With so many wonderful shops to choose from, it's difficult to know where to start! Here is a small selection:
Cenerentola , Rio Terra'Nomboli, San Polo 2600/A
Tel: 041 523 2006
Beautiful lampshades exquisitely crafted and also custom made.
Codognato , Calle dell'Ascensione, San Marco 1295
Tel: 041 5225042
Fantastic collection of jewellery: seas of emeralds and pearls in all sorts of styles.
Dittura , San Vio 871, Dorsoduro
Tel: 0141 523 1163
Any Venetian will tell you to go to Dittura to purchase a pair of de rigeur 'furlane' - traditional gondolier's shoes made of velvet. Mainly worn as chic slippers they are made for both men and women.
Battiston , Calle Vallaresso, San Marco
Decanters and glasses made of blown glass.
Bottega Veneta , Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1337,
Tel: 041 522 8489
Say no more. Handbag heaven.
Cartapesta , Barbaria delle Tolle, Castello
Masks and other items in papier mache and leather - you can put aside a good hour to browse in here.
Il Prato: Legatoria , Calle de le Ostreghe 2457/58
Tel: 041 523 1148, fax 041 528 7928,
A real find - my favourite shop in Venice. Exquisite leather goods from cigar cases with temperature controls to elegant solitaire boards all beautifully crafted using the same manufacturer as Hermes. Good initialled stationary as well. The owner's beagle is the icing on the cake for me - absolutely adorable. Also has US distributor: Lucy Zahram and Co, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills CA (tel: 800 828 1333)
Rose Douce , Rialto - S. Giovanni Guisostomo, Cannaregio 5782
Tel: 041 522 7232
Murano glasswear; small multicoloured beads, delicate flutes and antique necklaces.
Rubelli Fabrics , Palazzo Corner Spinelli, San Marco 3877
Tel: 041 523 6110, www.rubelli.com
Wonderful collections, luxurious silks and quality cottons. If you can't get to Venice in the meantime you tempt yourself in the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre: H A Percherton Ltd (tel: 020 7349 1590) has a concession - not quite the same as being in Venice but still fun all the same.....
Vittorio Trois , Campo San Maurizio, San Marco 2666
Tel: 041 522 2905)
Workshop that sells original Fortuny fabrics for dresses and for furnishings as well. Divine. (Also see Venetia Stadium for lamps, furnishings and scarves: San Marco 2425, Calle Larga 22 Marzo. Tel: 041 5236953)
Mondo Novo , Rio Terra Canal, Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro.
Tel: 041 528 7344
Another place for masks. Word on the street is that Kubrick came here to collect masks for a well known scene in Eyes Wide Shut .
Panificio Volpe , Calle Ghetto Vecchio, Cannaregio 1143
Tel: 041 715178
A pastry shop not to be missed: breads and sweets in the Jewish tradition. Deer's horns packed full of crema di mandorla (almond fondant), tiny delicate candles made of sugar and much, much more for those with a sweet tooth.
Paolin in Campo Santa Stefano - gelateria in Venice.
Running down from the Piazza San Marco to the Rialto area, the Mercerie and the nearby Calle dei Fabbri have been the main shopping streets in Venice for hundreds of years, attracting crowds of shoppers. There are some interesting and more unusual shops slightly to the west of San Marco, in Frezzeria. Grander, more up-market stores can be found lined up from the Piazza to the Accademia Bridge and these provide a wide-range of merchandise. For souvenirs and gifts, one of the best places to go are the streets just north of Campo Santo Stefano, where gift shops are plentiful.
For a wide choice of some less expensive shops, the narrow streets from the Rialto area to San Polo, just across the Grand Canal, are ideal. These interesting shops are full of character, atmosphere and often some real bargains. Locals tend to buy their everyday goods from the busy Lista di Spagna and Strada Nova, near the station, where the shops cater more for the locals, rather than tourists.
