Best Vintage and Second-Hand Clothing Shops in Naples, Italy
Image: POP TWENTYONE
Naples Thrift, Secondhand & Vintage Clothing Stores
Naples in Southern Italy has the beauty and charm of a town that morphed, reinvented itself, and blossomed over thousands of years of history. No wonder it is one of the most favored Italian cities among visitors from abroad and the Italian peninsula, with the local airport registering about 12,5 million passengers.
Everyone knows of the city's world-famous culinary traditions, art, castles, convents, opera house, language, and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. Still, there is something else about it you might have yet to hear about.
In addition to its more known assets, this Italian coastal city boasts a wide and varied selection of vintage and second-hand stores, making it a must-visit location for all thrifting lovers visiting Italy.
Suppose you are planning a trip to the city or the many famous historical sites, beach towns, and islands surrounding it, like Pompei, Positano, or Ischia, and you would like to see what Napoli's thriving thrifting scene offers. In that case, you have come to the right place.
Here, we have a local thrifting lover's guide to the best, most unique, and carefully curated second-hand shops and vintage boutiques in Naples, ready for your next trip to the city. Buon viaggio!
Retrophilia Vintage Clothing
Via Mezzocannone, 71
Porto neighborhood
After a visit to Santa Chiara's Monumental Complex near Piazza del Gesù Nuovo and a walk through the majolica-tiled of its cloisters, head a few streets eastward to Via Mezzocannone for a vintage treat.
Via Mezzocannone is a typical uphill strada of Naples's historic center, but it is also where one can find the best selection of second-hand shops and vintage boutiques this town has to offer. No wonder that's where you can visit Retrophilia Vintage Clothing. Co-owned by Gigi Cirella and Alessandro de Gais, this vintage shop has a distinguished atmosphere that is typically Neapolitan and cosmopolitan at the same time.
With its tuff walls and majolica floor, the elegant and quirky decor, and kind staff, this is the right place to enjoy a refined and memorable shopping experience in Naples's history-infused old town.
This vintage boutique offers a carefully curated selection of sophisticated, avant-garde vintage clothing and accessories of outstanding quality and in excellent condition: flamboyant two-piece sets, classy outerwear, theatrical blouses, and dresses. The staff of Retrophilia Vintage Clothing knows everything about every piece available in the store, and they will gladly guide you to the right one for you or your loved ones.
Retrophilia Vintage Clothing might be the right place to go thrift shopping in Naples if you are not one for touristy spots when traveling abroad. There, you can enjoy a chat or a coffee with the many local patrons of all ages while you browse the store's outstanding selection for the vintage piece you are looking for, knowing you are bringing home a unique experience along with your unique vintage piece.
POP TWENTYONE vintage and second-hand
Via Mezzocannone, 81
Porto neighborhood
Via Tito Angelini, 13
Vomero neighborhood
The fact that Naples' historic center is the heart of its thrifting scene is quite convenient for visitors as chances are that's where they will be doing most of the exploring. Another thrift shop you can visit in the area after you are done seeing for yourself what the people of this port city have built and created since the 9th century BC is POP TWENTYONE.
With its bright orange walls and the best coat selection in town, this eye-catching shop is another go-to for locals looking for high-quality vintage clothing. Stopping at POP TWENTYONE is a must for people who love vintage and second-hand designer goods, as that's what this shop specializes in, carrying high-end brands like Burberry, Max Mara, Gucci, and Fendi.
Here is an extra tip for the more type A travelers. You can check out their Instagram account to get a better idea of the kind of clothes and accessories you can find at POP TWENTYONE during your trip to Naples. This Neapolitan shop's staff regularly posts their new picks on their IG page so that you can go there with a list in mind.
Let's say you are one for a vacation off the beaten path instead and have decided to visit or stay in the residential hilltop district of Vomero in the northern part of town. In that case, you can visit the other POP TWENTYONE location after enjoying the area's famous panoramic views of the city and its gulf. If you need more of their selection even after your trip, we have good news for you! They ship to Italy as well as Europe.
