Italophile’s Holiday Gift Guide
We know you’ve got that friend / family / colleague. The one you bond with over a mutal adoration of everything Italian. We see you… we ARE you! And we’re here to making your holiday shopping a breeze.
From sophisticated stocking stuffers and White Elephant gifts to meaning-laden, perfect presents, here are fifteen gifts for the Italophile in your life. (Or ya know, search terms to type into some else’s browser to nudge them towards your own ideal present!)
For the Foodie:
You know them: the person who plans their Italy vacation around their dining reservations. Maybe their kitchen is their sanctuary or if not - they surely have an open Note on their phone with restaurants-to-try. This is the Italophile that wants to book the Secret Southern Italy tour for the mozzarella making alone!
1. The Olive Oil Enthusiast by Skyler Mapes & Giuseppe Morisani, $19.95
Our friends at EXAU Olive Oil have created THE ultimate guide about Italy’s gift to the world: olive oil. In the Olive Oil Enthusiast, you’ll walk through their groves as they introduce you to the harvest cycle, cook their recipes and share in the stories about running their farm & business. Go deeper with Skyler by reading our interview with the author or level up your gift by adding their Due Gift Set, it’s one of Oprah’s 2023 favorite things!
2. Alessi Peeler, $46
The definition of good things coming in small packages, add some extra stylish momentum to their cooking line-up with this Alessi Peeler. The little tool packs the wow factor and is a standalone gift that doesn’t need to match what else is going on in your giftee’s kitchen. Fits in a stocking, carries a critical ‘bake me a pie’ subtext …
3. Classic Christmas Panettone from Olivieri1882, $75
There’s panettone and then there’s panettone made in Italy that arrives on your table in 48 hours. Not only hass the Olivieri pasticceria been making their panettone for six generations, it's routinely on the top 10 list set out by Italian culinary taste-maker, il Gamero Rosso. Their 1kg version (as well as other varieties) can arrive on your doorstep straight from the Veneto region of Italy. You don’t get more authentic than that.
4. Roscioli New York: gift card or goods
Roscioli, one of Rome’s hardest-to-get reservations, opened their first US-based restaurant this year. Highlights from their pantry include their homemade pasta or canned peaches in lemon juice ($8-$13) that can be sent across the country. Or, for NY-bound visitors and locals, get them a gift card for a real Roman moment stateside. Oh - and if you need that impossible local reservation, we can help!
5. Mémoire di Negroni from Gucci Osteria, €148
Send your (Europe or UK-based) friend’s bar-cart into the stratosphere with this beauty from Gucci’s Florence-based bar, Gucci Giardino. A twist on the classic Negroni cocktail, the Memoire di Negroni’s bottle and box are a stunning addition to anyone’s display while the drink itself? Magnifico.
For the Fashion Lover
She’s devoted to the brands, loves shopping luxe and small. Her attention was PIQUED hearing that the Best of Sicily tour does a road-trip pit-stop at the designer outlets but she’s equally excited to shop vintage and local artisans when the tour alights in Ortigia. Here’s what to get her this holiday:
6. Idda Studio Cori Scarf, $200
Handpainted by Gabriella Picone and made in Italy, this silk scarf features a nod to all our happiest Sicilian memories. The seas we swim in, the incredible landscape and the dreamy voyages we host there. This scarf is on our list too!
7. Make Your Own Voodoo Jewels, from €210
One of our favorite local jewelry designers just introduced a bespoke service to combine her patented style and semi-precious selections with your own personalized touch. Choose your own ring design and stones to Make Your Own Voodoo on her website. And get to know Livia’s vibe: she’s one of Stellavision’s Women Doing Cool Shit in Italy!
8. Fendi’s ‘Hand in Hand’ Coffee Table Book, $110
A Fendi for a hundred bucks! This gorgeous edition highights incredible Italian artisans in celebration of the iconic baguette bag’s 25th anniversary. A tribute to 30 different workshops across Italy’s diverse regions, each artist reimagined the baguette in their own style. It’s on our Founder Zoe’s shelf and was how we came to know Marta Cuccia!
For the Interior Decorator
This Italophile has little nods to their previous holidays scattered throughout their home, oh so tastefully. From kitchenware to candles, decoration and games, walking into their house is a little visit to Il Bel Paese. They are probably counting down the days to our Size Inclusive tour which hits 4 different Italian regions in 8 days... so many goodies to collect.
9. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella’s Tuscan Tobacco Candle, $38-$100
Transport them to Tuscany courtesy of Italy’s oldest farmacia! The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella has been around for 800 years, dating back to when monks made concoctions beside Florence’s famed church. Their products are decidedly modern now and the woodsy scent of the Tuscan Tobacco candle is the perfect winter room fragrance.
10. Seletti’s Classics on Acid, $60 - $130
If your giftee likes their classics with a twist, they’ll be charmed by this beautifully tongue-in-cheek collection made by Italy’s pop-art-interiors powerhouse, Seletti. Look once and the plates (and bowls and glassware) appear like traditional Delft or Chinoiserie designs but glance again and discover their warped and wicked designs.
11. Stories of Italy, from $195 (and on sale now!)
Chic Milanese design studio meets ancient Venetian glass traditions with this Italian brand. Their signature candles and beautiful vases update the historic look into cutting edge designs, transporting you with scent memories and modern decor. Bonus: their candles are currently on sale, use promo CANDLE20 to take 20% off ‘til Dec. 12.
12. Monopoy: The Italian Road Trip by ISSIMO, €126.
Until you can join Stellavision’s road trip through four Italian provinces, transport yourself to Italy with a voyage curated by ISSIMO. This edition of Monopoly is a stylish addition to games night, the perfect board game to find in an Italophile’s home. Discover the many provinces as you play and receive a coltissimo online guide full of travel tips as well.
For the Travel Addict
It’s all about adventure for the travel addict in your life! They collect passport stamps and memories and want to see the MOST off-the-beaten-path Italy there is. They’re probably dreaming of our Cheeky Sicilian Sailing Trip in the hard-to-reach paradise of the Aeolian Islands. This is what they want:
13. Stellavision Travel Gift Card
A Stellavision Gift Card is truly is the gift of unforgettable memories*. Gift cards are available in any denomination you choose and can be applied towards a Stellavision Tour or Private Planning services. Plus, with their gift card + our Earlybird promo code (get it here, expires January 1), you're getting them WAY closer to experiencing Italian travel adventures in 2024; the thing any Italy-lover wants the most.
*If the gift of memories sounds a bit formaggio when we say it, take it from Jenny, one of our 2023 travelers: “I’ll never shut up about how Stellavision Travel truly changed my life. Not only as a new traveler but as a person. I gained so many amazing memories and experienced something once in a life time.” Or Chelsea who saw Secret Southern Italy with us in 2022: “Just reminiscing this morning that a year ago today I was in Rome starting the tour. Thank you for giving me one of the best weeks of my life and memories I’ll cherish forever.”
To order your gift card, drop us a line to tell us what denomination you’d like to purchase and we’ll do the rest!
14. Marni Laptop Bag, $210
A chic traveler needs cute accessories, no? We’re coveting this laptop bag by funky Italian brand Marni. There are other colorways available but attention shoppers: the one that features Stellavision’s blue is on sale!
15. A Subscription to New Roman Times, €70
Rome-based journalist Laura Itzkowitz is published in all the major travel magazines. In her New Roman Times substack she tells the stories behind the stories and provides incredible tips for Italian travelers. For the Travel Addict dreaming of Italy, this is the way to hit that craving - and plan their next adventure. That’s 52 weeks of Italian inspiration!