If you’re overwhelmed by Milan’s shopping options, head to 10 Corso Como, a lifestyle boutique edited by local fashion diva Carla Sozzani. Ms. Sozzani, whose sister Franca was the editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue, has already chosen the best of the best, so all you have to do is browse the racks.

This Capri classic has fabulous linen products for women, men and kids, as well as some items for the home.

Local cobblers make the gorgeous moccasins that are sold in this small shop. They come in a rainbow of colors and include jeweled options.

For adorable children’s clothing, Age d’Or offers quality items from everyday wear to special occasion pieces to heavy duty outdoor items like puffer coats and fleece jackets. Recommended by an Indagare insider.

You’ll find a quirky mix of youthful fashion and accessories at Agua del Carmen, a large one-room boutique that looks a bit like a Dalí painting.

Tucked in a corner of one of the busier squares in Venice, Alberto Valese has one of the top paper shops in the city. The owner has been using an ancient Persian technique of marbleizing papers for decades and sells some of the prettiest handmade paper goods.

Difficult to believe that this master jeweler is self-taught but he is. His pieces have a unique contemporary look, but reference Renaissance sculpture and craftsmanship. At his atelier and showroom in the San Niccolo neighborbood (Oltrarno), Dari also teaches workshops for up to six students.

This shoe store near the Ara Pacis sells an incredible selection of suede and leather shoes and boots in many colors and styles.

Venice is full of glass, but after discovering Bruno Amadi’s beautiful flame-worked glass miniatures, nothing else will compare. Consulting National Geographic Magazine to create the most lifelike creatures, Amadi presides over a zoological garden of exquisitely decorative plants, fish, birds and frogs in his tiny glass atelier.

The exquisite writing papers from this boutique come from a 15^th century paper mill which has been making its products in the same tradition for 500 years. You can buy beautiful cards, albums and notebooks or order invitations or business cards. Writers, artists and anyone who appreciates artisanal products will love this beautifully made paper.

This outpost of Florentine designer Angela Caputi showcases the bold jewelry that appears on models at many fashion shows. Using resins and organic materials, Caputi creates statement pieces that are inspired by nature and have an Italian flair.

Indagare Insider and stylish hotelier Grace Leo-Andrieu recommends this boutique, which opened in 1988, saying: “This is “one of my favorite jewelry boutiques. Don’t miss it!”

This American expat, who married into a noble Italian family, has set up shop alongside her sister-in-law Gaia Franchetti’s eclectic housewares shop, Indoroman, to sell the beautiful Petrasarda ceramics line from Sardinia. The thick plates, mugs and bowls in earthy colors can be shipped anywhere and make wonderful wedding presents.

Venice’s oldest paper shop occupies a small piazza between the Campo Gritti and Campo San Maurizio. Through one set of windows you can view a workroom with stacks of papers and art in progress just as it may have looked when the company was founded in 1900. Next door, in the showroom are shelves of hand-printed sheets of paper and desk accessories and books. Signs warn that anything you touch you own, so this is more for the serious shopper than the browser, but it does feel more authentic than the Il Papiro shops around town, as though the ink has just dried on the goods.

This historic bookstore—first opened in 1909, inside an ornate, 19th century former ecclesiastic dress shop—sells rare and antique works, including first editions devoted to religion, science, art, medicine, history and more. Plus, the wooden and glass cases hold a selection of antique scientific objects and artwork.

Antique-lovers can find everything from 16th century furniture and ceramics to 19th century screens and silver in store.

This fourth-generation family-run antique bookstore in Florence is a paradise for both book and print lovers'.

Founded by chic Milanese shopper Antonia Giacinti more than a decade ago, Antonia has morphed from a multi-label fashion mecca into a mini-empire with outposts now devoted to accessories and men’s clothing. Everything is chosen by Antonia’s impeccable eye and love of style.

When Indagare founder Melissa Biggs Bradley discovered Venetian jeweler Antonia Miletto, she fell so in love with Miletto’s special creations—link bracelets of ebony wood and gold; coral carved and diamond encrusted fish; alligator cufflinks—that she invited Miletto to display her treasures at Indagare souks. “Her pieces are fashionable and truly original,” says Bradley. “Very special finds that are all made in Venice.”

On an island of talented craftsmen and artisans, one of the most renowned is potter Antonio Farci. Based in the south near Cagliari, Farci creates whimsical handmade vases, bowls and sculptures in the shape of animals reminiscent of Picasso’s ceramic pieces.

This creative shop and showroom sells a unique variety of handmade jewelry pieces and cool wire animal sculptures. The bracelets, rings and necklaces are fashioned out of bronze, stone or wire for a contemporary look, exhibiting traditional craftsmanship. The animal sculptures, which exhibit Massarutto’s creative vision, are often constructed from a wide range of recycled materials.