We were in Rome last year at end of a cruise. I had purchased a few ties at Nordstroms to use on the cruise. I found the identical ties and quality at Kiros on a street running off the Spanish Steps with all the shops. The ties in Rome were $25 each. Nordstorms had them and still does at about $65. If you need ties, check it out. We also got the small glass candies in Venice. Placed in a bowl, they look great and are fun to hunt for different ones. Local art work also good to take home and easy to pack. The pictures always look better at home than they did on the street.

Mike - If you have any gardeners in your circle of gift recipients, it is special to bring back packets of seeds - especially if they are vegetable gardeners! They pack very small and your friends will have fun trying to decipher the Italain on the package. Can be found in most nurseries or flower shops or even buy a tomato at the market, take out the seeds (theres a million of them) and dry them on a paper napkin in your room. Talk about authentic! I've been growing "Italian market tomatoes" for three yrs now from one little seed. Just keep saving the seeds year to year. This gift keeps on giving! <BR>

Just a word of warning, it is illegal to bring any agricultural products into the States. Unfortunately, this includes seeds.

Just a word of warning, it is illegal to bring any agricultural products into the States. Unfortunately, this includes seeds.

My little nieces and nephews went crazy over some pencils and school utensils I brought them with the figure of Pinochio (sp?). The pencils were hand- crafted, very well painted, larger size than the average pencil, but adorable. I got them in Pisa.

I bought some murano glass bead necklaces for about $18 each at a shop called Luminex, near the Duomo in Florence. Also bought a small mosaic picture frame -- beautiful. These thinkgs are light and unbreakable if you wrap them in your underwear.

In those excellent highway restaurant/shops/stops you can find fabulous, sealed lemon cakes, like big <BR><BR>lemon biscotti. They are tart/sweet; great with cappucino or espresso. I also like buying limoncello, with tiny ceramic cups to drink it from--anywhere along the Amalfi coast. In the Trentino area in the north, grappa comes in most unusual flavors. Almost any herb or fruit, in pretty bottles. Great olive oil is also a wonderful gift.