tuscanlifeedit

Iowa: I believe it's the via Rosina in/near the San Lorenzo market, where the sides of the street are lined with passmenterie shops, which might interest your mom. There is a good yarn shop near the front of the San Lorenzo church. This is sort of a good area in Florence for needle type stuff. But I don't sew, or quilt, so you are only going on my visits to these places while accompanying others. Anyway, it might get you in a neighborhood that will provide her with things she might like.

YvonneT

My friend, who loves cooking, bought different types of dried herbs in the market at Campo Fiore, Rome. The vendor gave her ideas of how to use them. She made sure she to declare them, and said the sniffer dogs went straight for her luggage!

I bought packets of the hot chocolate mix, to make that lovely, thick stuff when I got home.

vicki2201

From Rome/Umbria in November I brought home:
1. newly pressed olive oil (harvests happen in oct/nov) for a gift, but kept it for myself.
2. truffle oil
3. Antique tiles from a store at the end of Via dei Coronari
4. Leather gloves in red for myself and for my sister
5. Red Supergas which weren't as comfortable as I remember them when I was younger. Also, I'm not that young anymore so it became a gift.
6. An unbranded leather bag
7. Antique prints (the real ones from a reputable store as a gift) and also the 1 euro ones from the corner newstand.
8. A couple of years ago, the priest calendar which was a fun gift and hit among my girlfriends. Unfortunately the next year when they did it again, the priests didn't look as hunky, nor did the production look as nice as the first. I think it was a copycat publisher. I had many orders for these calendars, but I didn't bother. It was a disappointment from the first one.
9. a handpainted bowl from Deruta--handcarried for myself and which I use all the time to serve my pastas or salads.
10. Lastly, the Fabriano store at the Rome airport. I love art stuff so I just couldn't control myself. I bought a sketchbook, a small bundle of notebooks of different paper stock, fountain pens with ink for my daughters who are still too small to use them, etc.. Was planning to use up all my left over euro but ended up having to bring out my credit card.

I continue to enjoy all these purchases except for the Superga-hoping-for-lost-youth purchase.

madams77

We found some olive wood spoons/spatulas in a small shop in Castellina in Chianti. We bought all they had on display. They were 2.50 euro, very lightweight and took up no space in our luggage. They made great gifts for family and friends. I even managed to save some for myself!

I also got several containers of Roberts Borotalco talcum powder. They were about 1.25 euro each, which is so much cheaper than ordering them online. These too made great gifts for everyone including myself….the scent is so great! Everytime I use it, I think of our time in Itay!!

Also brought home some Fior di Sale (salt) from the COOP. It was very cheap and comes in a very pretty container! For some reason,,,,this salt tastes better than what I have at home!

dutyfree

You would do better to buy things that are more tangible in your suitcases.Just remember-oil leaks sometimes,ceramics break and alot of the food items can be bought here in the states especially at places like TJ MAXX.Just walk around each city and see what strikes you fancy and be sure to bargain if it is from an outside stall.Florence(by the leather school and inside of it) has beautiful eyeglass cases,wallet,etc. that have been around for centuries that are great gifts!
Since I fly to Rome and Milan every month and sometimes Venice in the summer-I always head to the grocery stores for my favs. Rio tuna in olive oil in foil packs,Illy coffee,wine,salmon or tuna paste(Rio) that is to die for on a Ritz cracker and one euro along with their toothpaste and lotions.Don't sell the bigger grocery stores short!

Tiggy22

Tuscanlifeedit- Regarding you question about Porta Portese, If you are looking for blue jeans, household goods or auto parts you would definitely enter through the riverside entrance at Piazzale Portuense. It is the most popular entrance where eager buyers stream under the famous Roman porta that gives the market its name –Porta Portese.

If instead it is the rare, old and unique you wish to track down, make your entrance from Viale Trastevere at Piazza Ippolito Nievo. The antiques section runs along both sides of Via Ippolito Nievo, Via Parboni and adjacent streets where you can find Fascist-era mementoes, antique rosaries and nativity figures, depression glass and all kinds of collectables. Parking in the area is virtually impossible so catch any bus running down Viale Trastevere to the Nievo piazza or take a taxi there.

LoveItaly

Hi again, Iowa, since your mother is interested in fabric stores I wanted to mention there are some fabulous ones in Florence too. I spent an afternoon with an Italian friend going through fabric stores and I so wish I had bought some fabrics for pillow covers, table runners etc. The fabric stores were a bit out of the main historical center but not very far. No doubt your hotel could direct you to them.

