Hi. I will be in Italy in May and would like to purchase some Italian ceramics/pottery.... Is Deruta the place? and do you have any advice on good shops? <BR>Thanks!

Dear Traveler: I was in Deruta in January, and there appear to be a zillion little factories, shops, artisans. Many of the places were closed when we visited, but not closed enough to stop us from finding a shop up in the old part of town where my mom bought a 6 piece place setting of pottery that arrived two weeks ago. Beautiful!!! Not one piece matches, and this guy shipped DHL. He has 2 shops downtown, and a small factory. He also designed Neiman Marcus's millinium pottery pattern...that of course, we could not afford. But we bargained on his less expensive stuff, and my mom has not only gorgeous dishes, but a great memory. It's worth a visit, I think.

We were in Deruta about five years ago and my recollection is the best things were in the smaller shops in the upper town. We bought a beautiful oval jar with cover which has been a center piece on our dining room table. Several years later we were on the Amalfi coast and found dishes by the same ceramic maker which we bought. They all look fabulous when we use them together. I'm sure on the Amalfi coast we paid much more then we would have in Deruta ----but still much less then we would have at home. <BR> <BR>In the lower town as I recall there are bigger stores and factories where you can still get good deals, just not as unique as in the upper town. We would definitly return to Deruta if we were in the area.

Dear Traveler, <BR> <BR>I can definately recommend Orvieto for wonderful, colorful ceramics. Our Umbrian guide, Anne, took us there for touring and shopping in 1997. Several in our group made major purchases as various shops ($&gt;500) and they had the ceramics packed and shipped home for them. It took several weeks for the packages to arrive in th US, but definately well packed with no damage. (This may be preferable to trying to take home on your own, depending on how you're traveling.) We didn't travel to Deruta or Gubbio, both were highly recommended by Anne. However, if your travel is somewhat limited, Orvieto has the advantage of having one of the most magnificent cathedrals in all of Umbria. Happy shoppi

Well Traveler, it depends on where you will be traveling in Italy. There are <BR>3 towns that are the centers for ceramic <BR>manufacturers and each has a different <BR>style. In Veneto, the town of Nove near <BR>Bassano del Grappa is the best for the <BR>glazed fancy pottery you see at Pottery <BR>Barn Neiman Marcus. In central Italy <BR>certainly Deruta is the best for the <BR>Tuscan/Umbrian style of earthenware, but my favorite is Vietra sul Mare near <BR>Salerno for the bright colored pottery. <BR>They each have some great products and <BR>some good prices, but if you plan to mail them home you will find that the <BR>money you saved will be cancelled by the <BR>high postage. My advise, and I have done it all with my ceramic-loving wife, <BR>is to wait for the sale catalog from <BR>the Pottery Barn or Spiegel.

I think Deruta is great for cermics/majoliche/pottery, etc. I also prefer the centro, but the outlying shops are also worth a visit. <BR> <BR>As far as shipping goes, Bob is right about it costing an arm and a leg. But if you limit your purchases to one or two items per person, you can pack them carefully and bring them back on the plane with you, and check the rest of your luggage. That's what I did, and it worked out well, except it was hard to resist buying more stuff!

<BR>I have been collecting Italian ceramics for the last 10 years. The thing is, Italian ceramics are much like Italian cuisine: each region has different things to offer. If the object is to save money, perhaps Bob's advice is good. Personally, I buy pieces for the memories they evoke of all the places we've been: Deruta, Orvieto, Camogli, San Gimignano, Ravello, Positano, Sicily, etc. Just remember the habit of stores closing mid-day when traveling to a small town like Deruta and time your visit accordingly. Don't think you'll find in Pottery Barn what you find in Italy. Most of what you see in the US (outside of a few very costly specialty shops in cities like NY or San Francisco) is the whimsical animal pattern from the Amalfi Coast, or cheap knock-offs. Buon Viaggio.

TRAVELER: I'll add my two cents' worth, though I loved Barbara's post...two years ago my avid ceramics-collector friend and I drove to Deruta for the day from San Gimignano. We started at the "bottom of the hill" and went in to smaller galleries and shops to watch artisans at work & buy a few unique items. We had the most fun at the old town (top of the hill) and were devastated when EVERYTHING closed down for lunch at 1:00 and we had to stop shopping/gawking to get back to SG by 4. Will definitely do it again next month when I go back to SG; promise to leave you plenty! PS. I love "Deruta: A Tradition of Italian Ceramics" (Elizabeth Helman Minchilli - Chronicle Books SFO 1998).

