The New Roman Times' 2024 Gift Guide for Italophiles

Issue #114

Dec 05, 2024

Black Friday may be over, but if you’re still looking for holiday gifts for your Italy-obsessed friends and loved ones, I’ve got a few ideas. This is the third gift guide I’ve put together since the New Roman Times launched and every year I place the emphasis squarely on small companies and independent artisans that you might not be familiar with.

You won’t find any big-name designers or major corporations here. There’s no sponsored content or affiliate links either—just things I like and would genuinely recommend.

Books & Magazines

Fodor’s Rome guidebook features updates by yours truly

I have to admit, I don’t spend nearly as much time devoted to reading books as I wish I did, but one novel that I’ve been enjoying this year is Circe by Madeline Miller. It’s a fascinating retelling of the story of the sorceress that bewitched Odysseus and turned his sailors into swine—from her perspective.

If you happen to be in Australia, you can get your hands on a copy of Mangia: How to Eat Your Way Through Italy by my dear friend Maria Pasquale. This beautifully photographed, encyclopedic book covers the must-try dishes, unique gastronomic experiences, food festivals, and recipes from each of Italy’s 20 regions. Those of us not in Australia will have to wait until next March for the book’s international release.

Know someone planning a trip to Rome next year? The 2025 edition of Fodor’s Rome guidebook is out now. I’ve been updating this guidebook every year for the past few years, so you’d better believe it’s packed with recommendations for restaurants, bars, hotels, shops, and things to do vetted by locals.

And don’t forget, you can give a subscription to the New Roman Times! The Black Friday sale here is still on until tomorrow, so this is your last chance to get 30% off the price of a paid subscription.

Give a gift subscription

Fashion & Accessories

Como is famous for silk production and Mantero 1902 is one of the best textile houses on the lake. One of their beautiful silk foulards would be a perfect gift for a stylish friend or family member. I’m partial to the archival patterns, but there are lots of new styles to choose from as well.

Meanwhile, in the Salento region within Puglia, Le Costantine is a textile workshop that aims to empower survivors of domestic abuse. The women here are reclaiming traditional Pugliese designs and using them to make beautiful bags, scarves, and textiles for the home. They even collaborated with Maria Grazia Chiuri on a collection for Dior.

For the dapper gents in your life, consider a cozy sweater by Gran Sasso, a small knitwear company founded in 1952 in a village on the border of Le Marche and Abruzzo (they also make women’s wear). For elegantly tailored blazers, L.B.M. 1911 and Circolo 1901 are top choices.

Beauty & Skincare

Skincare by Seed to Skin and Gallipoli perfume by Salentum

Also in Puglia, Salentum makes fragrant perfumes, body lotion, candles, and diffusers with scents inspired by the Mediterranean. I fell in love with the Gallipoli scent, which has notes of citrus, rose, jasmine, and orange blossom. There are also scents inspired by olive wood, prickly pears, and even Negroamaro wine.

Seed to Skin is a line of skincare and beauty products made in Tuscany using natural ingredients grown on Borgo Santo Pietro’s organic farm. Their products are used in spas around the world.

Home Decor

Colorful ceramics at Rosalinda Acamporra’s shop in Sorrento

For the person on your list who wants to support independent artisans, a hand-painted plate, pitcher, or another piece of ceramic tableware by Sorrentine artist Rosalinda Acampora would be a thoughtful gift. Her graphic designs combine geometric patterns with lemons, tomatoes, or fish for a very coastal vibe.

Another traditional craft in Sorrento is inlaid wood and Biagio Barile makes exquisite boxes, trays, picture frames, and mirrors by hand. Founded in 1920 and now run by the third generation of the Barile family, the studio’s boxes tend to get snatched up quickly when sold at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, but you can support them by ordering directly from them (and get a steep discount compared to the price you’d pay at those retailers too).

Food & Drink

Panettone is a classic Christmas cake in Italy and you can’t go wrong with the ones by Olivieri 1882, which were just named the best panettone by the New York Times. Aside from the classic flavor with raisins and candied orange peel, there are lots of other versions, including my new favorite: cherries and dark chocolate.

Attending a holiday dinner and want to bring a bottle of wine? Sure, you could go with expected choices like Chianti, Barolo, or Barbaresco, but why not bring a dessert wine? Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria by Donnafugata is intensely fruity, with notes of honey and apricot that deepen as the wine ages.

Experiences

Me and my family on a Scooteroma tour this spring

Sometimes the best gifts of all are intangible, memory-making experiences rather than material things. For the budding chef, a cooking class with

Giulia Scarpaleggia

in her Tuscan kitchen is just the thing.

If you’re looking for a gift for someone planning a trip to Italy and you want to give them a tour, consider contacting one of my trusted tour operators, including Scooteroma for Vespa tours of Rome, ArcheoRunning for jogging and power walking tours in Rome, the Cheeky Chef for market tours in Palermo, Villaggio Tours for immersive tours in a Medieval Umbrian village, Stellavision Travel for tours with a feminist bent, and Roma Experience or Imago Artis Travel for history and culture-focused tours throughout Italy.