Essteele's new ceramic cookware range Per Moda is inspired by Italy's long history of ceramic manufacture and use.
From north to south, Italy's hill towns and seaside ports are filled with artisans producing traditional Italian ceramics. Made from local clay and hand painted by ceramic artisans, it is a tradition centuries old.
Nove, The Veneto
The town of Nove, in the province of Vicenza, in The Veneto, sits on the banks of the river Brenta and has been renowned since the seventeenth century for its production of ceramics. There are more than 100°Ceramics stores in the town. Many leading US retailers source their ceramic ranges here, including Macy's and even Tiffany.
Deruta, Umbria (pictured)
On the banks of the Tiber River, and hour-and-a-half's drive north of Rome, the town of Deruta is one of Italy's best-known ceramics. Located in the province of Perugia, in the region of Umbria, it is a popular day trip for visitors staying in bordering Tuscany. Production of ceramics, using local clay, began here in the Early Middle Ages and continues until this day.
In the south, The Amalfi Coast is dotted with ceramics studios and stores selling ceramic pots, vases and dinner sets. Towns including Vietri Sul Mare, Amalfi itself, seaside Positano and every town and hamlet tucked into the twists and turns of the Amalfi Coast Road. Ravello, high on the hill, has a long-held reputation for fine ceramics.
Ravello, Amalfi Coast
The most famous store in the pretty town is Pascal Ceramiche d'Arte. Brimming with table wares, dinner plates, jugs and mugs, tiles, and even water features to ship home.
Vietri Sul Mare, Amalfi Coast
You can see the ceramics of this town, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, before you even arrive, in the pretty, sparkling ceramic majolica cupola of the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, built-in 1732. The streets and laneways of the town are filled with ceramic studios and shops selling everything from olive oil and vinegar bottles to baking trays, tiles and splashbacks for your kitchen.
Image: Deruta is a hill town in province of Perugia (Umbria), central Italy.