What do you buy for someone who loves Italy? Why Italian themed gifts, of course! The pandemic may have scuppered our travel plans but there's still time to bring the sense of the dolce vita home.
Here's our gift guide to the best Italian themed gifts for people who love Italy.
Bellissima!
The Best Italian Themed Gifts: Gifts for Italy Lovers
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Italian Food Gifts
Pasta Making Machine
One of the best Italian themed gifts imaginable is the Made in Italy humble pasta maker. Arm yourself with the recipe for how to make a real ragu and spend hours amid flour and egg yolk, rolling and turning and twisting pasta into different shapes.
Italian Coffee
Where would Italians be without their coffee? Grab a taste of their beans (if not their fashion flair) with Italian brand Illy's classic coffee.
Italian Wine
You have so much scope when it comes to shopping for wine as an Italian themed gift, from your local supermarket to specialised bottle shops and department stores. Unique Italian gifts are designed to be shared, after all.
Books About Italy
Gorgeous Italian Themed Coffee Table Gift Books
- The hardback Rome: Portrait of a City combines photographs from the 1840s to today to showcase one of the world's most fascinating cities.
- The Vatican: all the paintings serves as a reference book or a keeper of memories from previous visits.
- The Italian Gentleman takes a look at the history of fashion through the personal tailors of Italy, interviewed by a French columnist.
Italian Guidebooks and Phrase Books
If you're shopping for someone planning a trip to Italy, then a gorgeous guidebook still makes a great gift even in this age of technology.
- The Lonely Planet complete guide to Italy - great for someone spending a long time in Italy or planning a trip themselves.
- Fodor's Essential Italy is another good choice, with a free health and safety guide eBook available for a limited time.
- The Kids' Travel Guide to Italy and Rome is a fun way to prepare children for an upcoming adventure.
- Rick Steves' Italian Phrasebook and Dictionary is a fantastic Italian-themed gift to get people practising their Italian before they go.
Unique Italian Culture Gift Ideas
A Virtual Italian Cooking Lesson or Wine Tasting
2020 has been the year of the virtual and that's not always a bad thing. Transport your friend or family member to the land of the Boot through an online cooking course. If you're lucky, you may get to share the experience with them - or at least the end result.
Italian Art
You can obviously go in several different directions here, either rounding up reprints of the masters, photographs of gorgeous Italian cities or indulging in nostalgic Italian travel-related art.
I love this set of prints from Holly Anne Blake, for example, as a vibrant and cheery reminder of a great time along Italy's Amalfi Coast.
Funny Italian Gifts
Comedy Socks
Simply no-one's life is complete without a pair of Italian themed socks like these. Keeps that dream trip in mind every time you do the laundry!
Or you could take it one step further with a pizza box of socks...
Make Your Own Italian Themed Gift Basket
When it comes to Italy themed gift ideas, the most flexible option is the gift basket. What's more, it's something you can easily make yourself if you need to keep the price down.
Start with a basket or wooden box, add some scrunched tissue paper or shredded padding and then hit up your local delicatessen for some gorgeous Italian foods.
Think different shapes of pasta, amaretti biscuits, limoncello, Illy coffee, pecorino and parmesan cheese, parma ham, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a panettone. All Italian gifts from Italy.
You can make this a luxury gift by ordering a pre-made hamper or more of a bargain if you shop locally and round up inexpensive gifts from Italy.
Now here's why it's worth visiting Rimini Old Town...
Gift Ideas for Someone Planning a Trip to Italy
For gifts for someone travelling Italy, you can pick one or several of the following to make a package:
- A travel adapter that works in Italy - either a European style one or a worldwide adapter like this.
- A travel sleep set with inflatable pillow, eye mask and ear plugs.
- A scarf for sightseeing. Many areas will insist that shoulders and knees are covered - a scarf can help out here as well as double as a pillow on a long flight.
- Check out these gift ideas for someone about to go on a trip for more suggestions.
Italian Gifts for Him
Well, first of all, all of the above! Let's move beyond outdated gender stereotypes!
Second of all, we live in the world we live in. So, here are some unique Italy gift ideas specifically aimed at guys:
Cuff Links
Indulge in a little shirt jewellery with these Italian gift ideas:
Ties
Likewise, with a gentleman's apparel, you can have some fun or aim for a more stylish option:
Bookmark the Best Gifts from Italy
Enjoying these gift ideas from Italy? Bookmark now and come back to shop for Italian Christmas gifts later!
