6 Best Places to Shop in The Aeolian Islands, Sicily

Panarea native and stylist Giovanna Mandarano captures the vitality of the island with her women's clothing and accessories line that's known for bold prints, flowing fabrics, and lots and lots of color. Though there are now multiple locations throughout Sicily and in Rome, the original Panarea location, which opened in 2006, remains the heart of the collection. This is your go-to boutique for the effortlessly chic style that the island is known for.

French artist Elise Collet Soravito has made Alicudi her home, and in her studio, she creates chunky, colorful jewelry, pottery, and paintings inspired by the island, from lemon still-lifes to landscapes. Shopping is a very rudimentary experience (there's no storefront per se), but you can arrange a visit to see her work and pick up handcrafted souvenirs of your stay. 

Italians are passionate about footwear, and the summer island uniform requires a collection of sandals for that perfect dolce far niente look. This third-generation shoe shop specializes in bespoke hand-crafted sandals made from all-natural materials like leather and snakeskin. Choose your style (from some 20-plus designs), heel height, material, and color. They'll measure your foot, and within 30 minutes your custom sandals are ready to walk out the door. 

Born from owner Natalie Rossi's dream in 2014 to start a new life (mollo tutto means to throw it all away), this playful shop started by producing T-shirts and now has a whole line of casual nautical-theme clothing.

Artisan Barbara Calabresi hand-dyes yarns and silk with vegetable dyes from the island's flora (such as chamomile, artichokes, and pomegranates); she weaves the thread into fabric, and then designs and produces clothing and housewares (like tablecloths, bedspreads, and rugs) from the cloth. You can shop her charming boutique or sign up for a course to learn to dye (two days; €130) where you'll forage the island to find seasonal botanicals to produce your own dye, or to weave (one day; €130) on a "nomadic" loom. Both classes are suitable for beginners.

For all your caftan needs—the effortlessly stylish uniform of summer—the team at Tacchi Dadi e Datteri has you covered. Breezy linen dresses form the heart of their offerings, but you'll also find breathable button-downs, men's seersucker swim trunks, and colorful alpargatas that are Sicily's chic answer to Tom's. They have a second location on Filicudi, just off the port.