10 Unique Italian Gift Ideas Curated By An Italian

So you are looking for Italian gift ideas for your friends or family. I am glad you are here.

Rather than overwhelming you with a repetitive list of 60+ gifts from Italy, I have narrowed it down to 10 ideas.

This makes it easier to go through, yet it’s enough to get your creativity flowing. Many of these gifts are customizable (for example: curated Italian baskets), so you can easily adjust them to fit the receiver’s personality.

I’ve made sure to select gifts that are unique, Italian of course, but also easily available online and in shops around you.

I have also limited the list to grown-up gifts.

I wonder whether you’ll end up putting one or more of these on your birthday or Christmas wish list.

Ready to find out?

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

1. A Gourmet Italian Food Basket (For Foodies)

There’s nothing better than an Italian foodie gift basket. Nearly everyone will appreciate one, especially your foodie friends!

This is an evergreen gift basket you can give any time of the year, including Christmas.

Don’t be intimidated by the word gourmet. All it really means is that the products are excellent, high quality, and exceptionally tasty. And who doesn’t love that?

It doesn’t necessarily mean they are expensive. When you look at it that way, all genuine Italian products can be considered gourmet, especially if they are also artisanal.

Here’s what to include:

1. A bottle of fresh quality EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). 
2. A bottle of genuine Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (preferably dark and aged)
3. A few packs of Italian Artisan Pasta. You may opt for unique shapes like Orecchiette from Puglia, Trofie from Liguria, and Casarecce from Sicily. But you can never go wrong with bucatini and black squid ink spaghetti (provided there are no seafood intolerances).
4. A few jars of Italian Pasta Sauce like an authentic green basil pesto and a red tomato-based one.
5. Something sweet such as Italian Chocolate Truffles, Cantucci biscuits, or Nougat (torrone).

Where to find them:

If you want to put together this gift basket yourself, here is a selection of the products above available on Amazon. I am sharing either my favorites or bestseller options.

• Carapelli Oro Verde is the one I use (Amazon)
• Malpighi Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Shop here)
• Gentile (Amazon) and Mancini (Amazon) are exceptional pasta brands.
• For pasta sauces, I suggest Barilla Basil Pesto (shop here) and Barilla Pesto Rosso (available here). You’ll likely find these in your local supermarket.
• My favorite Italian chocolate brands at the moment are La Perla and Venchi (Amazon)

2. An Italian Kitchen Set (For Grandmas, Aunties, Sisters & Mums)

This set could include: an apron, tea towels, table cloth, maybe chair covers, table runner, and glass coasters.

The best way to go about this gift is to put it together yourself. Start by choosing the print or theme.

Lemons and blue and yellow ceramic tile prints are very popular and loved. Or you can go for the iconic Italian flag colors.

Where to shop:

You can look for these both in local stores, but especially on your local Amazon. Etsy is also another great place.

Here’s an example of the lemon print set available on Amazon.co.uk
Apron (Lemon print) (Pretty floral tan print)
Coasters (Amazon)
Kitchen Towels matching apron (Lemon print)

3. An Italian Leather Gift 

This one makes a great gift for anyone who appreciates fine things in life, whether it’s an accessory or a pair of shoes.

I suggest you look at Gianni Chiarini. They have stunning leather goods and ship internationally.

You can find more about them and other high quality Italian leather brands here (coming soon).

You don’t have to necessarily gift a leather bag. Gianni Chiarini, and many other brands I curated in that article, offer smaller accessories like wallets, gloves, and pouches.

If you’d like to gift shoes, read this: Best Italian Shoe Brands (coming soon).

Shop here:

This post includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I have or would personally buy.

4. A Great Italian Coffee Table Book 

Many people will appreciate this one, especially the women in your life.

It’s also the easiest gift to put together. 

I have selected a few great options for you from interiors to wines, dolce vita, and Vatican paintings. Here’s the list:

1. Amalfi Houses: Architectural Gems on the Italian Coast 
2. Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine
3. Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer
4. Vatican: All the Paintings
5. Spritz: Italy’s Most Iconic Aperitivo Cocktail, with Recipes

5. A DOCG Italian Wine

DOCG stands for Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin, and it’s the highest quality Italian wine you can give.

If you can’t find a DOCG for the type of Italian wine you like, then opt for a DOC (Controlled Denomination of Origin).