Iowa_Redhead

You all rock! We both love antiques and the olive wood kitchen tools sounds fun, even if I don't know how to use them that well.

Thank you so much for all of the suggestions and ideas. There have been many times I've come home just to read about a shop just around the corner from where I had been, or something that I would have looked for if I had thought about it.

Jean

A few fabric sources:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/05/06...6foraging.html

http://www.casadeitessuti.com/

http://www.anticosetificiofiorentino.com/

http://www.busatti.com/english/azienda/azienda.html

2010

I got 2 glass-beaded necklaces on Murano ... then found a jeweler in Florence who was able to make me earrings to go with them! I get lots of compliments whenever I wear them because they are so unique & eye-catching!!!

tuscanlifeedit

vicki2201: It's not your feet, it's the Supergas. We discovered years ago that they are now made in Taiwan, and they are nothing like the old fit. They look the same, but they're horribly uncomfortable. About 8 years ago, I bought two pairs. Brought them home and found that I was stuck with two pairs of unwearable shoes, after wearing Supergas for a long time.

Tiggy: thanks. I won't be in Rome on a Sunday this time, but I will save your very clear directions.

vicki2201

OMG, Tuscanlife, so glad you clarified that! The Supergas that I remember were so comfortable and low-key fashionable when I bought them some twenty years ago! I loved them and wore them to death. At that time I was also 20 years younger and not traveling much (so couldn't get them replaced)-- wearing them reminded me of my wonderful vacation to Italy.

I hated the ones I brought home. You're right, totally unwearable! But now I'm glad to know it's not my older feet but those darn shoes! They were even so bulky to bring home! Grrr!

bratsandbeer

Venice - at one of the better glass factories on Murano I bought a nice necklace - glass with sterling silver.
If you have children in the family, an idea is to buy unfinished masks and let the children decorate them. That was a lot of fun using beads, feathers, paint etc.

In Florence I purchased leather gloves and also for the teenage grandchildren, I purchased socks. There is a store where they carry a brand made in Italy. The styles are something you don't see here. The teens loved them.

Also, at the leather school in Florence, I have purchased small coin purses etc as gifts.

I like to buy the very small desk calendars that you find in Europe. Some are only 3 x 3 inches and have nice photos on them. They are usually 1 Euro and they make nice gifts for anyone.

Iowa_Redhead

Thank you everyone!!

Jean, the store discussed in your first link (Bassetti Tessuti) is the store Mom was thinking of. We googled fabric shops and that was the one that kept popping up. I'm afraid it's not going to be the kind of fabric she's really looking for but I know she'll have a blast looking. Thanks for the links!

Thank you for all of the mentions of glass jewelry/objects from Murano. I love finding pendants or simple necklaces when I travel. The only jewelry I usually wear is necklaces and I love wearing pretty necklaces/pendants that remind me of my travels. I know the tour is going to one glass factory

I never would have thought of leather gloves but I know my brother and SIL would probably love those. This might be a silly question, but how are gloves sized in Italy? Is it just small, medium, large, extra large, etc like it is in the US? I can guess a size for my SIL based on my own hands but how on earth can I guess a good size for my brother??

Iowa_Redhead

Whoops, clicked submit before I finished fixing the end of that one paragraph.

I know the tour is going to one glass factory --> The tour is going to a glass blowing workshop. We'll have time on our own and I remember going to an alabaster workshop/store when I was in Italy 10 years ago. Does anyone have any suggestions for good glass factory or shop, or any good alabaster shops? Or if we wander around on Murano will we find good shops?

Thanks!

TravelStory

Coloured pasta is fun! Olive oil from the best olive oil producing country in the world!

readytotraveltoo

bratsandbeer - Do you remember the name and/or location of the sock shop. I have 3 teenagers that will be going with me this summer and one of them is so into different color/styles of socks.

thanks

cmcfong

www.madova.com
Via de' Guicciardini, 1-red
50125 Firenze Florenz, Italy
055 210204
Just to whet the appetite.

Jean

I think buying gloves for other people is too tricky. If you didn't want it to be a surprise, you could carry hand tracings with you that might help in picking the proper size.

2010

On Murano, there are lots of small glass shops that you will walk by. Something will catch your eye, I'm sure!!! I bought my necklaces in two tiny shops along Fondamenta di Manin.

In Florence, check out Pusateri (via Calzaiuoli, 25/r) where the fitting of gloves is done so elegantly! Here, I got cashmere-lined leather gloves which have kept my hands toasty warm this winter!

Have fun!