Love Shopping? Come To Padova

I am a self-confessed shopaholic. I've managed to reign it in on my year abroad, as I'm not working, so I can't treat myself as much as I'd like. Still, whilst I'm in Padova, even if it's just window shopping, I love strolling up and down, like the locals, and browsing the new clothes, shoes and accessories that Padova's stores have to offer.

Here's the low-down on the stores, where to buy what, and how to budget!

Clothing?

Pull & Bear

I love Pull & Bear! It's the sort of clothing I usually shop for, and wear, when I'm back home in the UK. Their clothing is always bang-on-trend, and their store gets updated more or less once a week, so you'll always find new stuff in stock - especially good if you want to keep up with current season clothing, shoes and accessories. Tops and shirts range from around the 5€ mark, to around 20€ maximum (maybe a little more if you go for detailed, or high-quality clothing). You can even find jackets and coats for under 40€, so all in all, it's a really good destination for those who like to shop on a budget, like students!

Stradivarius

This store is a stone's throw away from Pull & Bear, and quite similar in style (they're both Spanish companies so they follow that kind of style). However, Stradivarius has a bit more of a Mediterranean influence on its clothing, so there's a lot more splashes of colour and detail on everything. It's just womenswear, so if you're a guy, you'll have to look elsewhere. Stradavarius is super handy for when Pull & Bear's stock just isn't cutting it for you, or doesn't have the stock you want. Plus, it's only a few doors down from P&B so you don't have to trek to get to it!

Sisley

Sisley's a bit more on the costly side, but there clothing is unique and different to what's in other stores/the fashion world. It's an Italian brand, and has lots of avant-garde style clothing for young people. If you're looking for signature tops and jeans, Sisley is the stop for you. It's along Via Roma, like Stradavarius and Pull & Bear - it's Padova's road for high-street stores.

Kiabi

Kiabi is like Italy's equivalent of Primark and New Look. It's the ideal store for everyone, with clothes for women, men and children. They're usually huge stores, and Padova's is the same. It's a little far out, and heading towards the motorway, but is easily accessible by bus, on Via Venezia.

Zara

There's both a Zara Woman and a Zara Man store in the town centre, opposite the famous Caffè Pedrocchi, and near to restaurants, bars and cafés, so you'll have no problem stopping off for a coffee break, if the shopping gets a bit too much for you. Zara can be quite pricey at times, however, if you prefer high quality, without designer clothing prices, it's the best bet for you.

H&M

Opposite Zara, Padova has a large H&M, with childrenswear, menswear, Divided (clothing for young people) and womenswear. H&M stocks cheap, yet good quality clothing, and the store is updated more than once a week!

Mango

Two doors down from H&M, there's a Mango, which is quite similar to Zara in terms of style, and the prices aren't too bad. It's easy to hop from KIKO and Zara to H&M and Mango, as they're all located within a close proximity to one another, and there's a café next door, should you wish to relax a little.

Violeta by Mango

This is Mango's plus-size clothing, and there's a store located just down the road from KIKO. Violeta stocks up to size 24, so if you find it difficult to buy bigger-sized clothing, this is a good stop (especially since in Italy, most of the clothing is made for the smaller-sized person) and the price are around the 40€ mark, and less.

Tally Weijl & Tezenis

Both these shops stock womens' clothing, and are focused on trendy, low-cost fashion. If you're into fast-fashion, shop at these stores - clothes are mainly plain/basic styles, though, and if you're looking for high quality, it's better to try bigger stores like Mango and Zara.

Other stores?

Unlike other countries, where chains dominate the high-street, Padova has lots of independent stores, so you'll find locally-owned stores all over town, however, clothing often costs over 100€ (for items like tops, not even outerwear, bags or accessories). There's also a Desigual, Carpisa, and other popular brands in Italy, around Padova. If you take a stroll around the centre, you'll be sure to find these shops.

Sportswear?

Foot Locker

If you're into Nike and Adidas, amongst other luxury sportswear clothing/shoes, on Via Altinate/next to La Rinascente, there's a Foot Locker, stocking the latest additions to sportswear on the market. It's often very busy, so try and head there in the morning, or not on weekends!

Decathlon

Sadly, like IKEA and Kiabi, Decathlon is somewhat far-out from the centre. Based on Via Venezia, there's a Decathlon, with all types of sportswear, from swimwear and gym clothing, to equine-wear and footwear for specialised sports, such as football boots and hiking boots. You can pick up everything you'll need for more or less any sporting activities, as well as necessities such as towels (including beach towels), blankets and camping gear.

Footwear?

PittaRosso

Along Via Venezia, there's a PittaRosso store, which is more or less like a warehouse, and you can shop for trainers, heels, wedges and more to your heart's content. There's footwear for everyone, not just for women! Although it's far out, as I've mentioned before, you can get a bus, or if you want to do a day of shopping, you can drive, and shop at all the superstores on Via Venezia.

