Shopping in Orvieto and Buying Orvieto Pottery

We found incredible temptation in the gorgeous Orvieto pottery shops. Temptation that we couldn't resist...

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You know me. I don't usually do much shopping when I travel, thanks to my very small bag. And, of course, I'm rather stingy with my travel budget! But when I had the chance to do a little Orvieto pottery shopping, I jumped at the chance and broke ALL my usual rules. 

Of all the things you can buy in Orvieto, pottery is number one. The Orvieto ceramic scene is legendary and an important part of the town's identity. It's been at the center of Italian ceramic tradition since the 13th century! Today, there are dozens of shops lining both the main streets and also tucked into lanes that sell the town's signature brightly colored plates, bowls, cups, and decorative figurines. ​I dare anyone to walk down Orvieto's streets and not be tempted! I sure couldn't. The stunning colors and designs give Orvieto such a cheerful, jaunty feel - and definitely beckon you inside to explore more. 

​Here are some of my favourite shops, plus a few extra suggestions on what to buy and how to get it all home.

My favourite Orvieto pottery shops

Photo courtesy onetcard.net under creative commons licensing.

There were two Orvieto pottery shops in particular that really caught my eye. Okay, okay - I fell in love with them and, truth be told, I wish I could have brought home everything they sold. And I just KNOW that you will find them just as delightful as I did.
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• At Mastro Paolo (36 Piazza del Duomo), modern designs and colors pop. Still designed, produced, and sold by the same family, there's a real sense of pride and individuality in this little shop. I bought four large dinner plates and four large soup bowls in their signature stripped pattern. This stands out as the single most indulgent, expensive, and totally impractical thing I've ever purchased while traveling. And, yes, we did get it home in Ryan's backpack!!! Like I said - totally impractical. But worth it. I LOVED this shop.

 

• At Orviet'Anna (8 Vicolo Dei Dolci, a small lane off Piazza del Duomo), we found an Orvieto ceramic studio which was cozy, charming, and, while it was the complete opposite of Mastro Paolo's modern, minimalist style, the two shops shared a sense of individuality and authenticity. There are no mass produced pie plates and decorative roosters here! I picked up two tiny espresso cups (one which sadly broke - the only misadventure in our insane Orvieto pottery packing project - and we now use it as a bud vase). I'm dreaming of going back just so I can buy some more.

Other gorgeous things to shop for in Orvieto

With our massive package from Mastro Paolo securely wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap, we really didn't have a single spare inch to spare in our backpacks. Oh, did I fail to mention that we had previously purchased a giant olive wood cutting board, three heavy alabaster candle holders, and a delicate alabaster frame the week before in Volterra? Yep, we were at capacity. But MY GOODNESS Orvieto is filled with shopping temptations. I honestly don't know if I have ever been to a city whose style spoke to me as much.

On the two main streets alone (Via Del Duomo and Corso Cavour), I passed shops selling a rainbow of wallets, pouches, handbags, and totes made of out buttery soft Italian leather, stores filled with the cutest stock of household accessories and kitchen goods, and clothing shops with scarves, jewelry, and jewel-toned felt slippers. I was also deeply tempted by bespoke clothing stores with gorgeous wool winter coats, design studios showcasing spectacular furniture like patterned headboards (good thing I didn't try to get that one home...), and pricey Italian designer lingerie. 

Peaking down the lanes off the main streets was enticing. There were so many small shops and studios! But, as Ryan kept reminding me, we had NO. MORE. SPACE! 

Some tips on bargaining and shipping

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's appropriate to bargain in an Orvieto pottery shop, if you are in a family run studio  - like Mastro Paolo or Orviet'Anna - and you are purchasing many items, it's not out of line to ask if there is a bundled price. In our case, we were debating between several different plates and the shopkeeper spontaneously offered us an improved price of about 15%. That convinced us to buy more! Two things worked in our favor: each plate and bowl was between 40 and 50 Euro, a price I suspect has some built in wiggle room, and we were in a family run shop where the shopkeeper was also the business owner.

But in a bigger shop, say the kind with several employees selling mass produced items like inexpensive figurines and house numbers (to display your home's address in colorful pottery tiles), this likely wouldn't work. But if you're bold I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask! However, a lot of these same shops have signs saying "ask about our free shipping". If you spend a certain amount of money, they will ship your items at no extra cost. Of course, this means that 'free' shipping is built into the price of your goods. So that might take away any bargaining leverage.

Regardless of shop style, staff will happily wrap up your items with bubblewrap and all can arrange shipping with an international courier like DHL. In our case, it would have cost over 150 Euros! That wasn't unreasonable considering size, weight, and insurance but it was still too pricey for us. It was well worth it for us to work a little packing magic and make it fit. Before that, we even considered buying a cheap suitcase just to fit our package but it all worked out in the end. 

On my next trip to Orvieto, I'm bringing a spare suitcase - and so should you! Even if you share my indifference to travel shopping, I think you'll also share my reaction to Orvieto pottery. It's so beautiful, you just can't help but bring home a plate or eight.


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