Venice Fashion and Accessories The boutiques of the most prestigious fashions proliferate in the quarter of San Marco and particularly in the Calle Larga XXII Marzo; you would believe yourself in... Paris, London or New York! Therefore let us quickly return to Venice and to its distinctly more romantic calli where there still remain some very Venetian designers of fantastic talent.
In the San Marco area of Venice, top fashion designer outlets are plentiful, with famous names including Armani, Laura Biagiotti, Gucci, Krizia, MaxMara, Missoni, Prada, Trussardi, Valentino and Versace, to name but a few, all near to the Piazza. For more outrageous and contemporary design, be sure to visit Fiorella in Campo Santo Stefano, where there are plenty of stylish outfits to be found. In the Calle della Mandola and the shops around the Mercerie, you with find an excellent selection of leather goods, including chic shoes bags, wallets and also a wide-range of colourful, traditional Venetian slippers.
Emilio Ceccato: This shop is original because they sell nothing other than gondolier's clothing! And if you do not buy your small striped pullover from here, you will at least be able to acquire your straw hat from Italy!
Sottoportego di Rialto - San Polo
Barbieri: For the ladies only, this shop sells scarves and shawls of all colors. But let us also consider, gentlemen, if your lady is happy, she will also purchase for you one of their neckties.
Calle de la Madona, 3403 - Castello
Phone: +39 041 522 81 77
Trois (three) V. Small objects of “couture” quality.
campo San Maurizio, 2666 - San Marco
Phone: +39 041 522 29 05
Venice Fabrics and Interior Design
Venetian interior design is inspired by the famous city of canals and bridges.
During the Renaissance period of the Middle Ages, the Italian cities of Florence and Venice were at the center of this enlightening movement. Venice in particular became known for classical influences gleaned from studying ancient Greek and Roman culture. The Renaissance movement later spread to other European countries.
Venice is known for its fine silk and glorious velvets and many shops sell an enormous range of beautiful fabrics. There are many designer silks sold by the metre, including the gossamer-fine pleated silks invented by Fortuny for his Delphos dresses. If you are searching for traditional Venetian fabric, try one of the following outlets:
In the San Marco area, The House of Rubelli in the Palazzo Corner Spinelli on the Grand Canal, hosts the showroom of Rubelli , a company founded in 1858 - rich brocades and velvets
Always in the San Marco area, the atelier of Tessitura Bevilacqua offers a collection of ancient and precious fabrics which date back to several centuries ago.
On the Giudecca island don't miss ‘Tessitura Fortuny ' . There's a showroom where a lovely lady will talk to you about their multi-coloured cotton printed fabrics which are still made using the old techniques and weaving machines created by the artist Mariano Fortuny.
Color Casa in San Polo - wonderful, reasonably priced textiles
Jesurum - near to the Bridge of Sighs, for fine linens and delicate lingerie
You can also visit the Museo Fortuny in town as well as the ‘Museo del Costume' in Palazzo Mocenigo.
There are also a number of very stylish shops that specialise in traditional and modern interior design, selling many home accessories. The Lido's Gran Viale has several shops in the city that are worth visiting for great design ideas and general inspiration.
Venice Glassware
In addition to the magnificent classical architecture of Venice’s stone and marble buildings, Venice is also known for its glass, mirrors, and ornate artwork.
The nearby island of Murano is the best place to go for Venetian glassware, where it has been made for over 700 years. With simple, traditional designs and more contemporary glassware, Murano factories have large showrooms, to display the glass at its best. There are also some attractive pieces for sale in the city centre and there are several shops in the San Marco region selling both original and reproduction antique glassware.
Venice Masks and costumes
Venice is well-known for its amazing masks and costumes and cheap, mass-produced masks can be readily purchased throughout the city. However, genuine masks make great souvenirs and the Laboratorio Artigiano Maschere in Castello specialises in traditional mask making, with some truly splendid and eye-catching designs. You can also find a good selection of masks and some rather stunning costumes just off Campo Santa Margherita in Mondonovo, and at Tragicomica near Campo San Polo. Leading up to the main carnival time, Venice mask makers are understandably very busy, but normally they will welcome visitors and are pleased to demonstrate their craft - some even hold workshops. The cartapesta (papier-mâché) Carnevale masks you'll find in endless botteghe , where you can watch artisans paint amid their wares.
