katver

My in-laws will watch our kids during our 2 week long trip, we leave next week!. I would like to bring back a gift for my mother-in-law who likes jewelry. Where in Venice can I get some glass jewelry at a reasonable price, where should I AVOID shopping and is it OK to haggle?
Other gift ideas welcome, my husband wants to travel with carry-ons only (don't know yet, if I can do this..) so we need to bring back small items.. thanks!

hlphillips2

You can find glass jewelry pretty much anywhere, but I would suggest going to the island of Murano instead of staying in Venice. I thought the items on Murano were better quality and better / prettier selection. I personally wasn't a fan of the big huge glass blowers - just looking at the prices of chandeliers was a pretty good indication of how much everything else would be and frankly my expensive glass necklace has held up just as well as a moderately priced one (both purchased 10 years ago). When I was there just a few years back I recall several smaller shops on Murano that didn't have the big ornamental glass but rather basic (almost touristy) items. Lift, touch, feel - if it's heavy and the clasps seem very secure and real metal, or hard knots tied between the beads, it's very likely a good purchase. My favorite pair of earrings is from there - clear glass dangling ones that go with everything. We haggled on the larger stuff (glasses, chandelier) with success, but I didn't feel right haggling when the price already seemed reasonable. I'm sure you could if you felt like it!
Oh, as for other items, we bought some glass Christmas ornaments, my mom bought a beautiful glass picture frame, I have some lace handkerchiefs from Burano (wish I'd purchased some napkins or a tablecloth), a marionette for my nephew from Florence. You're going to have a wonderful time!! Enjoy!

PalenQ

Take the public vaporetto boat to Murano, an island just off Venice proper and visit the various glass factories and shops to be sure of getting the authentic glass and also see it being fabricated. Not all glass sold in Venice may be authentic Murano.

tarquin

There is almost nothing I enjoy more than walking around Murano looking into the glass shops. Fashions in jewelry change year to year, but for really wearable necklaces, look at Marina and Susanna Sent's things (their best shop is in Dorsoduro, also in museums including the excellent glass museum on Murano,) their brother Cesare Sent's (shop on Murano) and Attombri's (three shops in Venice itself.) Attombri necklaces are by far the most expensive at around 200 euro, the Sent ones run from 45 to 120 euro. There are bracelets and earrings too, I bought some darling bright red glass hearts for my lovely dark-haired DIL's Christmas present.

I love the drinking glasses too but have stopped after ten of them.

tarquin

I meant to say, you can always ask for a discount for cash in the poshest of glass shops, especially on Murano where there is alot of competition.

Scootoir

A friend who visits Venice every few years brought me a beautiful necklace from Cose cosi (www.cosecosimurano.com) last summer. I have admired her necklaces and love the one she brought me. She said it's her favorite store for Venetian glass jewelry. I have no idea about prices. If you go on their website you can see the location on Murano on a map.

dfourh

I would buy at a factory on Murano, if I were you. It doesn't bother me if a trinket like a cute animal or a pretty clock actually is made in China, but a lot of what you will see in Venice is made in China:
http://www.thevenetianclub.co.uk/ind...=93&Itemid=114

Royal

We were in Venice in late September and I found this lovely little shop where I bought a few pieces of jewellery.

It was in the Arsenale- Vetreria Artistica Arsenale. The owner makes her jewellery with authentic Murano glass The prices are very reasonable. Don't have the exact address or street but the tel #041 2412666.

Jean

Look for this trademark on a sticker in the window of the shop and on the individual pieces of glass you're considering; otherwise, as dfourh pointed out, the glass might very well have been made in China. Sadly, even some glass sold on Murano was not manufactured there.

http://www.muranoglass.com/murano/eng/uso.htm

annw

One item I found very reasonably was a heart pendant on a cord necklace. But I think my favorite shop in Venice itself is in Dosudoro -- can't miss it on the main drag, sorry the name escapes me, but they feature necklaces and the like in the window. I got a wondrous bracelet with intricate, whimsical beads and it has lasted well. In contrast, a bracelet purchased near Rialto broke before the tip home. Definitely check the wares carefully.

margo_oz

We bought some beautiful things at the Murano shop of Cesare Sent, mentioned above.

It was the first place we went to on Murano - and then looked around a squillion (roughly) other shops, and came back to the original shop. We negotiated because we purchased a number of things.

niente

A trip to Murano is nice, but you don’t have to go there to get Murano glass or other Italian-made glass jewelry. And there is no guarantee that the prices on Murano will be cheaper. In some instances, yes. In others, no.

It depends on how much effort you want to put into this. Do you want to shop around Venice first and then compare with Murano? I’ll give you my wife’s advice: When you see something nice that’s in your price range and what you want, buy it.

Funny story about gift shopping in Venice. We were in a shop that had some really nice stuff and some junk. A woman asked the owner about some of the junk and whether it was worth buying. The owner said: “Is it for you?” The woman said no. Owner: “Then why do you care?”

katver

that is something to consider since we only have one full day of sightseeing (and 2 half days)!

Grassshopper

I went to Murano yesterday and bought a few things. Today I was shopping in my own neighborhood in San Polo and found the same things for less. Do watch for the made in Murano lable if you care.

kiketto78

I found a really nice store in Venice; Edith Bijoux, castello 4755 Venezia. They have their own production and many price points. They gave me the certificate of origin for the necklace i baught. Their site is www.edithbijoux.com

Maudie

A few people have mentioned the shop on the main drag in Dorsoduro, what is the name of the street? And can anyone help with further details, we will be staying in the area and I would love to find it.
Thanks.

tarquin

I think the shop referred to above is on the corner of Calle Nuova S. Agnese. Go straight south after crossing the Accademia bridge and it will be on your left. Turn into that street there, there are lots of nice shops all the way to the Guggenheim and Salute on the eastern end of Dorsoduro.

Maudie

Thanks so much tarquin, I have marked it on my map. Love the idea of "lots of nice shops all the way". Credit card watch out!

caroline_edinburgh

Another vote for Cesare Sent where I bought some lovely jewellery in June. On previous trips to Murano we'd always got off at the Museo vaporetto stop and thought all the glass we saw was horrible (whether cheap or expensive), but this time we got off at Colonna and thought there were some much nicer shops at that end, including some with more modern designs which is what I prefer.

If you follow the main route from the Accademia Bridge to the Salute church you will pass the Dorsoduro shop people are referring to, on your right, along with one or two other quite nice ones - plus some less nice ones.

tarquin

I think Murano glass, especially necklaces, must be my favourite topic ever, and that includes food and wine!