Friends have suggested not to bring back wine/olive oil because so much is available in the US. I know I won't be able to resist ceramics/pottery and some local art, but what else do you all recommend? What items are you thrilled you bought & what items do you regret not buying?

I love the ceramics and could kick myself for not buying more. I purchased a few small pieces in Orvieto (some for myself and some for gifts) that were a fraction of the cost here (in NYC). I also like to go into these 'kitchen' gadget type store to find that cheese grater of my dreams or any odd kitchen tool. I also like to by prints that I have framed when I return.

Florence is still a great place for leather goods. On a recent trip, I purchased a coat for myself and my son.

My wife also purchased several nice pieces of jewelry from a few shops on the bridge.

At the airport duty free, we purchased a few pounds of prepacked cheese.

I agree with the leather in Florence. I purchased a nice pair of boots and leather gloves. Very happy I did.

Porcini mushrooms! Beautifully packaged porcini mushrooms you can pack around and in the ceramics you buy for protection (the ceramics, not the mushrooms). And when you get home, oh the flavors.

Two of the couples on our February trip bought beautiful tablecloths (and napkins), one in Venice and the other in Florence. They are really lovely and both families are enjoying them. I just wish I had taken the time to select one!
I did find some pretty silver ice cream spoons and a baby spoon in Florence for our daughter and daughter-in-law and grandson.
Three of our group bought leather jackets, too, also in Florence.

not sure where you are going, but I bought silk in Bellagio and its beautiful. I second the suggestion for bringing back dried porcini's, if you cook at all, because they are really much better than you can find at home.

I also brought back wine because things like Vino Nobile, and Brunello were easily half what I pay for them here.

I also regret not having bought a ceramic plate in Orvieto.

I wish we had purchased more ceramics as well. We saw some beautiful plates, etc. in Siena.

I bought back some leather books-- in particular, I got a beautiful leather photo album which you can't find in the states.

I also bought some olive oil and wine. There are so many small farms/vineyards to buy from and you can't find these in the states!

If you like handblown glass, you can find abundent quantities of this in Venice. I collect glass and made a number of purchases here. Some recommendations: 1. go to the high quality stores; & 2. if you have it shipped home, be aware that there is an import tax on glass that must be paid in order to obtain delivery. I can't remember how much it was exactly, but think that it was around 10% of the cost...

Finally if you like antiques, you can go to the antique fairs. We went to one in Lucca and I regret to this day that I didn't buy a pair of antique crystal sconces that I saw for $100 (similar ones in the states cost over $1500!!! and aren't as nice).

Hope that helps.
Jeanne

My husband and I are both enjoying the leather jackets we bought in Florence, and wear them all the time. Buttery soft! We like to buy things that we will actually use, not just become more clutter......

Chinacat is right about silk--scarves for the women, ties for the men. (A bit of trivia: Did you know that the Lake Como area is the second largest producer of silk, second only to China?)
My wife always brings back a leather pocketbook.
Among the "interesting" items I've brought back:
*A mousepad (from the Uffizi) with a reproduction of Botticelli's Venus.
*A line drawing (19" x 4&quot of buildings in Venice.
*A ceramic number for the outside of my home from Tuscany.

I like to go to a supermarket and get interesting food products--Perugina cocoa mix, instant panna cotta, or whatever looks interesting. I also always buy Tempo tissues, one or two 10-packs of the pocket size. The tissues are very stuurdy and soft, much better than those avialable at home. And they squeeze flat pretty well as a last day addition to the suitcase. Last Christmas as a "souvenir of Italy" I gave a few friends the Tempo packs. They laughed, ha-ha, very funny, yet all commented later they the tissues were actually really good.

I'd still bring back wine. The wine in italy has no preservatives so no headaches. Also wine is so cheap...like $4 a bottle. I might buy a wine of each region or from a winery then drink it when you get back as you reminicise your trip.

Lina- here are some of my fvorites:
Florence:leather photo albums, gloves,and coats.One of my favorite stores is Passamaneria Toscan Pizza San Lorenzo 12/R-near the church and market.Beautiful fabrics for the home, cushions tassles etc.
I also love all the paintings of famous squares I bought in Florence in Venice.
Ceramics of all kinds-if I could bring home some galatto I would be in heaven, but it gives me a reason to keep going back.
Best of luck
Fluffy

I brought back small bottles of olive oil and lemoncello for gifts. Family & friends loved them

HDW's assertion that wine in Italy contains no sulfites is nonsense. All but a very few contain added sulfites -- just as domestic wines in the US. The difference is that the mention of sulfites is not a requirement in Italian labeling laws. But if the same wine is shipped to the US and has added sulfites, the label must state so.

In Venice we found the most beautiful hand-blown crystal vases and art objects. We bought them and shipped them home and have never been sorry! They are magnificient and I've never seen anything like it here in the states. Last year we went to Australia and New Zealand and there we again found very unusual hand blown glass and crystal. Hokitika NZ was a delightful artist's colony and I have some lovely things to remember it with.

We try to buy something that will be a great rememberance and also look great in our house.

If you are going to Florence/Tuscany, try Cantucci (mini-biscotti). They are delicious and hard to find in the US.

Every visit to Florence should include a visit to Officina Profumo Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella for perfume, soap, lotion, and pot-pourri. This stuff is famous in the homes of the aristocracy. Via Scala, n 16.

Pottery, more pottery and even more pottery--as much as you can schlep.

Inlaid music boxes, Murano glass from Venice, lace tablecloths, leather goods from Florence.

And more pottery.

we visited several agratourismos and bought olive oil, honey and other products - great flavors! sheets and other linens are divine. also, the lemoncello does make great gifts (make sure you drink some late one evening on a rooftop bar - we did this at our florence hotel - great memory!)