It's no wonder that visitors to Rome are usually on the lookout for designer clothes and shoes, genuine leather and the ever-popular Made in Italy brand.
Thankfully, most Italian and international fashion houses – from Dolce & Gabbana to Prada and Louis Vuitton – can be found on Rome's designer shopping strip Via dei Condotti, and along the roads around the Spanish Steps (like Via Borgognona, Frattina and Sistina).
But if your budget doesn't correspond with your love for high-end couture, then perhaps a shopping outlet is more your thing. Enter Castel Romano Designer Outlet, located about a 30-minute drive south of Rome's city center, which offers designer shopping at 30% to 70% off regular retail prices.
Castel Romano shopping — Photo courtesy of Castel Romano Designer Outlet
With over 140 shops, there's something for every shopper at Castel Romano – from sports brands like Adidas and Nike to the Italian and international fashion house names like Prada, Burberry, Valentino, Versace, Moschino and Salvatore Ferragamo.
There's beauty and wellness outlets like L'Oreal, Pupa and L'Occitane en Provence, and for the kids you'll find Burberry Kids and Guess Kids.
And it's not just all your luxury brands but high street ones, too, like Diesel, Levi's, Michael Kors and United Colors of Benetton.
For lovers of bags, there's Furla; sunglasses, Sunglass Time; Italian intimate wear, La Perla; travel goods and suitcases, Samsonite; and surf wear, Quiksilver.
And once all the shopping is done, you can use whatever's left in the wallet to enjoy a meal, coffee or snack at one of the 10 dining outlets. They've got everything from casual cafes to restaurants serving local and regional fare.
Getting to the outlet from the city center is also easy, with regular daily shuttle buses from Termini Station or Piazza del Risorgimento. A return ticket costs €15, and accompanied kids aged 10 and under travel free.
There's also a VIP package, which includes priority boarding, a 10% further discount at participating stores and a food and beverage voucher. Outlet shopping also qualifies for the Global Blue tax-free program; information is available throughout the center.
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on weekends, the outlet has extended hours for summer, trading until midnight every Sunday throughout the months of July and August. More information, including details about regular events and promotions, is available on the Castel Romano website.
The Castel Romano outlet makes for a perfect Roman day trip, and it's a true shopper's delight.
