I am no fashionista, but occasionally I have been known to fall for designer stuff. Handbags are a major weakness, I admit. However, to get something "hot" with bargain prices has a major appeal.
Today Daughter and I had a blast at one of the many designer outlets in Europe: Serravalle. Only an hour or so from Genoa, it can easily be reached by car or - if you are going on a weekend - a shuttle bus from Piazza Caricamento in Porto Antico will take you there too. The navetta (means shuttle in Italian, but a cowshed in Finnish) leaves at 10 am and returns back to Genoa from Serravalle at 5 PM. Customers are picked up from Genoa Principe railway station too - 5-10 minutes after it has left Porto Antico. Make sure that you travel on Saturday, Sunday or Monday if you want to use the shuttle. Only 15 euros return, it is not a bad price for a great day out!
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| Tickets can be bought on the day, at least out of the main tourist season. |
Contrary to a common belief, not all Italians are wondering around dressed in Dolce & Gabbana. They don't all have shoes by Ferragamo or everyday clothing from Versace. Lots of people do have handbags which look like Louis Vuitton, but believe me they are not (I know handbags, more of that later). All the big shots are represented at Serravalle and yes, there are bargains at the high end of fashion as well.
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| Serious discounts available. |
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| Serravalle is not about going through piles of stuff in a warehouse environment. |
However, the "middle of the road" fashion boutiques get my vote at Serravalle. There are real bargains available for anyone looking for the latest "have-to-have-jeans", sportswear, the wacky and quirky. Shoes would easily merit a blog entry of their own.
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| Fashion right now in Italy. Ladies are mostly wearing leggings and stylish tops combined with killer shoes. Jeans are acceptable, but have to be a tight fit. Accessories are everything. That is the secret to the Italian style. |
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| I am very unlikely to hit the "red carpet" any time soon, but if that opportunity ever arises, I will buy these shoes to make a lasting impression. Sadly, had to leave them on the window. |
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| See above. |
Serravalle is not just about clothes either. There are very good shops for all sorts of stuff for home - all in all, numerous shops, all within easy walking distance in a village environment. I have visited some outlets/factory shops in the US and this is a very different experience: it is designed for people to enjoy, there is no feeling of entering a cheap factory warehouse, where you go through piles of things in no particular order, trying to find you size. Serravalle is not about being cheap and cheerful, it is about shopping good quality stuff with reasonable prices and serious discounts. You may not always find your size.
Word of warning: Plan your day. Plan when are you going to have lunch, as all the restaurants get incredibly full with long, long queues from 1 PM to 2.30 PM. Catch the wave and be there earlier or later than that. We ended up walking around a long time, trying to get lunch. Eventually, there was a lull and we were able to have something to eat. There are only one or two places at Serravalle offering table service, but mostly it is easy "serve yourself and pay at the till" food, which is totally appropriate for Serravalle.
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