Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, where millions of tourists flock. But not only tourist and cultural attractions are famous for this place. Shopping in Venice is a special type of tourism. From here you can bring original souvenirs, high-quality fashionable clothes and much more.
Truly Venetian Shopping
What to bring from Venice? The visiting card of this city is Venetian glass. True, it is made not in Venice itself, but on the neighboring island of Murano. It is there that the store of the famous master Roberto di Rossi is located, which is engaged in the manufacture of lamps from Venetian glass. You can purchase products at Canagerio, Fondamnta Nuove, 5045 / F. If you do not plan a trip to the island, then in Venice you will find a lot of products from Venetian glass - from small plates and ashtrays to elegant vases and bulky chandeliers.
What else can you buy while shopping in Venice? Buranian lace. True, again, they are made not in the city itself, but on the neighboring island of Burano. But for the products of skilled lace-makers it is not necessary to go to the island. You can buy them at almost any textile store in Venice. A large selection of lace is available at the store at Piazza San Marco 67 / A.
You can’t go to Venice and not buy a Venetian mask. Basically, they are sold at every turn. But if you want to find a high-quality and original product, go to the Il Canovaccio store (Castello, 5369) or to Tragicomica (San Polo, 2800). Mostly masks from papier-mâché are presented in the assortment, but you can also find expensive leather pieces, like those of Casanova himself.
Best areas for shopping
If shopping is a must during your trip to Venice, you are simply obliged to visit the Mercury area (from Piazza San Marco to the Rialto Bridge), which is the main shopping area of ​​the city. In fact, this is an ordinary residential street. The only difference is that the first floors of the houses are fully occupied by shops, boutiques and shops. If you want to buy something special for yourself or as a gift, be sure to visit stationery stores, which feature notebooks, pens, envelopes and other antique-made items.
For clothes, shoes and accessories, you should go to Mestre, in the suburbs of Venice. There are numerous shopping centers where you can find things of famous brands. In Venice itself there is also a street of boutiques Calle Larga XXII Marzo. But keep in mind that perhaps the most expensive stores are located here.
If you want to get some jewelry to commemorate Venice, go to the Rialto Bridge. On and around it, jewelry is sold in the form of masks, gondolas and other symbols of Venice. And for exclusive jewelry, head to Piazza San Marco, where Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor once bought diamonds.
What to bring from Venice? Of course, antiques. Interior items, cutlery, home décor and much more can be purchased at antique shops in the Dorsoduro area. Similar outlets can also be found along the Calle delle Botege, as well as between San Samuel and San Marco. If you will be in Venice from March to December, be sure to visit the antique market Mercantino dell'Antiquariato.
Outlets in Venice
An outlet is a store that sells branded items at a frantic discount (about 70%). As a rule, these are collections of past years that were not sold out. In the season of sales, additional discounts are added to existing discounts. Please note that in Venice itself you will not find large outlets, so you will have to go to neighboring settlements:
Noventa di Piave Designer Outlet is not just an outlet, but an entire Italian-style trading village, consisting of boutiques of various expensive brands, as well as mid-priced brands. Sales are regularly held here with discounts of 30-70%. Address: Via Marco Polo, 1. It is in Noventa di Piave, 40 km from Venice.
Diffusione Tessile is an outlet for clothes, shoes and haberdashery, in which discounts of 30-40% are valid all year round. It is also located in Noventa di Piave. Address: Via Rialto, 14.
Coin is a popular outlet in Venice. Located within the city at Via Terraglio 17. In addition to clothing and accessories, you can also buy souvenirs and interior items.
Featured Stores
Among the shops of Venice there are several such that do not leave indifferent neither locals nor tourists. Here are the main ones:
Chiarastella Cattana - a true paradise of home textiles. Tablecloths and bedding with botanical motifs are made according to old technology on traditional looms. Address: 3357 San Marco, not far from Palazzo Grassi.
Cristina Linassi is a brand-name nightgowns store made from natural cotton or silk. Their key feature is the original design, as in old Italian films.
Officine 904 is a soft leather handbag store for all occasions. For everyday wear, for evening outings, for trips, for shopping, here you will find any bag. Address: 2671 Calle Seconda dei Saoneri, San Polo.
Arcobaleno is a magical store for creative people. Here you can buy decorative glass containers made of multi-colored glass, as well as brushes and canvases for drawing. Address: 3457 Calle delle Botteghe, San Marco.
