Lunch with Stefania Troiani | Owner and Founder at Romeshoppinguide.com

It’s a glorious, golden autumn day in Rome, and after admiring the Renaissance gateway of Piazza del Popolo and tempting shops on a stroll along central Rome’ cobblestoned alleys I reach San Lorenzo in Lucina to have lunch at Ciampini with Stefania Troiani.

Ms Stefania Troiani is the Owner and Founder of Rome Shopping Guide.com a custom Rome tour planning company specialized in providing tailor made luxury private shopping Rome tours.

The view from our table is outstanding overlooking Rome and we’re eager to learn more about shopping in Rome with Rome Shopping Guide.com

Ciao Stefania, please tell us about yourself. Are you originally from Rome?

Buongiorno Nancy, my family is from Rome and we have been living in the Eternal City of Rome for as long as any member of the family can remember and I am very proud of that.

Rome is the largest open air museum in the world and as a local I love sharing it with visitors and friends who come from all over the world to enjoy Rome designers’ shops and boutique surrounded by Rome’s architectural masterpieces. My philosophy is to provide my guests with the finest vacation in Rome together with a personal and friendly service, and I am extremely keen on sharing the love I feel for Rome, my city and my fondness for shopping in this amazing city with you.

What makes Rome such a popular shopping destination?

Shopping in Rome is a marriage in paradise. In Rome you find the most famous and desirable designer shops all nestled in a colorful and unforgettable urban landscape made of small alleys, old patrician palaces and unique squares designed by the genius artists Italy is famous for.

In some cities you shop between districts, in Rome you shop between centuries.

Beside, Rome is not only for the glitterati who like to splash out on the latest must-have bag. On the contrary the Eternal City of Rome has plenty to offer for all tastes and wallets, from chic boutiques to small ateliers and artisan shops that you can only find by taking your time walking the ancient walks of Rome.

Actually the best of the Made in Italy with its sartorial touch can be found here and if you know who to ask you can even find the Pope’s tailor located just off the Pantheon!

How did you start your business as personal shopper in Rome?

About six years ago during one of my frequent business trips to London I decided to maximize my shopping time by hiring a personal shopper. The results were excellent because of the great value of the assistance I got and because I realized that I took a service that I used to provide to my friends when they came to visit me in Rome. I suddenly realized that this creative job could have been a great challenge for me since back in 2003 very few were aware of this service in Italy.

I exchanged these thoughts with my friends about sharing my expertise for styling and fashion together with my passion of Rome with guests and they encouraged me to “launch myself” setting up a “friendly Rome shopping guide” website and that’s how romeshoppinguide.com was born! Since then words of mouth has been my best advertising!

I am extremely happy with the decision I took because it gives me the opportunity to get in touch with people from different places and cultures. These encounters often turns into friendship and give us the possibility to exchange views on the latest fashion trends from NYC or Mumbai to Shanghai and Paris, and it’s really fascinating.

What are your most popular tours or types of shopping requests?

My clientele, both male and female, when they come to Rome for sightseeing or business, are interested in having access to the “unknown Rome”.

Actually what I enjoy the most is to take shoppers beyond the street level retail shops sharing “my Rome shopping secrets” with guests curious to experience Rome in a no tourist way.

Just to give you an example, since Italy is also famous for leather I have being asked several times by my clients to take them to leather goods shops. I do accompany them to visit skill craftsmen of which there are few left downtown Rome. These are my favorite gems. In these leather shops with annexed laboratory guests can purchase and customize their bags, suitcases, jackets, coats, shoes with the preferred kind of leather, seize, color and accessories.

This kind of shopping trip together with those that target private showrooms and local artisan laboratories are always a successful experience. I am telling you this Nancy just to say that Italy is still a country with a strong and alive artisan heritage and if you would like to have a unique made in Italy quality piece, this is the place to come to for it!

Then going back to your question, and actually a question I have also been asked often from my clients: there are not popular shopping Rome tours but similar shopping requests as for clothing and shoes of course but also from well traveled visitors looking for limited edition watches and customized jewelry, or vintage Tuscan wines and gourmet food, pottery and Italian blow glass and made in Italy home furniture, and even vintage fountain pens Italy is famous for!

