying 'tab-atch-ee' for years of coming to Italy!")

Second, a tabaccaio is not just a tobacco shop. Yes, you can get cigarettes there — but you can get a bottle of water, gum, and likely postcards, batteries and international calling cards, too.

Most usefully, it's where you can get tickets for public transport. At the counter, just ask for "un biglietto per l'autobus" or "due/tre/etc. biglietti" (the ticket works for the bus, tram and metro); it's €1 per ticket. You'll also see Italians using the tabaccaio to pay their electric or phone bills and to "top up" their pay-as-you-go phones.

When you're looking for a tabacchaio, just scan your street for the telltale blue sign with a white T. Just remember that many tabacchi, especially outside of the tourist centers, close during lunchtime and around 6 or 7 at night.

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Events, Rome, Shopping, Tips & tricks

Rome’s Saldi Are Here, Rome’s Saldi Are Here!

July 8, 2010 1 Comment

For those of you in Rome who don’t live under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that the saldi — or sales — have arrived. And for those visiting, you might be wondering what all of the excitement, and the overcrowded stores, are about.

Unlike in, say, the U.S., Rome’s stores don’t have to tend small sales year-round. Instead, they have big, city-wide sales twice a year: post-Christmas, and July.

The first few days of the saldi can be crazy. The already-overworked-and-underpaid salespeople (seriously: I went into a popular shoe store the other day where there were 10 shoppers and just 1 worker, who had to get the shoes, make the sales and ring everything up by herself) are even more frantic. The line to try clothes on at Zara, always long, gets longer. The wait to get the attention of a salesgirl at Sisley, usually tough, becomes all but impossible.

But, but, but. The sales DO tend to be pretty good (often up to 50 percent off). And if you can’t bear to brave the crowds right away, don’t fear: The saldi will go on for another 5 or 6 weeks. They’ll keep cutting prices, too. Just remember that with a bunch of discerning Italians having come in before you, the good stuff will probably be gone.