Clarks

For some reason, Clarks seems to be popular all over the globe, and there's of course one in Padova. It's less than a 5-minute walk from Caffè Pedrocchi/the centre of Padova, and you can pick up good quality shoes. A great stop for shoes for work/sturdy footwear.

Make Up/Beauty/Toiletries?

OVS

Mentioned below (as it's more of a department store), OVS has its own toiletries and skin care products, so you can stop here if you're in need of bath products and other little things!

KIKO Milano

KIKO, which is an Italian make-up brand, has now gone more or less global, with stores popping up all over Europe and stores being launched in the US. If you want to buy make-up which is good quality, but not too pricey, KIKO is the perfect destination. Lipsticks start from as little as around 2-3€, nail varnishes cost the same, and face make-up/equipment aren't at all pricey - you can pick up everything you need from cleanser and toner, to nail scissors and tweezers at a lower price. KIKO is next to Caffè Pedrocchi, so if you're in the centre of town, it's easy to pop in.

Yves Rocher

This French cosmetics brand has its own store in Padova, around the corner from KIKO. If you like treating yourself every once in a while, Yves Rocher focuses on botanical beauty care and so uses natural products, instead of perfumes and synthetic products, like some other brands. If you're more into bio and organic products, shop here for skin care, make-up and more.

Lush

For the bath lovers out there. If you're into your bath bombs and large soaps, or you just like mulling about the store to take in the fruity smells, you'll be happy to hear that Padova has a Lush store so you can grab a soap bar that smells of the sea, or bath bombs that are multi-colour and glittery!

Sephora

For those of you who prefer more luxurious make-up brands, Sephora is a good stop. There's everything; not just make-up, but also perfumes, skin care and other products for the body, with brands such as Benefit and Revlon (make-up) and St Tropez and Korres (skin care and bathing products). Sephora even has its own products, such as mini-perfumes and -soaps, which is great if you're going travelling. Located just around the corner from Via Cavour, it's near to cafés and shops (it's just out of the centre of town).

Tigotà

This store doesn't only stock skin care, but it also stocks houseware products, so if you need to pick up suncare products, whilst you're stocking up on items like kitchen roll and bleach, then head over to the store, which is located right in the centre of town (Piazza dei Signori).

Random shops?

Piazza Erbe, where you'll find Tiger.

Source

Tiger

Padova has a Tiger store at the station as well as another store on Piazza Erbe, where you can buy items for the home (that you don't need), stationery (that you probably will need, and have forgotten since you arrived as a student), crafty items, food supplies, party supplies (always needed in case you host pre-drinks at yours! ) and other necessities that you might not have thought about (headphones, earphones, tech gadgets, hangers for clothing, etc. ).

1 Euro Store

Around the corner from Piazza dei Signori, located near to Ham Holy Burger, there's a '1€' store, where you can pick up necessities for the home (like cling film, foil and kitchen/toilet roll), other necessary items, like lighters and such, and other completely random items like inflatable crowns, themed candles and bubble kits. Funnily enough, the majority of these items cost more than 1€, but it's the cheapest place to buy them (everything is under 5€).

Homeware?

IKEA

It's not the easiest to get to, but there's a bus which goes directly to IKEA in Padova. You can pick up items for the bedroom (bedding, duvets, pillows, cushions and even teddy bears! ), bathroom (bath mats and such), kitchen (cutlery and crockery, which you'll probably need as a newbie student in Padova), living room and dining room items, as well as items for the garden, and general household items. IKEA is also remarkably cheap so you can get everything you need at a decent price.

Casalinghi Store

On Via Calvi, just off of Via Altinate, there's a Casalinghi (home store) where you can pick up other things for your house, like coffee-makers and such, if you don't fancy heading out of town to IKEA.

Luxury?

Via San Fermo. Padova has a street dedicated to luxury stores, so if you're a student with a lot of money to spend, you can go ahead and blow your cash in Dolce and Gabbana, MaxMara, Liu Jo, Pavin, La Perla and other high-end stores. There's also a sunbed place, and a lovely café called Il Padovano, where you can treat yourself to a salad, panini, pastries or just a coffee, if you wish (it's not too pricey either, you can eat there for well under 10€).

CDs, DVDs etc.?

Il 23 Dischi

This CD store is a cheap place to buy music, and super popular amongst students. Based in the centre, on Via S.Gregorio Barbarigo, you can pick up both used and new DVDs and CDs.

GABBIA

If you're into your CDs, vinyls and DVDs, this store is the best one to head to. It's on Via Dante and you can pretty much spend all day in there. Just try not to blow your entire student loan in there.

Techy Stuff?

Media World

On Via Venezia, visit this store for all your techy needs (from telephones to computer cables and more).