But let me tell you that sometimes I also get unusual requests such as the one from two ladies who asked me to take them just to the best quality open air food market in town because they wanted to make a dinner surprise for their husbands! We had an amazing time together, they were eager to learn about Italian recipes and so during our shopping food tour I was pleased to share my family secrets with them on how to cook with those fresh ingredients. After few days I was very happy to receive a thank you letter from the ladies. This is just one of the several wonderful shopping memories I got.

Can you tell me a sample itinerary of two contrasting tours, for example, Piazza Navona and Via Veneto?

My aim and skills resides in customizing itineraries according to the client’s goals making sure that each Rome shopping tour is memorable and one of a kind.

The Piazza Navona and the Via Veneto guided shopping tours as proposed in romeshoppinguide.com are based on my experience and entice most of the guests that visit Rome for the first time. But please keep in mind that these itineraries can be tailor made, revised and eventually turn up side down even at the very last second according to my guests. When I receive a Rome shopping tour enquiry I ask for as many details as possible so that I can design a made to measure Rome shopping itinerary based on each shopper needs and maximize his/her precious time in Rome while making sure his/her shopping spree is fun and relaxing.

Back to your question, Piazza Navona and Via Veneto /Dolce Vita guided shopping Rome tours vary because of the different kind of shops you can find and the feeling you get by strolling around these shopping areas.

Shopping through the historical Piazza Navona area means going for antique shops, artisans and Italian glass shops, minimalist boutiques, wine bars and gourmet shops, breathing the ancient Roman atmosphere on every corner. In this shopping area surrounded by remarkable fountains, noble palaces and ancient ruins guests get the perfect combination of a shopping and sightseeing Rome tour since beside leading guests to the shops I love to highlight to them the surrounding treasures and masterpieces so to blend Italy art with shopping.

The Via Veneto area, well known as the Dolce Vita Street, has many exclusive leather goods, jewelers, gloves and fashion shops that I usually suggest to a sophisticated and more mature clientele, and my American guests enjoy a lot the sight of the nearby U.S. Embassy.

You also offer tours to Tuscany & Umbria as well as factory outlets and food/wine stores. What do these tours encompass?

I love offering my guests different choices of shopping and wine tours as well as promoting my country letting travelers know that Italy is not only Rome, Venice, Florence or Capri and beside the astonishing Tuscan countryside well known around the world, there is also the beautiful Umbria countryside region.

The Umbria area is extremely picturesque with a wide range of choices from visiting ancient Castles surrounded by vineyards, where to stop for a personalized wine tasting, to pottery and cashmere outlets (the best Italian ceramics and cashmere brand name factories come from this region), from stopping at the chocolate factory (the famous Bacio perugina comes from Perugia!) to visiting the gourmet shops specialized in black truffle. I mean the list of treasures to discover and things to do is endless and it is definitely worth a visit!

The Italian designer’s outlet tours are bargain hunting tours and finding quality designer goods at 30% to 70% discount on the retail price is wonderful and well worth the day trip from Rome!

Often those outlet tours could be combined with magnificent wine and genuine Italian food tastings, according to the region we visit.

Can you share some of the current fashion trends in Italy, from clothing to shoes to eyewear?

I love clothes and accessories that have style and are not related to any specific trend. In my opinion fashion trends for 2010 would be a lot more towards affordable fashions than big labels. Today’s fashion designers need to be extremely creative in order to have a competitive edge in today’s growing fashion industry.

Having said that I am saving for a beautiful suitcase that I have recently seen at the last Milan Fashion Show. I won’t tell you the brand! After all I am Italian and I am a fashion victim by default!!!

We had a great conversation and a good lunch but now and I feel the urge for a shopping walk where I will need Stefania’ skills and tips to buy a lot of Made in Italy without breaking the bank!

Next time you’re planning to visit Rome do not miss the opportunity to contact Stefania at info@romeshoppinguide.com to shop in Rome as the Romans do!

Would you like to share your Italy travel tips or pictures with us? Please write us your comment and we will be happy to post it! Buon Viaggio!

Ciao from Rome:-)

Nancy Aiello

ItalyTravelista.com

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Since 1997 Nancy Aiello Tours, based in Rome, specializes in Tailor-Made Private Guided Vatican, Rome & Italy Tours for Leisure & Business Travelers.

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When in Rome shop as the Romans do | Enjoy shopping in Rome