Wouldn’t you just love to just stick a fresh Roman-style pizza into your luggage and have it still hot and fresh when you get back home? Well, we all know that’s impossible – but we do have plenty of other ideas for edible treats, as well as more durable collectables that you can get during your trip to Rome and they are perfectly appropriate for traveling home, and they’re all right here on our list of best souvenirs from Rome!
Let’s Start with the Obvious: Gourmet Food
Italian cuisine is known around the world as the best! While many visitors will be sad to discover that their go-to Italian plates (like “spaghetti and meatballs” or “chicken alfredo”) are not even Italian, there are plenty of authentic Italian specialties to discover – many of which are perfect selections to fill your suitcase with! Pack your bag with local-made pasta, organic pasta sauces, cured meats, and delicious marmalades (try the red onion marmalade, it’s one of our favourites)! Don’t forget that Italy is especially well-known for quality olive oil, artisanal balsamic vinegar, and decadent truffle-based concoctions. Of course, no Italian dinner is complete without some freshly grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano! And finally, for your sweet tooth, throw in some Italian chocolate (like Baci or Baratti) with wine cookies (Ciambelline al Vino Rosso), and you’re all set for an Italian-themed banquet back home to impress your friends who stayed on their side of the pond.
How About Some Wine to Meditate Upon?
Italian wine, and lots of it. Italy’s association with wine is not exaggerated in the slightest. Go to any supermarket and you’ll find shelves stocked with a variety of wine that you likely never knew existed – and they come at a very low price! Barberas, Primitivos, and Montepulcianos are very popular amongst the locals – so maybe try something along those lines. And, certainly, don’t hesitate to grab a bottle of limoncello from a local vendor while you’re at it! If you’re looking for something a little more high-end and want to talk wine with an expert, go to a local wine shop or “Enoteca”.
Real Italian Coffee at Home? Of Course
While in Rome, you’re sure to fall in love with Italy’s coffee culture. Perching up at the bar several times a day for a quick shot of espresso is such a delightful pastime, but at home Romans generally get their java fix using a stovetop moka pot. You can find mokas for anywhere from $5 to $30 (depending on the brand name and size). Just pick up some fresh Italian coffee beans from Castroni or Trombetta to take home for the full-on Italian coffee experience.
It’s All About that Genuine Italian Leather
The “Made in Italy” stamp has been a mark of artisanal quality for centuries. With a plethora of leather shops lining the city streets, you’re sure to find the perfect purse, briefcase, or even handmade leather sandals or gloves to add to your collection. Be sure to get something eye-catching! That way, every time someone takes notice, you’ll get the chance to say “Thanks, it’s from Italy!”
Italian Stationary Is Way Too Cool to Ignore
Envelopes, leather-bound journals, and office supplies are probably not the first thing that comes to one’s mind when considering holiday souvenirs from Rome, but just wait until the stationary shop windows reel you in! Feather-tipped pens, hand painted paper, and wax stamps galore. This souvenir is perfect for someone who spends a lot of time at their desk but wants to be reminded of their travels in Italy.
A Personalized Piece of Rome Herself
These little marble signs can be found at a little shop on Via Ripetta, right next to the filming set for “Roman Holiday”. They’re compact, affordable, customizable, and undeniably Roman. What’s not to like? So whether it’s “errare umanum est”, “cave canem”, “veni, vidi, vici”, or “Bobby was here” your sure to turn that corner of home into a Roman one.
Italian Arts and Crafts Are the Real Deal
Stroll the cobblestone streets and dip into every art studio you find with its doors open. Mosaics, painted ceramics, sculptures, and paintings are churned out by local artists every day. These things may not be very luggage-friendly (depending on size and fragility), but there’s something very special about hanging true Italian art in your home.
Make Rome Photos Last a Lifetime
Why not book a photographer to capture precious moments in the Eternal City? Who could refuse the gorgeous backdrop of the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, or Pantheon? These mementos make time stand still and can be framed by you and your loved ones for years to come!
For more information or to arrange a tour check out What a Life Tours or contact us by phone +39 06 88975757/+39 334 7273299 (WhatsApp) or email at info@whatalifetours.com!
Similar Blog Posts
Everyone assumes they know what it’s like to be a guide in Rome. Most of what they assume is charmingly, understandably wrong. Here’s what people get mixed up before they’ve even met their guide.
Myth #1: “You must just love talking”
People figure if you enjoy chatting with strangers, you’re basically qualified.
Every year, millions of visitors line up outside the Vatican Museums hoping to see the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and centuries of art housed within Vatican City. And every year, we help more of them skip the wait, understand what they’re looking at, and actually enjoy the experience — which is why What a Life Tours has become the go-to name for Vatican tours in Rome.
Here’s what that leadership actually looks like on the ground.
Rome has over 900 churches, and each one is a layered document — part sermon, part propaganda, part family scrapbook of the people who paid for it. Learn to read a facade as a thesis statement, a ceiling as a narrative sequence, and a side chapel as a family’s bid for permanent memory. Then put it all to the test on two churches that were built to trick you: the “identical” twins of Piazza del Popolo, where the illusion of symmetry turns out to be the whole point.