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Earlier this year, I went to Italy for the first time for work. It was a great trip! But it was bittersweet, too. My mother loves Italian culture, and she couldn’t come with me. (Sorry, mom!)
I think many of us share this feeling. You pack your bags and hit the road, excited for your next adventure. But you know you’re going to travel and experience something that you aren’t sharing with loved ones back home. And that’s the beauty of souvenirs! It’s your opportunity to give the gift of travel, even if you’re not travelling together.
While you can browse stalls and souvenir shops, it helps to have some expert advice to make sure you’re buying the perfect souvenir from the right places. That’s why I reached out to Collette’s incredible product design team in Italy to get the inside scoop.
And now I want to share that gift with you. Here is some advice on the perfect gifts to bring back home from Italy, according to Collette’s in-destination experts.
Souvenirs from Venice
Venice’s canals and iconic gondolas lend to some standard tourist fare, like magnets, postcards and t-shirts. But there are definitely more unique gifts to be found in the Floating City, our tour designers said.
Murano Glass
The island of Murano is well-known for its long history of glass making. The quality, craftsmanship, and uniqueness make this a world-renowned art. What’s also fascinating is the means of production: Skilled artisans are making Murano glass by hand in the same way as craftspeople did during the Renaissance.
Collette Product Design Specialist Elena Delzanno recommends glass jewellery, vases, and chandeliers for gifts. (Fear not. Larger items can often be shipped!)
Venetian Carnival Masks
The Carnival of Venice dates back to the Middle Ages, and it’s a famous worldwide event. This annual event, known for elabourate costumes and masks, ends on Mardi Gras ahead of the Lenten season.
Collette Product Design Manager Shannon Levi said artisanal painted carnival masks are a great gift, and she identified the store as a good spot to pick up your masks.
This shop has been creating masks since 1984, shortly after carnival celebrations were revived in the late 1970s.
Souvenirs from Florence
Florence is an art lover’s haven, playing home to more than 72 museums. Iconic works like Michelangeo’s David and The Birth of Venus call the city home. But what other gifts can you pick up in the Birthplace of the Renaissance?
Leather Goods
Leather is often a great gift for fashion lovers, and for the person on your list who prefers to receive a functional gift over novelty items. And Florence is the place to get it.
“Florence is famous for its leather artisans, with high-quality products made using traditional methods,” Elena says. “Handcrafted leather bags, wallets, belts, and shoes are all fantastic souvenirs.”
There are also leather gifts to purchase at every price point, and for everyone on your list. And some shops offer personalization to make those gifts even more special. While in Florence, I got a monogrammed doggie bag holder for a pet parent on my shopping list!
Perfumes
Did you know that Florence was the birthplace of modern perfume? This bit of trivia is a fun gift to give, alongside an olfactory souvenir. “Perfume is usually associated with France, but it was brought to France by queen Caterina de Medici who came from Florence,” Shannon says.
She has two shop recommendations for Florence perfume shopping. “There are many small producers in Florence, and the best is Aquaflor, which is just in Florence,” she says. “The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is Florence-based, but also has shops abroad. But both perfumeries are absolutely wonderful.”
Florentine Marbled Paper
Scrap bookers and greeting card enthusiasts — this one’s for you.
Florentine paper’s marbled design is created by placing a colourful pattern onto a liquid surface, and transferring the design onto the paper, leaving it to absorb the colour, and then letting it dry.
Shannon notes Giulio Giannini & Figlio, Florence's oldest marbled paper maker, as the top producer to buy marbled paper. But, she says, this paper can be found in many shops throughout the city.
Souvenirs from the Amalfi Coast, Naples, and Sorrento
These Southern Italy destinations offer iconic coastlines, rocky beaches, towering cliffs, picturesque towns, and indescribable charm. How will you share these places with your loved ones back home?
Ceramics
The Amalfi Coast is renowned for hand-painted ceramic work. Elena notes that decorative plates and tiles, often reflecting the seaside scenes you’ll see during your travels, are great souvenirs.
