Shopping

A number of boutiques makes Great Barrington [1] a great place to while away a few hours of shopping. Wistful Italian linens, robes, and hand towels are on sale at La Pace (313 Main St., 413/528-1888, www.lapaceinc.com [2], 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.).

Top-name women’s clothing as well as spangly Indian kurta-style dresses and embroidered tapestry coats perfect for Tanglewood [3] are on sale at Gatsby’s (25 Railroad St., 413/528-9455).

Rubiner’s Cheesemongers & Grocers (264 Main St., 413/528-0488, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.) is Zabar’s in the Berkshires, with imported cheeses from English cheddars to Italian gorgonzola.

Yellow House Books (252 Main St., 413/528-8227, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon–Sat; noon–5 p.m. Sun.) is a rambling farmhouse full of used and rare books, with a particularly good children’s section.

Outside of Great Barrington [1], the stretch of Route 7 down to Sheffield is known as antiques alley for its many fine antiques stores. One particularly worth a stop is The Painted Porch (102 So. Main St., Sheffield, 413/229-2700, www.paintedporch.com [4], 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily Jun.–Dec.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thu.–Mon. Jan.–May), whose owners scour the English and French countrysides for rare furniture.