Italian bath towels-where can I find some for home??

Ah, the quest for waffle weave towels. We've been acquiring our collection over many years. I've found them in good department stores and linen/housewares stores in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Sometime they have one little stack. More typically they don't have any thin towels-- but I look, ask and mime...
The towels we do own were purchased in stores like La Rinascente and Coin in Italy, Gallerie Kaufhaus in Germany, and a few independent stores in Austria and Switzerland. The towels are all 100% cotton.
These towels are usually more expensive than terry cloth towels but I think the cost is justified because in the coastal climate where we live, they dry much faster hanging in the bathroom and take less energy if we do put them in the dryer. My husband doesn't even ask how much they cost any more when I finally track some down in Europe. He just says what color are you getting.

This was my long answer to an earlier thread discussing if Italian hotels had towels (yes) and wash cloths (rarely) in the bathrooms. I don't know if you are looking for this thin type but I can't find them nor order them successfully in the US. I wouldn't be beyond asking the hotel if I could purchase 2. But do try one of the above mentioned housewares departments if your hotel can't help you.

Reinghurley and Mona, I am intrigued.

Are these close to what you like?
http://www.amazon.com/Waffle-Weave-Bath-Towel-White/dp/B0009SQMHS

Yes, those look like the ones I really like. I haven't looked on Amazon for awhile because they weren't available in the past. I've been acquiring mine over a 15 year period. I don't see that the product information lists the country of origin. I'd contact the seller or post a question to make sure the towels are actually made in Europe, not just "like" the ones in Europe. Thanks for taking the time to look on Amazon again. You may have found the real deal.

I asked the towel suppliers on Amazon where their towels are made and they answered with--Pakistan, for what it's worth.

The variety I've bought in Europe have Made in Italy, Austria or Germany on the labels and I've actually looked up the various textile companies. When we lived in northern Germany there was a large textile manufacturing company on the edge of our city that I visited.

Thanks for the sleuthing, Mona. Looks like towel shopping is something to add to my travel list. That, and I can never seem to find any cute white window curtains in European stores, even though many homes and hotels have them. Still, it is good to have a quest.

Agreed. A good reason to look around in a few stores every time we go to Europe. This year was a bust but last year I got my first pair of Austrian made waffle towels. Love the quest.

For the window curtains, check the fabric stores. ;-)

I always bring back tea towels, that I use as dish towels.
Just this morning, I took out one I found in Florence.

I have found waffle towels of the highest quality and are made in Italy by Busatti. They used to sell them in Dallas at Jacksons, but no longer.
So my friend and I went to the source in Tuscany. The original Busatti manufacturer is near Pienza, a few miles away in tiny Monticchiello (this is correct spelling). The store is across from the church and the miniature park, the size of a Postage stamp. It has lots of linens, table runners, towels and finery. This town is precious and smaller than you can imagine. If you like Italian linens, you will be amazed. The shop is owned by Fidia Cappelli

Oh my! Fabric stores and linens. I like to spend heaps of time on Liberty of London's fabric floor when in London. Guess I will have to expand that practice to other places.

Nice details, Kay. I'll have to check to see if I have any of these towels in my eclectic collection.

One description reads, "Hand-formed, sun-dried and fired in a kiln."
You'd never guess it was a towel and not pottery.

Ha ha Robert, nice observation. On the Amazon site for this Pakistani import company the foot scrubber has the exact same wording, "Hand-formed, sun-dried and fired in a kiln"...

Seems to be their cut and paste mistake. I'll continue to look for my linens in Europe.