Shopping is, inevitably, part of most holidays, whether you are doing it for fun or picking up gifts for those who didn't get to go on vacation with you. If you have found a holiday rental in Venice and are planning on going shopping, here is a handy guide on the city's best stores and shopping districts to help you out and the key information you need on shopping culture in the city!
1. Venice is not a city of Bargains
Venice is a city where you very much get what you pay for and anything that is cheap is likely to be cheaply made. Venetians have been craftspeople and merchants for longer than some cities have existed and, as such, don't take kindly to haggling.
1. Venice is not a city of Bargains
Venice is a city where you very much get what you pay for and anything that is cheap is likely to be cheaply made. Venetians have been craftspeople and merchants for longer than some cities have existed and, as such, don't take kindly to haggling.
2. Beware of outsourced “local crafts”
The glass of Murano, lace of Burano and Carnevale masks for which Venice is famous, can be found everywhere. However, be sure to pay attention as you will now find a lot of cheap replicas made in factories on the other side of the world.
3. If you like Antiques…
You'll love the Mercatino dell'Antiquariato (Antiques Fair) that takes place three times a year in the charming Campo San Maurizio between Piazza San Marco and Campo Santo Stefano. Dates change year to year but generally fall the first weekend of April, mid-September, and the weekend before Christmas. The market is home to more than 100 vendors that sell everything from Murano glass to vintage Italian advertisement posters.
The glass of Murano, lace of Burano and Carnevale masks for which Venice is famous, can be found everywhere. However, be sure to pay attention as you will now find a lot of cheap replicas made in factories on the other side of the world.
3. If you like Antiques…
You'll love the Mercatino dell'Antiquariato (Antiques Fair) that takes place three times a year in the charming Campo San Maurizio between Piazza San Marco and Campo Santo Stefano. Dates change year to year but generally fall the first weekend of April, mid-September, and the weekend before Christmas. The market is home to more than 100 vendors that sell everything from Murano glass to vintage Italian advertisement posters.
4. For books and a unique setting…
Libreria Studium and Mondadori carry lots of travel guides and maps as well as books in English. Libreria Acqua Alta, meanwhile, is a famous bookstore that has given up the battle against the constant flooding in Venice. The self-proclaimed "most beautiful bookstore in the world" is a collection of rooms stuffed to the gills with books, prints, magazines and other items piled inside bathtubs, waterproof bins, and even, a gondola, inside the shop.
5. For actual crafts…
The Murano Art Shop, is a cultural experience, a small shop packed with the whimsical crafts of the city's most creative artisans from masks to puppets and music boxes to costume jewelry. Venini has been one of the most respected and innovative glassmakers in all of Venice since 1921 and are closer to works of art. The only school still teaching the craft of handmade lace in Venice is the Scuola dei Merletti in Burano and the school, museum and shop are must-sees. For masks, the best of the best are La Bottega dei Mascareri and Il Canovaccio, which counts Rolling Stone guitarist Ron Wood and Stanley Kubrick as fans.
Find all of this and more in Venice!
Libreria Studium and Mondadori carry lots of travel guides and maps as well as books in English. Libreria Acqua Alta, meanwhile, is a famous bookstore that has given up the battle against the constant flooding in Venice. The self-proclaimed "most beautiful bookstore in the world" is a collection of rooms stuffed to the gills with books, prints, magazines and other items piled inside bathtubs, waterproof bins, and even, a gondola, inside the shop.
5. For actual crafts…
The Murano Art Shop, is a cultural experience, a small shop packed with the whimsical crafts of the city's most creative artisans from masks to puppets and music boxes to costume jewelry. Venini has been one of the most respected and innovative glassmakers in all of Venice since 1921 and are closer to works of art. The only school still teaching the craft of handmade lace in Venice is the Scuola dei Merletti in Burano and the school, museum and shop are must-sees. For masks, the best of the best are La Bottega dei Mascareri and Il Canovaccio, which counts Rolling Stone guitarist Ron Wood and Stanley Kubrick as fans.
Find all of this and more in Venice!