There’s certainly no shortage of things to buy in Italy. Whether you’re looking for fine leather boots, luxurious cashmere, or high-end perfumes, you’ll find them here.
Italians have a well-deserved reputation for craftsmanship. Although you’ll find the latest trends in fashion here, Italians often opt for timeless styles. The same could be said about many of the artisanal crafts. From jewel-like Murano glass beads to hand-painted ceramic tiles, many of the most sought-after souvenirs here haven’t changed much in centuries.
Of course, when it comes down to deciding what to buy in Italy, many travelers will lean towards gastronomic treasures. After dining through Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples, and Sicily, it’s hard not to want to take some of these vibrant ingredients home. High-quality cheeses, dried pastas, extra-virgin olive oils, and other pantry items make for delicious memories.
Here are just a few of the best things to buy in Italy and where to shop for them.
Wine
Wine
Given that people in this part of the world have been drinking wine since ancient Roman times, it should come as no surprise that Italy’s viticulture is still going strong. Bottles of Chianti may be sold worldwide, but there’s nothing like picking one up near its point of origin.
Small wine producers often don’t have the resources to export much. That’s why it’s worth seeking out reputable wine shops while you’re close to the source.
Italy is known for its wine, produced and sold just about everywhere, but Florence, the capital of Tuscany, has a special affinity for it. The real key to finding great wines to purchase and take home rests in finding the right person to guide you.
Fratelli Zanobini, right near the San Lorenzo market in the heart of Florence, is a family-owned shop that’s been in the business since 1944. Not only does it stock more than 2,000 labels, but the brothers who own it are also knowledgeable experts. To get the full experience—and to be sure you find the right bottles—is to arrange for a degustazioni to sample a few options.
Leather Goods
Leather goods
Italy has a long-standing reputation for producing some of the best leather jackets, bags, and shoes in the world. Part of this has to do with tradition; this nation is home to some of the biggest labels in luxury fashion, after all.
You’ll find quality leather goods across the land, but there’s no better place to shop for them than in Florence. This beautiful Italian city has a history of leather craftsmanship stretching all the way back to the Middle Ages and it’s still a point of local pride.
While there are gems to be found in the open-air Italian markets, there are also a number of knock-offs. For quality pieces that last, you’re better off going to a reputable shop such as Pierotucci, which will put on the finishing touches right before your eyes.
Limoncello
Limoncello
Should you be blessed to find yourself on the Amalfi Coast, you’ll find the perfume of fresh citrus everywhere. Lemons here grow to the size of softballs and have an utterly intoxicating fragrance. They’re also mild enough that locals will often dip thin slices in sugar and eat them raw.
While fresh fruit is an ephemeral pleasure impossible to transport home, there are plenty of ways to bring some of that sunshine-y citrus back with you. You’ll find lemon-scented soaps and infused olive oils in shops all over Salerno.
Arguably the best option, however, is a bottle of limoncello. Banish any memories of cloying, artificially flavored liqueurs. Real limoncello, made with nothing more than clear spirits, sugar, and lemons, is lovely, tart and sweet at the same time.
Coffee
Sipping coffee
North or south, Italy runs on a steady daily drip of espresso. Order un caffè and you’ll be handed a tiny, potent cup with a thin layer of crema. A spoonful of sugar is customary to counter the bitterness. For many Italians, an espresso is a quick jolt, often taken standing at the counter of the local café while catching up with other regulars.
In the morning, many opt instead for a cappuccino or an espresso macchiato—an espresso with a splash of milk and a dash of foam, not to be confused with the sugary coffee chain beverage. These are more often savored, ideally with a cornetto or other pastry as a start to the day.
If you’re looking to recreate some of the experience at home, consider picking up dark-roasted coffee beans in any major Italian city. While the professional espresso machines cost thousands of euro, few Italians have one of these in their home. Instead, pick up a simple moka pot for when you need a quick fix.
Murano Glass
Murano glass
The island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon has been renowned for its glassware since the 13th century. Craftsmen then used techniques from as far away as Syria.
These skilled artisans incorporated incredibly ornate enamel and gilded details into their glassware. You don’t actually have to go to Murano to buy glassware—you’ll find it everywhere in Venice. Scope out the shops around the Rialto Bridge, but watch out for cheap imitations.
Murano glass encompasses a number of distinct styles. Millefiori features solid colors arrayed in floral patterns set in clear glass, while filigrana features delicate vertical stripes. If you’re looking for a small souvenir, colorful beads of Murano glass fit in any carry-on.
Burano Lace
Burano lace
Another famous artisanal craft in the Venetian Lagoon is Burano lace. Historically, these dainty collars, doilies, and other accessories could take months to produce. The best Burano lace is still meticulously stitched by hand.
Much like Murano glass, Burano lace is easily purchased in Venice itself. That said, the island of Burano is easily accessible by boat and makes for a lovely afternoon trip. Stroll along the canals and admire the strikingly colorful houses before shopping for lace. It’s also easy to combine visits to Burano and Murano during a day in Venice.
