There are about 6,500 people living in the group of villages that make up Bagni di Lucca. At Daddo Calzature in La Villa I think there might be several pairs of shoes for every man, woman and child.
the entrance to the shoe shop
They sell all kinds of shoes, but seem to specialise in hiking boots. This makes sense as there is lots of excellent trekking to be done in the area. Jim bought a fine pair of boots which have served him well on his forays into the mountains. (Click here to see where he went on one of his trips). They cost him only60 euro and have given years of faithful service.
lots of hiking boots
There are 3 rooms stacked to the ceiling with shoes. I suspect there are even more in an upstairs storage area. The people working here seem to know each pair.
paked to the rafters
another room full of shoes
Stepping into the shop is like going back in time, in the nicest possible way. The oldish gentleman working there told us the shop used to be in the space under our apartment many years ago. Clearly that wasn’t big enough and they moved to their present position at 27 Via Umberto I – the main street in La Villa. The business has been going for at least 50 years and looks set to last another 50 at least.
Call in and say hello, your next pair of shoes might be waiting for you there.
Great shop. I can confirm that the several upstairs rooms are equally crammed with shoes, mostly childrens.
By: From a Tuscan Villa on August 25, 2011
at 9:48 am
It is a huge shop for a village the size of Bagni di Lucca. I think it is a great shop.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 9:58 am
A great shoe shop although not cheap you can still pick up a bargain.
By: Paul Gerrard (@2headsmarketing) on August 25, 2011
at 1:04 pm
I think their prices are pretty good.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:57 pm
I’ve never had so comfortable a pair of walking boots as the ones I bought there.
By: Heather Jarman on August 25, 2011
at 10:22 am
That’s good to hear. Jim has bought a few pairs there and our friends who are in the photo bought some too.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 10:25 am
I have been buying shoes there for 40 plus yrs, My parents toook me there when I was still in my youth and it’s always nice when I return and they know me.The older woman in the store knew my mother well.I love their boots!
By: vicogirl on August 25, 2011
at 11:00 am
The shop has certainly been around for a long time. Let’s hope it is there for another 50 years.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:48 pm
Nice photos!
By: Emad on August 25, 2011
at 11:07 am
Thank you.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:49 pm
Last year I hurt one of my feet very badly and I could not wear a normal pair of shoes. We were in Bagni di Lucca and my husband took me to Daddo to try to find something suitable. They managed to get me into some very confortable slippers which did not look too bad at all. Not the most elegant shoes I have ever worn… but very confortable. And they found them immediately amongst the hundreds of boxes they have in the shop.
I cannot remember their slogan. It goes something like “Ovunque cammina, Daddo Calzature…. (I can’t remember the exact word).
By: Mulino Dominillo on August 25, 2011
at 11:12 am
High fashion may not be their speciality, but they do well for comfort.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:52 pm
That is my kinda store…shoes, shoes, shoes.
By: Charlotte on August 25, 2011
at 11:14 am
You would be spoilt for choice here.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:53 pm
How fun, Deb! I love shopping in places that take me back in time. That, indeed, looks like a lot of shoes!
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on August 25, 2011
at 12:13 pm
It is old fashioned – in a good way.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:54 pm
I would go broke there! Wow…! I love Italian shoes. They are so beautiful!
By: thirdeyemom on August 25, 2011
at 1:45 pm
This shop would be good for you since you love to hike.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:57 pm
I must have walked around with my blinkers on last time I was in Villa (2006) – I can’t remember seeing a shoe shop there…! Next time I’ll know where to go to get a pair of good Italian-made walking shoes…
By: Sandra H on August 25, 2011
at 2:21 pm
The shop is huge! It is right at the end on La Villa, perhaps you didn’t go that far.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:58 pm
I love Italian shoes!! It looks that you can get really nice hiking shoes from there. I think I start planning my visit to your lovely village, I have never been there…
By: Minna on August 25, 2011
at 5:37 pm
You must visit lovely Bagnii di Lucca.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:58 pm
Shoes and Italy. Could there be a better combination?
By: Julie on August 25, 2011
at 5:42 pm
Not really.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:59 pm
I tell you something about that shop. Their Alpine walking shoes are the best priced ones I have ever seen. It is not a palace but there are bargains to be had that is for sure.
By: Moira Drexler on August 25, 2011
at 6:48 pm
There are plenty to choose from.
By: bagnidilucca on August 25, 2011
at 7:59 pm
Now that’s the other thing I want to visit Italy to buy apart from food, shoes!
By: Lorraine NotQuiteNigella on August 25, 2011
at 11:30 pm
There are lots to choose from in Italy.
By: bagnidilucca on August 26, 2011
at 12:56 pm
Italians do the best walking shoes. My current pair are the most comfortable shoes I think I have ever worn.
It looks like a well loved shop.
By: cityhippyfarmgirl on August 26, 2011
at 3:25 am
It is a wonderful shop. I love the fact that it has been there for 50 years.
By: bagnidilucca on August 26, 2011
at 12:56 pm
Just found your blog and I wanted you to know I love it! I’ll be reading all the way from Portland, Maine. How often do you get to Northern Italy? I have friends in Borgosesia in the Piemonte Region.
By: Eat Here. Go There. on August 26, 2011
at 3:16 pm
I am in Italy for about 6 months every year. I love Piedmont!! I have been 3 times to Torino for the Salone del Gusto and I have visited Alba, Bra and several other towns and villages in the area.
By: bagnidilucca on August 26, 2011
at 8:48 pm
Great store, I love shoe shops. Years ago in a small Cretan village we were offered a room for a night by a family. The room in question had two small pallets on stone beds and enormous sacks of shoes, mostly childrens. I think they must have been the village shoe store. Your post brought that memory right back up from where it was buried. I would be in your shoe store buying shoes for sure 🙂
By: Joanna on August 26, 2011
at 3:54 pm
I swear the people know every pair of shoes in the shop. I love it!
By: bagnidilucca on August 26, 2011
at 10:17 pm
Wow, that’s where my parents bought all my shoes every summer. Daddo was my dad’s friend. Happy to see they are still in business.
By: Anonymous on August 30, 2011
at 12:05 am
They are very much still in business. The shop seems to be busy when I go there.
By: bagnidilucca on August 30, 2011
at 5:27 am
Great shoe shop. I am son of a shoe maker and I understand very well how important shoes are for human being.
This post was very lovely and photos told additional story of Your text.
By: sartenada on August 30, 2011
at 11:47 am
It is a lovely old fashioned shop – and they have lots of shoes.
By: bagnidilucca on August 30, 2011
at 11:49 am
Hey there! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog.
Is it very hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast.
I’m thinking about making my own but I’m not sure where to begin.
Do you have any tips or suggestions? Thank you
By: 2 on February 8, 2014
at 7:08 pm