Naples is one of the most famous cities in Italy. If you’re planning on visiting it anytime soon, then you may want to know what you could buy there. What gifts and souvenirs can you find in Naples? Today’s post will go over exactly that.
Ceramica di Vietri
The first point on our list goes to a fairly inexpensive gift idea – the beautiful local ceramics. The wares come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colours and patterns, be they saucers, plates, cups or decorative tiles. You can even find ceramic flower pot covers and lamp shades – one hell of a way to immortalise that memory. Though it may seem intuitively expensive, the small and simple wares tend to cost a few euros. Of course, if we’re going more grandiose, it may cost you hefty amounts.
Where to buy ceramics in Naples? We recommend the shop at Via Monteoliveto or Via Sergio Abate, 14, 80129.
Pulcinella
Though we’re not the biggest enthusiast of collecting figurines and stuff ourselves, you’ll find plenty of those in Naples. Predominantly, you’ll find lots of Pulcinellas, the famous character of Italian commedia dell’arte. You can recognise him by his mask, his hunched back and the majestic nose. The figurines are said to bring good fortune.
We recommend looking for your own Pulcinella at Vico del Fico al Purgatorio, 80138.
Nativity figurines
Presepi, or the art of making nativity scenes, has been a long-time tradition in Naples. There are more than 600 local shops and artisans making nativity figurines. You can buy small Jesuses, Maries, kings, animals, everything. There are also more unrelated figurines fit for the nativity scenes, like shepherds, thieves and even contemporary figures. Prices start at €1.
You can find the best nativity scenes and figurines at the S. Gregorio Armeno street – it’s open all year round, though you’ll find the best atmosphere here during Christmas.
Flour
Want to make a delicious Neapolitan pizza? The best type 00 flour will be a must then, straight from Naples, home to Neapolitan pizzas. If you are looking for a good brand of flour, we recommend Caputo Tipo “00”. Remember that Italian flour is also great for pasta, not just for pizza. As you would imagine, it’s still just flour, so it’s not overly expensive.
Music boxes
Another interesting souvenir that you can find in Naples is a music box, something produced regionally for centuries. We’d recommend looking for an inlaid wooden one if you can, as it’s a magnificent result of a method requiring a lot of precision and proficiency from the craftsman. In souvenir shops, small music boxes are only a few euros – those from actual artisans start at about €100.
You can even find terracotta, ceramic or mother-of-pearl music boxes in Naples.
Baba
Baba is a famous local dessert and you can find massive jars full of little babas in liqueur or limoncello in Naples. They’re a wonderful treat and a way to share some of Naples with your friends back home.
Limoncello liqueur
Speaking of limoncello, if you don’t want a baba with liqueur, then you can just buy the liqueur itself. Limoncello is a traditional Campanian beverage which is also very easy to make yourself. It’s literally just about 10 scrubbed lemons per 750 ml of alcohol with the classic dissolved sugar added.
Of course, Italians use special Sorrento lemons for their limoncello. It’s a liqueur mainly produced in the Bay of Naples, served chilled and sometimes used as a digestivo. Typically, the end-product is about 25-30%.
Marinella ties
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While you may recognise some Italian producers of perfumes or clothes, you may not know that they also make great ties. The Neapolitan company E. Marinella opened its first shop in 1914, with the intention of recreating a “little corner of England” in Naples. Over the 100 years of its existence, the company has become one of the most famous manufacturers of ties (and other silk products), opening shops in such prestigious locations as Rome, Milan and even Tokyo.
Marinella ties were actually popularised by Italian politicians and diplomats and celebrities, such as Silvio Berclusconi and Prince Albert II Grimaldi, who are regular users of these products. The most famous E. Marinella shop is located at Via Riviera di Chiaia 287 in Naples.
Napolimania
Whether you’re a psychofan of SSC Napoli or you just want to buy literally any traditional souvenir you could think of, Napolimania is your place. It’s the most popular souvenir shop in Naples that you’ll find at Via Toledo. You’ll also find plenty of football stuff there, as you can see.
Strega
If you fancy something stronger than a lemon liqueur, then we’d recommend Strega. It’s a 40% liqueur with as many as 70 different herbs. Strega has been on the market since the 19th century and you can still find it here today – we recommend looking for it at Via Benedetto Croce, 4.
Packaged foods
While some people prefer figurines, we believe that there’s no better souvenir from Italy than food. Though you may associate Naples with pizza and pizza alone, that’s far from all it offers. We recommend a variety of Italian herbs, nuts, pasta, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms, as you’ll be able to reuse all of them later in the kitchen, recreating some of that magic.
Olive oil
Italy is one of the largest producers of olive oil, with Italian olive oil also being considered one of the best in the world. Of course, you can also buy very high quality olive oil at home, though it’ll likely be pricier there than it is here, in Italy. As long as you have the extra room for it, we highly recommend stocking up on olive oil, though make sure to bring some bubble wrap to protect it for the journey. Original olive oil straight from the foot of Vesuvius will no-doubt enchant every dish we prepare at home.
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