RCE FOTO

Head on over to Tito Livio for all your camera needs. At RCE Foto, you can pick up camera accessories, batteries, lens, polaroid equipment, and even disposable cameras!

Supermarkets?

Pam

Pam is located right in the centre of town, with H&M on one side, and Mango on the other. For your weekly grocery shop, Pam is the right place to head to.

Despar/Eurospar

These supermarkets are small/local versions of Interspar (see below) so for all your top-up shops, head to these stores! They're often open until late so you can pick up snacks, or necessities like milk and bread at night, if you need to!

Interspar

If you want to do a huge grocery shop (when you first arrive), head onto the tram, towards Interspar. It's a giant supermarket, and you can get everything you need, like your food basics and other groceries (veg, fruit, meat, fish, and more). Plus, there's a McDonalds next door, so if the food shopping gets too much, you can treat yourself to some fries and a milkshake!

LIDL

There's a huge LIDL, easier to get to by bus, rather than walking, and it's like Interspar, but much cheaper to shop at. Plus, since LIDL is big in the UK, you can pick up all the usual products you'd pick up when you're home.

Gift Buying?

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Head to Racca, where you can find sweet treats to buy for family and friends.

Gnam Gnam

On Piazza dei Signori, there's Gnam Gnam, a store which specialises in organic and tasty food. You can pick up chocolates, which are delightfully packaged, and they have special products at certain times of the year, such as multicoloured-wrapped chocolate eggs at Easter!

Racca (pictured above)

Buy sweet cakes, macarons, and even bonbons and sweets, from this cute pasticceria/gelateria near to Via Cavour. You can even treat yourself to their delicious ice cream whilst you're there.

Venchi

This renowned chocolate store/gelateria stocks lots of great chocolate bars, slabs, boxes and more. They are somewhat costly, but they're known for having the best chocolates in Italy, so why not splash the cash? Head on over to Via Roma, where there's a huge Venchi store. Just make sure not to visit in the afternoon on weekends, it gets very busy!

I Trulli

This store specialises in Puglian food (a beautiful region in Southern Italy which has a rich culture and famed gastronomy), and you can pick up all sorts of treats there, from foie gras (yes, I know, it's French, but still) to taralli (loop-shaped breadsticks that can be flavoured with all sorts from fennel to rosemary).

Piazza Erbe, across from Piazza della Frutta, where there's I Trulli, a Puglian gastronomy store.

Bookshops?

Mondadori

Mondadori is Italy's biggest publisher of books, more or less, and you can find popular books, guides (including guides to Padova and the Veneto region), dictionaries, stationery and notebooks, and there's even an English section, if you just want a book in your own language (and can't be bothered to go online). It's on Piazza Insurrezione, and you can pretty much spend all day in the store!

Ibs Libraccio

Located on Via Altinate, this bookshop has an array of novels, and there's a section downstairs where you can sit and do your work quietly, if study rooms or libraries aren't your thing! It's smaller than Feltrinelli and Mondadori, too, and the cultural centre is just down the road, or if you're feeling peckish, you can head to Coffee Box, a cool, little coffee shop, with an upstairs room for students to study and lunch in.

Feltrinelli

Off of Via San Francesco, you'll find this popular bookstore, which is huge, just like Mondadori's Padova store. You can find all the books you want in-store, from thrillers and current Bestsellers (like Me Before You and other popular titles), as well maps, guides and other travel books, or books that you'll need to study here as a student! It's a great stop for ERASMUS students.

Department Stores?

Coin

Coin is a department store which is mid-range in terms of pricing, with everything you need, from kidswear, womenswear and menswear, to items for the home, accessories and beauty. It's a good place to shop if you want to get your shopping done all in one place, and for international customers, there's a discount of 10%. The store is located on Via Altinate, near to Coffee Box, a cool café, and Padova's cultural centre (San Gaetano).

Rinascente

Rinascente can be compared to Harrods or Harvey Nichols. It's a high-end store, with some luxury brands like Comptoir des Cotonniers and Michael Kors, and they even have a Yankee Candle section, as well as a café on the top floor, where you can enjoy a nice Spritz or coffee.

OVS

OVS isn't as large as the other stores, but if you want to quickly pick up toiletries, like shower gel and body cream, or if you need some basic clothing on the cheap (think maxi dresses and plain t-shirts), this is the stop for you. It's on San Fermo, so very near to the high-end stores, however, surprisingly, the stock is very affordable (most of the toiletries are under 5 €, and clothing doesn't really cost more than 30€).

Student Stuff?

Head to Palazzo Bo, where there's a University store which sells bags, jumpers, stationery and other stuff if you want to show off that you're a Università degli Studi di Padova student (even if you're just Erasmus).

Head to Via 8 Febbraio, where, at Palazzo Bo, you'll find the University Store!

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