Anybody recommend nice (small) things to bring back from Italy?

[wiminny]

The holiday board is quiet now the kids are back at school. Anyway am going next week and was wondering if there's anything that you found that was lovely that we don't see here, that will fit in my bag on the way back lol! Things like soaps, creams, scarves maybe, I dunno. Tell me!

Thanks.

It’s dependent entirely on where in Italy you’ll be going.

Silk and leather goods - scarves, blouses; handbags, belts. In Florence at Mercato Nuovo I remember a stall holder using his finger nail to scratch a leather bag then smoothing the blemish perfect with his finger tip to demonstrate the quality of the leather. i too am going next week and am so looking forward to it. Enjoy the local food OP.

If you're in Florence small leather goods from artisans not the cheap leather/plastic from the tourist markets. But you do need to say where you'll be.

I’m going to Ostia Lido on the coast and will go into Rome a few of the days, the train takes 30 mins. Yes leather mmmm! There is an open air market in Ostia Wed and Sat. Looking forward to that!

I bought traditional ceramics in Rome from De Sanctis 1890 near the Pantheon. They sell small items and are fairly priced.

Roberts and/or Felce Azzurro toiletry products

Leocrema creams are lovely

Pupa cosmetics

Pocket Coffee- if you can find it. it might still be too early in the season.

Ortigia handcream or reed diffusers. I always find ceramics and olive oil.

I always like to bring olive oil back from southern Europe - the quality is just so much better.

Rome? Feast your eyes on Sermoneta glove shop in Piazza to Spagna.
In case you haven’t been before, the water from the fountains in Italy is perfectly safe to drink.

The water from the drinking water fountains that is (typically a small pedestal with a spigot)- NOT the monumental fountains like the Trevi fountain etc!

We went to Ostia early August @wiminny
Didn’t really do any shopping, but can definitely recommend the beach! Best place we found to eat was MIT Bistro.

I bought a handmade ring from a small shop in Florence, plus a lovely leather handbag.
Apart from that, I bought olive oil

If you're in Florence then you must go to the Santa Maria Novella pharmacy. Their bars of soap and pot pouri smell like Heaven.

Correction: Piazza di Spagna.
I assumed OP would understand @crackofdoom…

There’s a lovely leather shop called Pas Vu on Via del Pellegrino in Rome. A lovely lady makes not only bags but leather jewellery. So definitely small enough to fit in your luggage!

Thanks everyone, some great suggestions and I'm saving the thread for my travels! Yes I heard about the Nasoni, the water is fine for drinking I hear.. Yes my first time in the Rome region. Am dividing it up between (long) day trips to Rome from Ostia Lido (takes 30 minutes on the train), the Ostia Antica Roman site, and collapsing on a sunbed after all that! DH is happy with the compromise. I didn't want to stay in Rome as it looks mad busy with the Jubilee at the moment. Looking forward to grabbing some of your wonderful suggestions on my wanders.

Thank you again.

@TheFutureIs Wow, someone who has been to Ostia Lido! Thanks for the recommendation for MIT, will definitely try it out as we will be there for 8 nights. Had a peep and it looks great. There seems to be a lot of cafe/bars/bistros around which is great. The hotel is not 5 star but it overlooks the sea and we upgraded to a terrace room with sea view for pennies really. Most visitors stay in Rome itself I suppose. Thank you.

@wiminny This is current government advice on bringing some food back. Not sure if you were, but don’t. Packet of pasta is fine though! Lots of fakes on market stalls but leather goods are syi great. DD likes perfumiers too. They blend for you. Pop in if you see one.

I love the Murano glass and, if you can carry it, some olive oil. We were in Italy over the summer and brought home 10 bottles of olive oil and 5 bottles of balsamic vinegar. We were in our camper van and I took care of those bottles like a newborn for the next 6 weeks we were travelling 🤣🤣 Every time we make a salad I congratulate myself on my brilliant olive oil purchase 🤣

If you stop off at a supermarket you can find small cute things that are nicer than what’s available in the UK.

Stationery especially Giotto large felt tips for toddlers, school diaries, A4 divided copybooks. Now is the time.
Good quality tights and socks at excellent prices. Umbrellas, too.
Kitchen equipment (not knives obviously) like spaghetti servers, tongs, coffee pots for 2 and matching espresso cups, wine corks that hold in the bubbles, lidded pots for grated Parmesan and oil/vinegar cruet sets.

Food wise from supermarkets: Illy café in a metal canister, Rigoni di Asiago jams, interesting bottles of dried herbs, amaretti biscuits and Novi chocolate if it will travel. It’s like Dairy Milk used to be, especially the top-of-the-range milk chocolate with gold letters (panna= cream).

Edited for no dairy imports.

I bought a small piece of Italian marquetry back with me from Naples/Sorrento. It now hangs in my mums house.

Otherwise, I'm a bit boring, I collect fridge magnets! Cheap, easy to transport, and a colourful reminder of where you went.

Marvis toothpaste tubes, lots of fun flavours
Hazelnut chocolate spreads and/or pistachio cream
Chez Dede is a nice store for homeware & lifestyle bits

If you like stationery, then definitely the Vertecchi shop in Rome.

I'm going to buy myself a drum parmesan grater next time I'm in Italy. I had one for years but it broke and I've been unable to find an affordable one here in the UK.