Best Christmas Shopping in Naples

Nothing says "Naples" like jewelry. The town is virtually dripping with gold, diamonds and precious gems. Nothing says "Naples jewelry" more specifically than downtown's Cleopatra's Barge. When Marilyn Janss first opened her jewelry shop on Third Street South, the street was so quiet she would often hang a "Gone Fishing" sign on the doorknob and grab her rod and reel. Nearly 50 years later, Janss is still designing gold pieces and selling jewelry of all sorts in the small shop. She is most famous for her Naples Medallion, which depicts the Naples Pier in gold for bracelets, charms and exquisite diamond-wreathed pendants.

Marco Island, as the jumping-off point for Florida's Ten Thousand Islands, runs on boat horsepower. So it follows that the aptest souvenirs you can buy would be found at a marina. You will be surprised to discover that the ship's store at Rose Marco River Marina carries so much more than boating and fishing supplies. It is the best place in town to find boating, fishing and Florida-appropriate men's and women's wear. It starts with a line of Columbia shirts - the unofficial fishing uniform shirt of Florida. From there, you can find everything from sandals and shorts to dresses and jewelry. Oh, and by the way, you can also find fishing gear and boat supplies.

With more than 150 stores, including anchor stores, Dillard's, JCPenney and Macy's, the indoor, air-conditioned mall is a good place to shop on hot summer Naples days if you are looking for chain stores. You will find Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy, American Greetings, Bath & Body Works, Game Stop and more of the usuals, plus a tidy selection of one-of-a-kind or small local chain shops. The mall also boasts a food court plus a few chain sit-down dining restaurants. At the mall's center, a fun Kids Zone offers kiddie rides and special family events. If you sign up for Coastland's email bulletins, you get free WiFi access.

Once a tin-roofed dockage facility for the downtown Naples area, Tin City retains its rustic, salty charm and its dockage. What's changed is its reinvention into a fun shopping and dining complex. Most of the shops and eateries carry extremely casual and inexpensive wares with a nautical, beachy backbeat. The 30 or so shops occupy two ramshackle buildings and tend to be a little on the touristy side. It's a good place to find souvenirs in all price ranges. When it's time to dine, Riverwalk and Pincher's Crab Shack are favorites with water views and local seafood on the menu.

Lining the waterfront on two sides of the road (a tunnel allows you to drive or walk under the bridge instead of having to cross the busy road), it affects European style architecture. A well-traveled district for shopping and dining, its stores are of the upscale ilk selling jewelry, art, home accessories and clothing, nearly 60 businesses in all. Aqua Beachwear for women and Mondo Uomo for men are popular fashion stops. Try a Horse of a Different Color and Fabec-Young & Co. for gifts and home decor items. Five jewelry stores specialize in everything from watches and pearls to estate jewelry.

Naples' newest shopping arena, Mercato builds on the Waterside Shops model of chain stores, but with less sticker shock and more restaurants, a vibrant night scene and residential real estate. Whole Foods Market, Nordstrom Rack and Sur La Table are the largest tenants. Interspersed around indoor-outdoor restaurants and a deluxe movie theater that offers dining options, shops are of the chain variety, Pandora, Sperry Top-Sider, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers and the likes. Most of the restaurants turn into bars in the late hours. Places such as Blue Martini, Cavo Lounge, AZN and the Pub Naples keep the shopping center hopping into the wee hours.

This small gallery is packed with goodies that will inject a sweet, potent taste of Marco Island into your home decor. Gifts and souvenirs range from simple "Gone To the Beach" signs to original landscapes and painted furniture. In between, you will find children's gifts and clothing, hand-blown glass vases, distinctive artisanal jewelry, pottery and gifts in all price ranges. Handbags, beachy throw pillows, art photography, an exclusive line of Marco Island beads, lamps, candles, rag rugs - everything is one of a kind and most of it is handmade locally. Mermaids, crabs, fish, seashells and other marine motifs lend a vivid sense of place.

Norman Love equates to the most luscious chocolates, truffles and other beautiful desserts in Southwest Florida. Possibly the country â€" he and his staff of merry chocolate makers regularly win awards nationwide. Started in neighboring Fort Myers, Love (really his name) has expanded the reach of his product to fine restaurants around the state. He opened his Naples salon a few years later to the joy of local residents. His desserts are eye-candy works of art that often make use of Florida and tropical ingredients such as key lime, coconut and passion fruit. His line of products include white, milk and dark chocolate plus his signature black chocolate that features cacao from some of the most elite regions of the world, including Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Tanzania.

This mega-complex north of Naples combines residential condos, big-box stores, great dining, movie theaters and name boutiques. Its 140 stores include Dillard's department store, Target, Barnes & Noble, Apple Store, Best Buy, Yankee Candle, Boston Proper (the first storefront for the women's clothing catalog), Banana Republic and Bath & Body Works. Dining ranges from Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Moe's Southwest Grill to upscale choices such as Divieto Ristorante and Ruth's Chris Steak House. In season, January through Easter, Coconut Point hosts a weekly Farmers' Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday. The outdoor mall also provides free shuttle service around its massive breadth.

Old Naples' comeback story is one of the most successful in the annals of downtown redevelopment. Reinvented in 1996 with careful planning, Fifth Avenue South was at the heart of the renaissance. What has resulted is a fashionable street lined with sidewalk cafes, mostly one-of-a-kind shops and galleries, vital theaters, an arts center, hotels and a city park. But let's talk shopping: Mixed in with great restaurants, the shops sell art, resort wear, jewelry and fun gifts for everyone, including the pets. You will find chains such as Chico's and Tervis, but also unique shops such as Port Royal Jewelers, where you have to ring the bell to gain admission. The restaurants of Fifth Avenue South present some of the town's most divine dining options. Throughout the year, the merchants host a number of street art and other festivals.