Travel Europe Today

Venice is surely one of the best places to go in Italy. Known as the shopper’s paradise you can find whatever you are looking for from high fashion, antiques, furniture, home décor and more. From Piazza San Marco to the Rialto area, the Mercerie and Calle dei Fabbri have been the main shopping streets in Venice for hundreds of years. Hosting some interesting and unusual shops there is always quite a crowd of shoppers.

In the San Marco area in Venice top designer outlets are found in abundance. Names such as Armani, Laura Biagiotti, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, and Versace just to name a few are all located near the Piazza. For a more contemporary or even outrageous look you can go to Fiorella in Campo Santo Stefano where these types of shops can be found. In the shops around the Mercerie, you will find a great selection of leather goods, including handbags, shoes, wallets and an array of colorful, traditional Venetian slippers. Venice is also known for its fine silks and velvets and many shops sell an enormous array of fabrics.

The nearby island of Murano is the best place to visit for Venetian glassware. Having been made there for over 700 years you will find glassware with simple, traditional, and contemporary designs. There are several shops in the San Marco area that sell both the original and reproductions of the antique glassware.

Venice is also well known for its amazing masks and costumes. Inexpensive mass produced masks can be easily purchased anywhere in the city. However, genuine masks which can make a great souvenir have some truly splendid, unique, eye catching designs. Mask makers are extremely busy right before carnival time but most will welcome tourists and demonstrate their craft, some even allowing the tourists to get involved in the creation of their own mask.
The arcades of Piazza San Marco are home to Venice’s best jewelry makers. Missiaglia and Nardi are two of the famous jewelers providing their creations in Venice. There is a huge amount of jewelry displayed here something for everyone’s taste and budget. Closer to the Rialto bridge you can find more jewelers, these selling less expensive designs including bracelets, chains, earrings, necklaces, and the traditional glass beads called ‘perle veneziane’ which can also make a great souvenir. Same as in the United States the jewelry prices are based on the weight and cost of the gold at that particular moment.