Milan is a temple to high fashion, home of Armani and Versace, and naturally sure to delight the high priests and priestesses of style. The so-called Quadrilateral (Quadrilatero della Moda) of fashion, formed by Via Montenapoleone (‘Montenapo'), Via Sant'Andrea, Via Monzani and Via della Spiga north of the cathedral, is top of the list. Names such as Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Exté, Ferragamo, Gucci, Missoni, Prada, Trussardi, Valentino, Versace and Vuitton read like a veritable ABC of Italian chic.

Those lacking the supreme self-confidence to enter such hallowed ground as Versace's four floors of couture (on Via Montenapoleone 2) should stick to window-shopping paradise on Via della Spiga, where traffic is banned. L'Armadio de Laura, Via Voghera 25, has some fine offbeat thrift and end-of-season returns.

For the top names in furniture and design, streets to the north (close to the Quadrilateral in Corso Matteoti, Via Durini and Via Manzoni) are best, although pricey. Alternatively, a good bet is the district around the Brera - once the haunt of artists who have now been priced out by the exclusive boutiques and art galleries. The pedestrian Via Fiori Chiari is a particularly pleasant spot for browsing galleries, with a number of good cafes along the way. Antique fairs are popular at the weekends around the Naviglio Grande.

Outside the historic centre, fashion outlets are able to move into even bigger premises: Corso Buenos Aires (north), Corso Vercelli (west) and Corso XXII Marzo (east) are runners up for fashion shopping. Clothes, hats, luggage, shoes, accessories and sports fashions are generally high quality and good value in Milan, although not cheap. Stockhouse, Via Montegani 7, is a good discount store; others are listed on the Corriere della Sera's website (www.corriere.it), where the shopping pages (Il mondo degli outlet) detail outlets and bargains (spacci e occasioni).

For those who prefer the bustle of street markets, Viale Papiniano (metro San Agostino) is open all day Saturday, while Via Zivetti (metro Centrale FS) is open on Wednesday mornings. The flea market, Fiera di Senigallia, takes place along the Darsena basin on Saturdays between 0830 and 1700.

Most shops open 0930-1300 and 1530-1930, although the bigger stores stay open all day. Most shops close on Sunday and reopen on Monday afternoon, except food stores, which reopen on Monday morning but close again for the afternoon. However, many shops open daily during the Christmas season and major bookshops are open until 2300. Many shops close for most of August.

Sales tax varies between 4 and 20%. Non-EU citizens can reclaim VAT on their larger purchases and in duty free shops.