A quality ancestral craft
Although the reputation of Lombardy's handicrafts has not enjoyed the same international success as that of Venetian handicrafts, Lombardy is nevertheless proud to have a number of exceptional centres of excellence in its territory. There are also beautiful wooden objects carved in the mountains of Aosta. First of all, the violin making of Cremona, famous all over the world since the 16th century thanks to Andrea Amati, reached its peak in the 18th century with the great Antonio Stradivari (of the famous Stradivarius violins). Lodi has developed the art of ceramics, which, in vases, artistic dishes and decorative objects, are absolutely magnificent and make great gifts to take home. In Lombardy, we can also mention the woven cotton carpets of Valtellina or the making of coloured carpets of coarse wool, the pezzotti, as well as in Val Malenco the making of kitchen utensils in soapstone, a beautiful grey-green stone that keeps the heat.
Gourmet food
Panettone from Milan, ravioli from Mantua, Tyrolean kanederli, salami from Pavia, olive oil from Lake Garda... There are many delicacies in the region. Be careful, your suitcase may be heavy when you return! Especially if you decide to invest in good bottles of local wine, including red Barbera (from Piedmont), sparkling white Oltrepó Pavese made from pinot noir or Piedmontese Bonarda. There is also the famous Lambrusco sparkling wine and Franciacorta. Lighter but fragile, consider bringing back homemade pasta, which can be found in all grocery stores, including supermarkets, they are incredibly diverse and often sold with prepared sauces. And of course olive oil, local cold cuts, dried tomatoes, pistachios, artichoke hearts, PDO quality parmesan, the famous Bialetti moka coffee maker (the company is located in Piedmont), good roasted coffee... and a good grappa of course, a must!
Fashion and design
If you want to be as stylish as the Italians, there's nothing like a little shopping in Milan or Turin! These big cities, especially Milan which hosts one of the most prestigious fashion events, Fashion Week, are full of luxury boutiques and designers. Leather, first of all, is worked locally following beautiful collections of handbags, jackets, gloves... And especially leather shoes. The hats are particularly beautiful and useful when the sun is strong. Of course, designer sunglasses, ready-to-wear clothes and accessories can be found in profusion in the shops. You can also choose a suit with classy lines, an evening dress, a tie, shirts and scarves that are less casual. Italy remains a destination of choice for redesigning one's wardrobe at reasonable prices for the quality of the fashion items, accessories and decorative objects. It is certainly the Italians who invented contemporary decorative arts. Italian design enjoys an undeniable reputation. Italian companies (often based in Milan, the world centre of design with its inevitable annual international fair) produce the most popular objects: Alessi (tableware), Artemide (lighting) or Kartell (furniture and plastic objects) have a virtual monopoly on this increasingly coveted market. Why not bring back an iconic object?