I have curated a list of the best Italian wines, with a focus on DOCG:

1. Prosecco DOCG
2. Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 
3. Volpaia Chianti Classico DOCG 2020
4. Carlo Revello e Figli Barolo DOCG
5. Barone Pizzini Rose Franciacorta DOCG, 2018

6. An Italian Mocha Set (For the Coffee Lover)

Italian moka pots are a common Italian gift, but this is different! It’s the trending and limited edition Bialetti Moka pot in collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana.

The design is stunning and so is the presentation. The print is inspired by Sicily since Dolce & Gabbana has Sicilian roots.

You can buy the mocha on its own, with cups, or with coffee.

Here’s the mocha box set in red

Don’t forget to add a pack of Illy Classic Moka ground coffee and a pack of Antonio Mattei Cantucci to complete this wonderful gift. Both of these are available on your local Amazon.

7. Italian Fine Chocolates (For the Choco Lover)

I am pretty sure you have at least one chocoholic in your life. For them, there’s nothing better than a selection of fine Italian chocolates, including the iconic Italian chocolate truffles.

I have already mentioned La Perla. They are among the best Italian chocolatiers awarded for their exquisite products, especially their truffles. Learn more about them and other Italian chocolate brands here.

La Perla delivers internationally. You can shop online here.

8. Italian Aperitivo Basket

If you like the idea of an Italian gift basket but want to be a little more unique with your choice, surprise your friend with an Italian aperitivo basket.

You can put this together easily with just a few clicks on Amazon. All you need is available there.

These are the items I suggest adding:

• Aperol bottle
• Prosecco bottle – refer to idea 5 if you want a high-end option or opt for a Prosecco DOC for a lower price.
• The right glasses. You can choose between tumblers, balloon glasses, and large wine glasses. These are my favorite shape.
• A bar spoon. I love this vintage antique gold one (get it on Amazon).
• A book about Italian Aperitivo Drinks – refer to idea 4 on this list for a great recommendation.

If you want to add more consider these food items:

• Italian olives – I suggest oven-dried black olives and La Bella di Cerignola
• Fennel taralli
• San Carlo crisps or Chipsters
• Italian aged parmesan block

9. Italian Scene Painting (For the Art & Decor Lover)

This is another great one because you can find different options from low to high budgets, digital downloads you can print and frame yourself, or real paintings that will be delivered to you with the frame.

I suggest you look on Etsy.

Here’s one I think you might like.

10. Italian Christmas Gift Basket

Who wouldn’t want to receive a curated Christmas Gift Basket full of unique Italian goodies to make Christmas even dreamier?

Here’s what I would include in it:

1. Classic Italian Panettone with candied fruit. You can also opt for a cream or chocolate chip if the person doesn’t like candied fruit.

2. Befana book (Amazon)

3. Italian Chocolate Truffles – refer to gift idea 7 for more details.

4. Italian Christmas Ornament. Here’s a gorgeous set (Amazon).

5. Italian Prosecco – refer to idea 5 for a high quality brand.

Extra Special Italian Gift Ideas

As I mentioned, this gift guide includes both unique and evergreen ideas. 

I tried to find a gift that most people in your life would appreciate, but I kept them unique and curated. Of course, there are many more you can find on other lists, but these really show you put effort in finding something special. 

These Italian gift ideas also give you options for any budget. 

You can gift most of these on different occasions, whether it’s a vacation souvenir, a birthday gift for an Italy afficionado, or an Italian inspired Christmas token.

Want to splurge for someone special?

Consider reading these, if you want to splurge on a luxury gift but don’t know which brand to select:

Italian Fashion Brands
Italian Designer Bags
Italian Shoe Brands

The Best Italian Holiday Gift

If you want to gift a once-in-a-lifetime Italian experience, there’s nothing better than a holiday.

With Italy being so large and diverse, there are many options to wrap your brain around, yet there’s one destination that never fails to impress. And that’s Rome.

Refer to my Rome Articles to help you plan this amazing gift, whether it’s for your parents, husband, or wife.

I hope you enjoyed this curated list of Italian gift ideas. If you did, please give it a heart and share it with your friends. It helps my little blog get in front of more lovely people like you. Thank you so much.

A presto,
Alessia