Ceramics
Ceramics
Ceramics make for especially lovely gifts of souvenirs and there are plenty of places in Italy to buy them. Many different cities and regions in Italy are known for their own distinct styles of pottery. By far one of the best areas to purchase hand-painted tiles and vases is around the Amalfi Coast.
For statement dinnerware and eye-popping Riggiola tiles, take an afternoon trip from Salerno to Vietri Sul Mare, an exceedingly charming coastal village. There’s a small museum dedicated to ceramics, as well as a number of shops in the small, walkable downtown area.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil
Particularly in Southern Italy, olive oil is as much a condiment as it is a cooking medium. From raw and cooked vegetables to meats and seafood, almost every dish is finished with a drizzle. By the end of your visit, you may find yourself emulsifying a little extra olive oil into every pasta and even pouring it over vanilla ice cream with a sprinkle of sea salt.
As any Italian home cook will tell you, there are different olive oils for different purposes. Refined or pure olive oils are reserved for high-heat cooking and deep-frying. Extra-virgin oil, which is made by cold-pressing olives, is the highest grade.
Even that encompasses a wide spectrum of price points and quality levels. Ask yourself if you want a subtly fruity number to sprinkle over ripe summer peaches, or perhaps a grassy, peppery number.
One of the best places to buy extra-virgin oil is in Sicily. Some of the olive trees on this island are believed to be 2,000 years old and the rich volcanic soil is perfect for them to thrive. Shop for a high-quality finishing olive oil in the city center of Catania, which has dozens of small food shops clustered near the historic center.
Cheese
Cheese
By some counts, there are more than 2,500 traditional varieties of cheese in Italy, from stately Parmigiano-Reggiano, which ages for years, to sheep’s milk ricotta made that morning. If you’re looking to bring a wedge or a wheel home, there are plenty of places to pick one up.
Rome in particular happens to be home to some truly exceptional cheese shops. Antica Caciara in Trastevere has been around for more than a century and stocks only top-quality goods. Meanwhile in the old Jewish Ghetto, Beppe e I Suoi Formaggi, or “Beppe and His Cheeses” is no less iconic. Many of the raw-milk cheeses come from the owner’s own farm.
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
In recent years, cheap, mass-produced vinegars made with caramel coloring and sugar have tarnished balsamic’s global reputation. To the uninitiated, a few drops of the real deal are nothing short of life-changing.
Great aged balsamic vinegars are aged from 12 to 25 years—or even longer, in rare cases. They have a refined tinge of sweetness and a deep, rich flavor that enhances just about anything it touches.
Balsamic vinegar, which was invented in Modena in the Middle Ages, is one of the regional gastronomic products associated with Emilia-Romagna. Known for its fresh pastas, aged cheese, and charcuterie, this Italian region is often considered one of the best places to eat anywhere. After visiting Ravenna’s stunning, mosaic-covered basilicas, pick up a bottle of this black gold to take home.
Pasta
Orecchiette
There are currently more than 350 officially recognized shapes, which run the gamut from the familiar to the whimsical. Often, shapes are named in honor of what they’re thought to resemble.
That includes orecchiette, or little ears; farfalle, or butterflies; zucchetti, aka little pumpkins; and radiatori, considered to resemble radiators. Each region of Italy has its own unique pasta shapes, from Sardinia’s Malloreddus to Emilia-Romagna’s tortellini.
Contrary to some misconceptions, fresh pasta is not considered superior to dried. Rather, each type of pasta is thought to pair well with specific sauces. If you’re looking to take home an edible piece of Italy, you could scarcely do better than a bag or two of top-notch dried pasta.
There’s certainly no shortage of places to purchase pasta around Italy, but if you want to ensure you’re getting artisanal products, it’s worth seeking out a specialty food shop. Volpetti in Rome is a wunderkammer with everything from charcuterie to cheeses. There’s an exceptionally curated selection of dried pastas here.
Cashmere
Cashmere
Although cashmere is admittedly a splurge, as experts will tell you, it’s also an investment. Both softer and warmer than other kinds of wool, cashmere is a dream to wear. Even a simple sweater or scarf can elevate an entire outfit. If carefully hand washed and cared for properly, it also lasts for years.
The price point is very much a reflection of how the fabric is made. Only the super-soft, inner hairs of specific types of goat may be used. Because these animals thrive in harsh weather conditions in Mongolia, China, and Kashmir, herding them is hard work.
Although Italy is not known for raising these particular goats, its craftsmen and fashion houses transform the raw material into some of the most spectacular cashmere garments. Given that Tuscany has long been a favored haunt of fashionistas, it should come as no surprise that Florence is a great place to stock up on top-notch cashmere.
Perfume
Perfume
Italians take their fragrances seriously and are seldom out and about without at least a little spritz of something. Any upscale Italian department store will stock the usual perfumes by Gucci, Pucci, Armani, and other big-name Italian luxury brands.
If you’re looking for something a little bit more distinctive, however, consider a visit to Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence. In the 14th century, Dominican friars crafted herb-based medicines and fragrant ointments on this site.
By the 16th century, the place had become one of the best-known makers of perfume in the region. Even the powerful Medici family were patrons. Although the shop has changed hands over the years, their botanical-based perfumes make for lovely souvenirs.
Burano
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