The full story
Via Mazzini is the direct, polished link between Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe, with prominent Italian fashion labels and heavy foot traffic. Corso Porta Borsari provides a more historically layered approach, passing through the Roman gate toward the old forum. Around Corso Sant'Anastasia, the streets feel narrower and the draw shifts toward antiques and smaller specialist shops. Treat these corridors as part of sightseeing rather than a fixed store list: businesses change, but the relationship between the streets and major monuments remains useful. For a picnic or specific purchase, check current shops locally instead of relying on old recommendations. Walking all three also clarifies their different rhythms: direct and polished on Via Mazzini, monumental at Porta Borsari, and more intimate near Sant'Anastasia.