Top Rated Shopping in Venice

This historic glass-blowing business has always produced extremely exclusive glassware. Vases of all shapes and sizes take on magical colors and transparencies in a plethora of styles. Collaboration with a variety of modern designers and artists such as Ettore Sottsass has insured that the decorative glassware remains contemporary. Today, Venini produces vases, glasses and chandeliers, which are exported all over the world. Decorating your home with Venini's pieces adds a wonderful dimension to the interiors and brings an unique charm.

Since 1984, La bottega dei Mascareri has been showcasing and selling masks. Each of the mask is a masterpiece that stands for innovation and mastery over intricate designs. The hand-painted masks often feature in Hollywood movies as well as California Shakespeare Festivals taking this art beyond the bounds of Europe. The owner-cum-artist Sergio will be more than happy to show you around and help you to choose one.

Martinuzzi is touted to be the oldest shop selling lace in Venice. Most other lace shops in the city import their goods from foreign lands, however Martinuzzi has stuck to its traditions and is one of the best places to buy handspun Venetian lace items. As soon as you enter the shop, you are greeted by racks of laces in a variety of colors and intricate patterns. Whether you are looking for bobbin lace, bedspreads, table cloths or mats, this place has it in unusual and fashionable patterns that are sure to infuse an element of surprise in your home. This store also takes custom orders to design bed sheets for oversized beds.

Masks of all kinds are available at Ca' Macana, one of the best-known, mask-making studios in Venice. They produce a wide range of masks including favorites as Pulcinella (Punch), the Bauta, the Plague Doctor and the colored, gilded eye-masks. Many of them can be spotted in Tiepolo paintings. In the nearby workshop, the owner organizes courses teaching the theory and the practice of mask-making and explaining how to prepare papier-mâché decorations. Ca' Macana also offers short conferences on the history of Carnival and the importance of masks in the city's culture.

If you are particular about what rests on your arm, then a visit to this boutique, Francis Model is a must. The shop has been around since 1960s and has been showcasing authentic leather bags that will please even the most discerning fashionistas. Currently, when one is wary of buying fakes, this authentic leather merchandise is like a breath of fresh air. Given its exclusivity and quality, shopping here is quite expensive, but the Francis Model bag is a must-have accessory to match with your elegant outfit.

Though Venice is known for floods, the women here do make a point to wear shoes that are comfortable yet elegant. Hence, many popular shoe designers are from Venice, Rolando Segalin being one of them. This popular and talented shoe maker passed on his art to man and one of his protégé, Daniela Ghezzo has now taken over this shoe boutique namely, Atelier Segalin di Daniela Ghezzo. Shoe lovers swear by its fine stitches, authentic leather and elegance, the varieties are made to order. Having said that, it is evident that each of the design is unique and never resurfaces in any fashion magazine or ramp. So if you are hunting for that exclusive pair, Atelier Segalin di Daniela Ghezzo is the place to be.