World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Venice  - Shopping
Shopping

From the pungent fish market to handblown glass factories, Venice may not be a mecca for style but it certainly has some of Italy's more interesting gifts. Once the trading post of silks and spices, its shops are now filled with carnival masks, Murano crystal and hand-painted fabrics. There is no set shopping district, but most of the designer haunts are on or off the main drag from the train station to St Mark's Square. All the big Italian names are present: Versace, Armani, Missoni, Gianfranco Ferre and Valentino, plus a few more unusual clothes lines - like Emilio Ceccato, Sottoportego di Rialto, San Polo, who specialises in gondoliers' outfits. Of the carnival masks, the best can be found at Emilio Massaro, Calle Vitturi, San Marco, where you can watch them being made. The islands of Burano (lace) and Murano (glass) are also prim excursions for shoppers. Glass is the most celebrated of the city's industries. From chandeliers to jewellery, all manner of shapes and objects are reproduced in the delicate colourful glass. Prices vary enormously, but expect to be fleeced in the elegant shops around St Mark's Square, and even on the island of Murano - although some of the most original pieces may also be found here. Carlo Moretti at L'Isola, Campo San Moise, San Marco, and Lucio Bubacco, Calle Rughetta, San Polo, are two of the best designers. For the ultimate novelty gift, head for Giacomo Rizzo, Calle San Giovanni Crisostomo, Cannaregio, where there is a selection of local produce, including gondola-shaped pasta.

Of the markets, the fish market (closed Sunday and Monday) is the most memorable - tucked away under the arches alongside the Rialto Bridge, it is worth catching in the early morning when the dawn mists rise off the lagoon and piles of shimmering fish glisten in the sunlight. It gives a chance to glimpse the city at work as the fishermen, housewives and restauranteurs converge in a babble of dialect amid the slippery eels and inky squid. Dedicated bargain-hunters should also look out for the flea market, which appears infrequently in the Campo San Maurizio.

Food shops in Venice often close on a Wednesday afternoon and many gift and clothes boutiques stay shut on Monday morning. Shops are open 0900-1930 with most smaller shops closing between 1300 and 1600. Sales tax is 12-14% depending on the value of the good purchased. Non-EU citizens should retain receipts for goods over L300,000 to reclaim their VAT (IVA).



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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