Shopping and sales streets in Calabria

The days for shopping and sales in Calabria can be transformed into an opportunity to visit the historic centres of Calabria's main cities.

A stroll along the avenues of the festively decorated cities, from Cosenza to Reggio Calabria, makes shopping and the Calabrian sales rush a pleasant experience, to be lived without stress, alternating a stop in front of the shop windows with a taste of a Calabrian Christmas dessert or a visit to the museums in the centre.

In Reggio Calabria, the city's main street, Corso Garibaldi, is a riot of shops and elegant shop windows. An open-air shopping park, immersed in the authentic atmosphere of sales in Calabria, welcomes visitors among boutiques, large international chains and historic bakeries.

Between shopping trips, it is possible to visit the Cathedral and the Aragonese Castle, the "Cilea" Theatre with its adjoining Municipal Art Gallery and the National Archaeological Museum housing the Riace Bronze Statues, all located along the splendid promenade parallel to the Via Marina.

If you start from Cosenza, the main street for shopping is certainly Corso Mazzini. A veritable open-air shopping centre, Corso Mazzini offers a great variety of shops: from big international brands to tailor-made boutiques, as well as outlets dedicated to children.

Here, the sales rush in Calabria turns into a walk through art. The area, in fact, is a pedestrian precinct embellished by the conspicuous collection of contemporary art sculptures that make up the MAB - Bilotti Open-Air Museum, one of the first en plein air museums in southern Italy.

Corso Mazzini also offers a sampling of traditional Cosenza pastries and other typical delicacies, such as varchìglia alla monacale, a pasticciotto filled with chocolate and almonds, or the ever-present Fichi Dottati di Cosenza PDO chocolate-covered figs.

Sales shopping and big brands in Catanzaro? Find them all on Corso Mazzini and inside Mancuso Gallery. The Catanzaro inhabitants' shopping spree takes place on the city's main street, animated by afternoon and evening events in the many bars and pubs that offer food and live music, as well as a taste of typical street food, such as the morzèllo.

The sales atmosphere in Catanzaro can also be felt inside the Mancuso Gallery, which, freshly reopened, offers shoppers a cosy and sheltered space. Not to be missed is a gourmet stop at the historic Caffè Imperiale, reopened to the public after a long closure. A symbol of the city's elegance and culture since 1892, this café boasts a remarkable history and is the perfect stop between shopping trips.

Shopping and sales in the city of Lamezia Terme, in the province of Catanzaro, translates into a beautiful stroll along Corso Numistrano, in the historic centre of Nicastro. Another "lounge" for meetings, shopping and tasting, Corso Numistrano crosses the heart of the city, linking a number of unmissable places: from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul to the Cloister of San Domenico, amidst small squares and historical venues, such as the centrally located Bar Roma (1912). Packed with shops for all tastes, from big names to local manufactures, the main street hosts a number of historic venues and outdoor events throughout the year.

Shopping and sales in the Vibo Valentia area? On Corso Vittorio Emanuele III in Vibo Valentia, which at the most fashionable time of the year offers its patrons a wide variety of clothing shops and local products. The promenade crosses the lower part of the city, of more recent urban planning than the upper part, with the old town centre gathered around the city's other artery, Corso Umberto, laid out at the foot of the Norman-Swabian Castle, now home to the "Vito Capialbi" National Archaeological Museum.

In Reggio Calabria, the city's main street, Corso Garibaldi, is a riot of shops and elegant shop windows. An open-air shopping park, immersed in the authentic atmosphere of sales in Calabria, welcomes visitors among boutiques, large international chains and historic bakeries.

Between shopping trips, it is possible to visit the Cathedral and the Aragonese Castle, the "Francesco Cilea" Theatre with its adjoining Municipal Art Gallery and the National Archaeological Museum housing the Riace Bronze Statues, all located along the splendid promenade parallel to the Via Marina.