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-   -   Venetian Glass Candy (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/venetian-glass-candy-705121/)

myshell127 May 14th, 2007 03:44 PM

Venetian Glass Candy
 
While in venice I have a request from my sister to bring her back some venetian glass that resembles pieces of candy. Do you have any suggestions on good shops? Thanks

turnip May 14th, 2007 03:50 PM

It was all over . I'd look away from San Marco square for better prices.

Cheers, the turnip

SeaUrchin May 14th, 2007 03:55 PM

I have seen them on ebay too.

janisj May 14th, 2007 03:55 PM

But you can but it in Macy's or any good department store for less than it costs in Venice.

icithecat May 14th, 2007 04:12 PM

It is interesting that in this age there are very few things that you can only buy locally.

Girlspytravel May 14th, 2007 04:27 PM

Myshell-believe me, there are many, many, many glass shops in Venice, Murano, etc., but in Venice, particularly around the Rialto bridge, just over the bridge in San Polo, also San Marco, that sell exactly what you are looking for: pieces of glass, shaped like bonbons, all types of candy, glass shaped like fruit, cherries, etc. They are not expensive, and are quite attractive in a display.

I really like Murano glass-but I like pieces with interesting shapes-so that I can have a collection of different shaped vases, for example.

If you go to Paris, there is in the Musee des Arts Decoratifs a whole section devoted just to Venetian glass, and furniture also. But all the Murano glass in the Musee is antique from private collections, and very lovely.

I could give you the name of shops, but really, you don't need names-what you are looking for you will find everywhere. But one shop I like located at the foot of Rialto, by Campo San Bartolomeo, is this one, owned by an architect:

ARTISTIC MURANO GLASS
www.artglass.it
vaporetto: Rialto

I would suggest going over to Murano too, to check out prices, and see what you like best-don't buy at the first couple of shops; look around and compare prices-the real stuff will have a tag on it "authentic Murano glass."


FauxSteMarie May 14th, 2007 05:14 PM

Well, I hate it when someone requests something specific like this. The Murano "candy" can be found all over, but, if you don't want to schlep it, you can buy it in the US.

the4canadians May 14th, 2007 06:06 PM

Its for her sister so of course she has to buy it in Venice....

I bought some fun ones in Murano and Burano. I wished I had bought more as they look very nice in a crystal dish.

hb9542 May 14th, 2007 06:33 PM

On one of my first trips to Venice, I spent several lovely hours going in and out of the shops on Murano looking at many different things but thoroughly enjoying looking all the different kinds of glass candies and choosing a different shape, size, and color in each shop. Later I bought a small multi-colored flat glass plate that looked somewhat like an ashtray just over the Rialto bridge to display them on. Years later, they still sit on my desk at work (although young kids sometimes want to sample them) and I enjoy them as a daily reminder of both that fun day on Murano and Venice in general. Sure, I could have bought them on e-bay or at some US department store but I would probably have sold them at a yard sale long ago rather than making them a part of my daily life. There are just some things that evoke a place and a day there. When you buy some for your sister (they're fairly small and ligght) buy a few for yourself!


annw May 14th, 2007 09:00 PM

I get a few more pieces of glass candy every time I visit Venice. They're now in a large, flat glass dish from Murano on my living room table. Different years seem to bring slightly different styles. I too have found many in the Rialto stalls as well as in some glass shops. They're inexpensive, small, and easy to pack; if a particular style catches my eye and I don't have one like it I'll grab it.

Vicky May 15th, 2007 08:51 AM

This is one of my favorite souvenirs. I have a big gold dish filled with them on a modern glass coffee table in my 'Map Room' (translation - travel room). I can't wait to go back and get more. I have bought more in the US since I bought my original pieces in Venice but still I know they are Venetian and have some from Venice so they still evoke Venice.

SeaUrchin May 15th, 2007 09:02 AM

some of the ones in Venice and elsewhere are made in China. Check for authenticity.

Mischka May 15th, 2007 09:56 AM

I bought some lovely glass "kosher candy" at David's Shop in the Ghetto. Take a look, it's on the website.

http://www.davidshop.com/

I also got some at Artistic Murano Glass like Girlspytravel mentioned.

Have fun shopping, I'm jealous :-)


bossoftheworld May 15th, 2007 10:19 AM

We wanted to go to Murano, so that is where I purchased some glass candies. I tried to buy some that had gold in them and they are a little more expensive. A piece of glass we purchased was only PAINTED with transparent glass. Beware! I am a fiend for beautiful papers, so that takes me a lot of time. Talk about a pain to try to pack without mutilating those wonderful large hand-printed and marbled sheets.

LucieV May 15th, 2007 11:15 AM

Like several others here, I collect the glass candy and display it on a glass dish in my house. When I first started buying it in the 70s, the only place it was sold was in Italy. Though it is sold in the US now, I still like to buy a few pieces in Venice...and I do think that you have a much more interesting selection.

The one area I do depart from here...I think Murano is a bit of a hype. Once is more than enough, imo. The glass-blowing is interesting, but not anything I'd return to see.

FainaAgain May 15th, 2007 11:38 AM

So, you guys display glass looking like candy to fool your guests? Why not to buy real individually wrapped pieces of chocolate? And put them in nice crystal bowls to eat?

This is cruelty! No glass in my bowels!

Mischka May 15th, 2007 11:54 AM

Faina, was that bowls or "bowels"? haha! Well so long as there are no bowels in your bowls!!

LucieV May 15th, 2007 12:16 PM

Faina, that's not funny. [-(
When my kid was a toddler, he took a big bite out of the chocolate-colored soap my sister had in her powder room.

FauxSteMarie May 15th, 2007 12:26 PM

Insofar as having to buy the "candy" in Venice because it is for your sister, I have to ask this: Would your sister know if you simply bought it in the US?

Last November I went to Chile. My neighbors looked after my house. I bought them each a bottle of Chilean wine--from the local wine shop after I got home.

They were none the wiser.

sandi_travelnut May 15th, 2007 12:35 PM

You can find it everywhere in Venice. Especially in the more tourist-laden areas.


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