Libreria Mondadori Venezia is a bookstore where you can buy a guide to Venice or any other Italian city. It also sells literature of Venetian writers translated into English. Address: 1346 San Marco.
Where to buy shoes
Italian shoes and haberdashery are famous for their high quality and sophisticated style. But where to buy the best products? These shops are popular and have an excellent reputation with both locals and travelers:
Segalin is a family boutique. Segalins have been making shoes for over 70 years. Their products are famous for their excellent quality. The store is not in Venice itself, but in the city of Mestre (Via S. Pio X, 30).
Fratelli Rossetti is a store of the famous Italian shoe brand, which is loved all over the world. In addition to shoes, here you can buy quality bags, as well as leather outerwear. Address: 1477 S. Marco.
Bottega Veneta is a famous brand's shoe boutique that has fans all over the world. They also sell beautiful and high-quality bags. Address: Salizada S. Moisè, 1473, not far from Piazza San Marco.
Venetian markets
Shopping in Venice can be different - expensive boutiques, street vendors, modern shopping centers, fashion outlets. But a special and incomparable atmosphere reigns precisely in the markets. Here are some places you should visit:
- Mercati di Rialto is the oldest and perhaps the most popular market in Venice, which has been operating since the Middle Ages. It sells the freshest seafood, as well as the best local fruits and vegetables. There is also a cheese shop in the market that sells the best parmesan.
- Mercato Santa Maria dei Miracoli is a flea market located next to the church of the same name. The locals bring here things that they do not need on the farm, but it is a pity to throw them away. There are books, and jewelry, and dishes, and paintings, and many other original things.
- Women's Prison Market - Located on the island of Judecca. There is a social program in the local prison, which includes providing employment to women serving sentences. They grow vegetables, sew clothes, print books, make cosmetics and much more.
Grocery shopping
Italy is rightfully considered one of the most "delicious" countries. Therefore, be sure to bring home a little tasty. Here are some foods to buy in Venice:
- pasta of different shapes and colors;
- aromatic olive oil;
- Italian coffee
- Italian wine
- balsamic vinegar;
- truffle extract;
- dry ham San Daniele;
- hard cheese (parmesan, asiago, pecorino).
The best place for grocery shopping is Garibaldi Street. A huge number of outlets are concentrated here, and prices are much lower than in other areas of the city. Please note that grocery stores are open from 8:30 to 13:00, from 16:00 to 19:00. On Wednesdays and Sundays, most grocery outlets are closed in the afternoon.
VAT refund
Shopping in Venice in Italy is not only exciting, but also very profitable, because when you leave the country, you can get back the amount of VAT on purchases over 155 euros. To do this, you must present a passport in the store (as confirmation that you are not an EU citizen), and also fill out a special form. If you want to receive a refund in cash, fill out the blue form, and if on a credit card - yellow.
Unpacked purchases, checks, as well as completed forms, must be presented at the customs control. After verification, the officer will affix the appropriate stamps on the documents. Now you can go to the appropriate counter (Global Refund or Tax Free Shopping). The refund amount is about 13%.
Venetian Shopping Reviews
When planning your trip shopping, check out the reviews of tourists about shopping in Venice. Here are the highlights:
- almost at every step there are shops with small inexpensive souvenirs (masks, t-shirts, cards, trinkets, magnets, jewelry and so on);
- a huge number of types of sausages and local cheeses;
- a large selection of quality leather products;
- a huge number of atmospheric shops with intricately designed display cases;
- You can buy original jewelry for every taste and budget;
- prices in branded branded stores are much lower than for similar products in Russia;
- state regulation of the period of sales.
There are also negative points:
- in crowded places, Africans sell cheap smuggled goods, buying which you can run into a decent fine;
- in tourist places everything is many times more expensive than in less crowded streets;
- not all stores want to deal with documents for VAT refunds;
- most of the budget souvenirs are not local, but Chinese-made;
- recently in tourist places there have been many fakes under the guise of expensive high-quality goods.
Final tip
If the main purpose of your visit to Venice is shopping, you can not do without outside help. For example, you can turn to Russian translators who will prompt and show where to make original and profitable purchases. You can also turn to shopping guides who will take you to the most “treasured” places, where the widest assortment of products at the most attractive prices is presented.