So, fellow ceramic fans -- I know that the shops in Deruta close down at 1:00 -- do they open again at 4:00 after siesta, and how late are they open? I will be doing a day trip to Deruta from Cortona, and want to get in as much prime shopping/viewing time as possible.

Hello folks, sorry for the ignorance, but where exactly is Deruta? All the places mentioned on this web I recognized except Deruta. We will be in Siena in April and I will love to stop by Deruta. How far is it from Siena? Thanks for the info.

Deruta is about 10 miles south of Perugia in Umbria---probably about 1:30 <BR>from Siena and worth the trip---just <BR>do not plan to ship it home.

It will take you a solid 2 hours plus to get from Siena to Deruta - we did it in 1998. The problem is that the road from Siena to the A45 is only 2 lanes. It is, however, a very pretty drive, especially along the lake shore.

Thanks everyone for the good advice! Ceramic shopping in Deruta is one of my main objectives on my trip. We're planning to stop enroute from Chianti to Orvieto, but will have to ship home. Traveling extremely light this time around.

If you don't ship by air, it's not outrageous, especially if you buy multiple place settings, etc. Several years ago, we had eight place settings shipped by boat from a shop for a shipping charge of about $100. I saw similar dishes at Neiman Marcus for almost three times what we paid. In fact we had four more settings shipped later. All it required was a fax from the US. It was the purchase we enjoy most...

My husband and I were on a mission last March to find Deruta and purchase salad plates for my daughter to match the luncheon plates she had bought the previous year in Florence. We had poloroid pictures of the pattern she wanted--the green and red rooster well-known to the region. Anyway, it turned out to be one of the most fun and memorable days of our trip. We found just what we needed and a few "extra" surprises for Christmas presents. My husband (who is not a shopper) even had a great time looking for what we needed. We'll be going back in April. We bought at one of the larger outlets--right across the street from the factory with the big ceramic tile roosters on the front--great prices, better if you pay cash. They bubble wrapped everything and put it in cloth shopping bags for taking on the plane. SH <BR>

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. <BR> <BR>BIG QUESTION: We will be getting there in the afternoon approx. 3pm on Saturday, June 3rd.... When do these great shops re-open?!! or do they?? <BR>Thanks <BR>

Bringing to the top: <BR> <BR>Does anyone know the shop hours in the afternoon? <BR> <BR>THANKS

Just back from Italy, and -- as a lover of Italian majolica -- Deruta was a highlight of my trip. To answer the last question first: shop hours in Deruta are changing this year somewhat to meet the demands of tourism. Some of the factories in the lower town close for only one hour for lunch, and some of the small shops in the upper town are open all day. Others close from 1 to 3:30 or so (the traditional siesta), then open until 7:30 p.m. <BR> <BR>Whether you love majolica or just small Umbrian hill towns, Deruta is lovely. Old walled town, fabulous views through arches of the Umbrian countryside, great food (Trattoria La Fontinella), friendly people. The height of majolica crafting in Deruta was in the 15th century, and it is everywhere -- literally. Beautiful tiles sunk into the walls, a majolica crucifix on the front of the church. If you are a ceramics fan, don't miss the modern museum in the center of town.

Bring as much back from Deruta as humanly possible! Such beautiful stuff and such GREAT prices! I like the shops in the center of the town, but there were some alleys with great shops a little off the beaten path. I'd check out everything and go to your favorites at the end to purchase. <BR> <BR>As a note - Siena has beautiful pottery too with the colors of its Duomo used - blacks, burgandy, white. Definitely stop there too.

I can't leave this post without adding my very personal opinion. Have any of you been to Santo Stefano di Camastra in Sicily? It is a MAJOR ceramic center. Literally the entire town is lined with ceramic shops. My "personal connection" is that last November I met newly discovered cousins there, who are truly wonderful people. They have two ceramic shops and a large factory which makes handpainted ceramic tiles. They are called Fratantoni Ceramiche. They're the best!