Venice Jewellery
The arcades of Piazza San Marco are home to some of Venice's best jewellers, namely Missiaglia and Nardi, with an enormous range of jewellery to suit all tastes and most budgets. Near to the Rialto Bridge are more jewellers, selling cheaper designs, including some nice bracelets, chains, earrings, necklaces and glass beads known as 'perle veneziane'. Price is determined by the weight of the gold.
Venice Department Stores
Department stores in Italy are not very common and Venice is no exception, with mainly small, individual shops. The main department store is Coin, a large chain store that sells everything you could possibly want. There are also some cheaper smaller stores in other towns in the Veneto area and these are more like supermarkets in style.
Venice Books and Gifts
There are several good art and craft shops in the San Barnaba area, selling traditional and more unusual souvenirs and gifts. These include carved, wooden ornaments, toys, tapestries, paper objects, Venice masks and even model gondolas.
The delicate lace from Burano:
when purchasing traditional lace, it is cheaper to buy lace on the island of Burano rather than in the city centre, although the cheaper lace is often imported. The handmade lace may be expensive, but the quality is exquisite.
There are also plenty of bookshops of varying size in Venice, with many bargains and some selling secondhand titles. One of the largest and best is Goldoni, in Calle dei Fabbri, which stocks maps as well as a wide range of books.
Libreria Studium , San Marco 337 (tel. 041-522-2382 ), carries lots of travel guides and maps as well as books in English. Another good choice is Libreria al Ponte , Calle della Mandola, 3717D (tel. 041-522-4030 ), which stocks travel guides and English-language books. Two other centrally located bookstores are the Libreria Sansovino in the Bacino Orseolo 84, just north of the Piazza San Marco (tel. 041-522-2623 ), and the Libreria San Giorgio , Calle Larga XXII Marzo 2087 (tel. 041-523-8451 ), beyond the American Express Office toward Campo Santo Stefano. Both carry a selection of books about Venetian art, history, and literature.
For art books and other colorful hardbacks on history and Italian sights to hold down your coffee table at 40% to 50% off, head to Libreria Bertoni Mario , San Marco 3637B (Rio Terrà dei Assassini; tel. 041-522-9583 ), or Libreria Beronti Alberto , San Marco 4718 (Calle dei Fabbri; tel. 041-522-4615 ).
Postcards are for sale everywhere and these are usually views of the city, churches and many of the other outstanding buildings.
Venice Antiques
There are several large antiques shops in and around both San Maurizio and Santa Maria Zobenigo, although these can be expensive. For antique bargains in Venice, look out for the many antiques fairs that appear throughout the year.
The interesting Mercatino dell'Antiquariato (Antiques Fair) takes place three times annually in the charming Campo San Maurizio between Piazza San Marco and Campo Santo Stefano. Dates change yearly for the 3-day weekend market but generally fall the first weekend of April, mid-September, and the weekend before Christmas. More than 100 vendors sell everything from the sublime piece of Murano glass to quirky dust-collectors. Early birds might find reasonably priced finds such as Murano candy dishes from the 1950s, Venetian-pearl glass beads older still, vintage Italian posters advertising Campari-sponsored regattas, or antique postcards of Venice that could be from the 1930s or the 1830s -- things change so little here. Those for whom price is less an issue might pick up antique lace by the yard or a singular museum-quality piece of handblown glass from a local master.
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Guest House in Italy Live your dreams in Italy. Book your holiday and organize your weekend. Farmhouses, bed and breakfasts, country houses, villas, castles, apartments, and thermal springs. Discover our culture, art, Cuisine and tradition. Come to Italy!