Shannon also thinks ceramics are a great souvenir, but took a different approach, suggesting travellers shop for Neapolitan good luck horn amulets. These cornicelli, or horns, are meant to protect from the evil eye, and promote good luck and prosperity. “These used to be made of coral, before it became endangered,” Shannon explained. “But they are also made of brightly painted ceramic. They are affordable and fun!”
Limoncello
One way to bottle up Southern Italy’s coast and bring it home? Limoncello. “This iconic lemon liqueur is a specialty of the Amalfi Coast, known for its tangy, sweet flavour,” Elena says.
Sfusato Amalfitano — Amalfi lemons — are considered one of the most prized lemon varieties in the world. They’re larger than your standard lemon and surprisingly sweet compared to the tart flavour you typically come to expect from the citrus fruit. These two factors are key in creating delicious limoncello. These lemons also thrive in the sunshine, which is why they grow so prominently in this region.
Souvenirs from Tuscany
Florence has a large art presence, but as you venture further into Tuscany, the picturesque vineyards are a sign that you’ve hit foodie country. But the rolling hills and charming medieval towns offer a storybook quality, too …
Italian Wine
When I asked my Italian teammates for souvenir and gift giving advice, Elena was quick to give an answer that stuck with me. “If I had to buy a souvenir in Italy, I would buy wine and olive oil, herbs, cheese — well, food in general. That's step 1,” she said.
She notes that Chianti is a must in Tuscany. The Chianti is a mountainous area within Tuscany, home to the famed wine of the same name. This dry red comes from the mountain-air-cooled hills you find in this area of Central Italy.
During my time in Tuscany, I took Elena’s advice and picked up some olive oil and this wine during a visit to a farmhouse!
Pinocchio
You don’t have to be young to appreciate a good fairytale, but Pinocchio-related gifts are a great gift for the kids in your life.
Pinocchio was written in the late 1800s by a Tuscan author, and the original story is set in a Tuscan village. You’ll see signs of this iconic character throughout the region, and a wooden puppet is a memorable gift for anyone looking for a little whimsy, Shannon says.
Souvenirs from Sicily
Sicily is an island paradise. In a podcast episode, Shannon once said that it’s a perfect place for travellers retracing their roots, and for anyone looking to dive deep into a “microcosm of the Mediterranean.” She also said it’s a foodie paradise. With those things in mind, here are her souvenir recommendations.
Paste di Mandorla
Paste di mandorla are Sicilian almond paste cookies.
Sicily’s climate lends itself to almond growth, and Shannon notes that seeing almond trees blossom in the off season is one of her favourite times to visit the island.
While the cookies are a common Christmas treat, they are available and can be enjoyed year round. And they’re a perfect souvenir. “They are soft and keep for a long time, so they travel well,” Shannon says. “They are gluten-free and delicious!”
Triskeles Symbol
The Sicilian flag shows the triskeles symbol – a figure of three legs with Medusa’s head at the center, topped with snakes. It has a pair of wings, and three ears made of wheat.
There’s a lot going on in this symbol! The wheat represents fertility. The wings represent freedom. Medusa acts as Sicily’s protector. There is some discourse around what the legs represent, but it’s widely accepted that they represent the island's three corners: Peloro to the northeast, Passero to the southeast, and Lilibeo to the west.
You’ll see it all over Sicily, and it’s a solid nod to your travels there.
“They come in all shapes and sizes, from fridge magnets to larger artwork you can display at home,” Shannon says
.A Unique Souvenir from Rome
Shannon is a born and raised Roman, and offers such unique insight as both an Italian, and a traveller herself. When I asked her about souvenirs to get in her hometown, I did not expect this answer.
Roman Coins
Shannon was extremely excited to share Roman coins as a souvenir idea, and it’s something that I would never have thought to seek out on my trip.
“Bring home a literal piece of history,” she says. “There are many shops selling authentic coins: look for shops called Numismatica, which means they specialize in selling certified, authentic antique, rare, and collectible coins and medals.”
One of my fellow travellers purchased a coin that was fashioned into a beautiful necklace, so history lovers and fashionistas alike can enjoy this unique and thoughtful gift.