Oblomova
Via S. Sebastiano, 20
San Giuseppe neighborhood
The vintage, second-hand, and artisan shop Oblomova is a sight for sore eyes tucked in one of the many must-see narrow streets in the Italian city's historic center, filled with a delightful lineup of indie local businesses.
If this is your first time in the city or you love art and history, chances are you'll be in this area already. This vintage and second-hand shop is, in fact, a short walk away from the Sansevero Chapel Museum (Museo Cappella Sansevero). This museum is the location of Giuseppe Sanmartino's Veiled Christ (1753), one of the best artworks in the city and one of the most famous sculptures in the world.
Once you have your fill of Naplotian culture, art, and history at the Sansevero Chapel Museum, you can visit Oblomova in the nearby Via S. Sebastiano to enjoy a different, more minute kind of history. In this small shop with a big personality, you can find a selection of vintage clothing and accessories, pre-loved pieces, and hand-made garments and home decor like the ex-voto from the local maker Cometa and Atelier Elsillus's homemade pottery from Lübeck, Germany. If you like florals, fun prints, and colorful, whimsical vintage clothing that catches the eye and has a comfortable fit, this indie thrift shop is the right place to go thrift shopping in Naples. The fun decor, cheerful clothing, and many regulars will make for a vivacious shopping experience in one of the city's many bustling streets.
Baule Volante
Via San Biagio dei librai, 106
Pendino neighborhood
The vintage shop Baule Volante looks exactly like what its name brings to mind, meaning "flying chest" in Italian. When you walk up Via San Biagio dei libra and into this vintage store, you'll get the feeling of having suddenly left the metropolis's hustle and stepped right into the bedroom of someone equally eccentric and well-dressed. Here, the selection of vintage clothing and accessories is idiosyncratic and carefully curated, all served with a hefty amount of dolls, plushies, figurines, and assorted trinkets of all kinds.
The location of this surrealistic shop is more than just any street. Via San Biagio dei librai is a historic street located right at the heart of the city, near the famous "Spaccanapoli," the long, narrow road that splits Naples's historic center. Its name, "dei librari" means "of book shopkeepers," and this street was and still is famous in Naples and beyond for being the location of countless bookshops and a fundamental location for Neapolitan history and culture. It is also where the city's Doll Hospital is located (Ospedale delle Bambole). A place where, for generations, dolls and toys of all kinds have been restored and fixed.
Opened in 2014 by Claudia Ascione, the vintage shop Baule Volante is the perfect thrift store to browse as part of your visit to this quaint, quintessentially Neapolitan street thanks to its nostalgic atmosphere, which perfectly channels the spit of its busty, zany neighborhood.
Chiaja vintage
Via Chiaia 66
Chiaia neighborhood
The ideal destination for all vintage bag lovers who can't say no to a bit of sea breeze is Chiaja vintage. This shop specializes in vintage bags located in the quiet, residential seaside neighborhood of Chiaia.
Along with beautiful views of the Gulf of Naples and its beautiful villas, churches, and palazzi like the Palazzo Cellammare, this neighborhood also offers plenty of elegant boutiques, and Chiaja vintage fits right in with its selection of vintage handbags ranging from eccentric to timeless and everything in between.
If you are in the market for a vintage bag and are done gazing at the seaside around Castel dell'Ovo, the city's oldest castle, and the neighborhood's most famous landmark, check out Chiaja Vintage. The owner, Carmen Maresca, knows about every bag in the store and will help you choose the right one.
We all know that shopping vintage and second-hand can be a more sustainable way to buy the clothes we might want or need. Still, it can also be a more responsible way to bring home mementos from our vacations abroad by supporting local, independent businesses. In Naples, thrift shopping is not only an option that fits right in with a classic tour of the city's most famous landmarks but also a way to engage in a genuinely Neapolitan experience, as it's safe to say this city loves all things vintage. So, if you need new clothes and find yourself on the shore of the Gulf of Naples, you know where to go now.
About the Author
Roberta Fabbrocino is a journalist specialized in climate change and sustainability-related topics. Her articles have been published in several international eco-publications. Roberta also works as a content writer for sustainable companies.
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