Italia

Italy's best variety and value can be found in the following items: Clothes for men and women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, skirts), lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver items, alabaster; woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware.Venice  is the center of the glass & crystal industry. Florence specializes in leather, gold, and ceramics.

Although you can't take all of the delicious Italian food home with you (except on your hips!), you can certainly take home some amazing bottles of olive oil or wine. One can purchase leather at a fraction of the cost of what you would find in the United States and with much higher quality. The best leather goods include jackets, handbags, briefcases, belts, shoes, pants and wallets. Italy is also known for its high quality gold. Look for shops that sell the coveted 18 karat gold or stunning white gold. Clothing made especially of silks and cashmere is also of supreme quality. In addition, you can look for some exquisite antiques and art. Original work and replicas are sold all over. You can find many fine shops along Via Del Corso, parallel to the Spanish steps in Piazza Di Spagna.

Here are our picks for some of the best Italian films to see before you go on an Italian vacation. Movies to set the Italian mood.

Yes, you can read the guidebooks, look at pictures of Italian scenes, but nothing sets the mood for your Italian vacation better than watching an evocative film featuring sympathetic characters and stunning Italian landscapes. These might not be the most meaningful, or the most political films Italy has ever produced, but they're favored by folks who have a soft spot in their hearts for Italy.