131 Best Places to Shop in Venice, Italy

In addition to contemporary fine-art glass, this high-end manufacturer gives tours of its Murano factory, something that most studios in this elite category do not do.

The bookstore of Università di Venezia Ca' Foscari has a reasonable selection of titles in English. Shelves teem with literature and history, but there's also a handful of travel books, as well as the latest best sellers.

Venice is full of stores selling fanciful Carnival masks made of papier-mâché, but at Ca' Macana you can paint your own. This is one of Venice's oldest mask shops, and they have plenty of experience in organizing mask-painting workshops for you and your family (children welcome from 4 years old and up).  You will learn about the history of some of the classic masks, and about different materials and techniques. It isn't cheap but you can be proud to have a Venetian treasure completely made by hand and that is clearly one of a kind.

A large showroom offering lots of gilded creations, both traditional and new, is a must-see. Ask about the mask-making workshops.

Dorsoduro's liveliest square is the setting for a colorful morning food market.

One of Venice's finest wine bars is just as popular for the ample choice of excellent bottled wines and spirits sold to go.

Glass master Davide Toso, who belongs to one of Murano's most renowned families, has opened a new shop near Campo Sant' Aponal. Here you can find many of the classic Venetian-glass objects such as "millefiori" paperweights, bowls, and dishes of various sizes and complexity, and more modest mementoes, made to the highest standard.

Elisabetta and Stefano, with their daughter, Giulia, founded this shop in 2008 and have made it one of the city's most remarkable sources for handmade paper (some of it bamboo) and an astonishing variety of objects made from it. Their handiwork always combines charm, style, and imagination.

"Cinderella" creates unique handmade lampshades out of silk, old lace, and real parchment, embroidered and decorated with gold braid and cotton or silk trim. It also sells restored lace and embroidered vintage clothing. The pieces on display are a perfect match for country- and antique-style furniture. The owner will be happy to discuss special orders.

In her tasteful shop, Claudia has amassed a limited choice of antiques, small paintings, original etchings from the 16th to 19th centuries, and plenty of interesting-looking bric-a-brac, including silver ex-votos and period souvenirs, such as brass ashtrays in the shape of lions' heads and various door knockers. Baroque-looking earrings are made of cultured pearls and bits of old brass or bronze.

Contini shows only 20th-century artists and is Italy's only dealer for Botero, Zoran Music, and the marble and bronze sculptures by Mitoraj. There's a second location at San Marco 2414.

Filippo and Silvia Trevisanello are continuing the work begun by their father 50 years ago. They make Byzantine and rich Renaissance handcrafted frames of gold-leafed wood and inset with antique glass beads, mosaic tesserae, and small ceramic tiles. The more-elaborate pieces look their best when used to frame an old mirror.

Luca Sumiti carries on the work of his father, Maurizio; traditional wrought-iron chandeliers and lamps come unadorned, gilded, or tastefully enameled in bright colors. Here you'll also find conspicuous, 5-foot-tall wooden sculptures of mori veneziani (Venetian Moors).

American-born but Venetian by choice, glass-bead artist Trina Tygrett opened her studio after completing her studies at the city's Academy of Fine Arts. She married into one of the oldest surviving families of traditional Venetian glassblowing and was able to study some of the older techniques founded on Murano. Her signature jewelry is a breath of fresh air as she mixes her beads with materials such as metal mesh, silver, and precious stones to create unique and eclectic pieces. A second shop is only a few steps away at Dorsoduro 167.

Vases, sculptures, objects, and jewelry from one of Murano's best glassworks are on offer.

Since 1948 the Mascari family has been selling a wide range of treats such as bits of dried sugared fruit, balsamic vinegar, chestnut flour, fennel seeds, Swiss chocolate, honey, olive oil, and an exceptional collection of Italian wines and liquors. Try some traditional cookies from many different Italian regions, including baicoli, the crunchy Venetian dipping cookie. If nothing else, you will almost certainly stop to admire the window full of pyramids of loose spices, a vibrant reminder that much of Venice's wealth derived from the spice trade. Note that the sign outside says "DROGHERIA." Old Venetians still sometimes call spices "drugs," because that is what they used to be.

This shop selling gondolier's garb has been at the foot of the Rialto Bridge since 1902. There are no cheap knockoffs here; the wool sweaters, straw hats, and down vests are all worn by working gondoliers and made of quality materials intended to withstand a long day out in all weather. A charming selection of gifts, such as tote bags, stuffed toys, refrigerator magnets, and so forth, all bear the crest of the gondoliers' association.

This small wine shop by the Canale Cannaregio is lined with flasks, and the friendly owners give tastings to help you decide which of the Veneto vintages you wish to buy.

The name has been synonymous with high-quality paper since 1264 and is esteemed by publishers, writers, and artists. The boutique offers a glimpse into their full range of products from luxurious stationery to journals and specialized notebooks. They also offer a line of writing instruments and leather items.

Run by a family of market-stall sellers, Fanny combines good value, friendly service, and cheerful design. Come here for an exceptional selection of soft leather gloves as well as leather and suede bags.

This publisher's national chain always has an exceptional variety of books. For Venice's typically small space, the shop is delightfully spacious, and has an excellent selection of books.

The original Fortuny textile factory, built on former convent grounds, has been converted into a showroom. Prices are over-the-top, but it's worth a trip to see the extraordinary colors and textures of their hand-printed silks and velvets. Call in advance to arrange a tour of the buildings and gorgeous gardens.

A tiny workshop specializes in superb handmade leather bags in all shapes and sizes. The craftsmanship is exceptional; get Bottega Veneta look-alikes at half the price.

One of only four artisans making the oars and oarlocks used for Venetian rowing, Franco Furlanetto carries on the centuries-old craft on which gondoliers (and ordinary Venetian rowers) depend. If a working forcola of solid walnut is too much for you, he offers an assortment of boat models, keychains, and earrings in the form of small wooden forcolas, magnets, and other Venetian mementoes.

Name a gemstone—pearl, diamond, aquamarine, garnet, jade, amber, opal—and you will almost certainly find it here, in both classic and unique settings from traditional to gorgeous. This is the ideal place to find a special piece featuring your birthstone.

This is the retail outlet for Leslie Ann Genninger, an American from Ohio who was the first woman to enter the male-dominated world of Murano master bead makers. She established her own line of jewelry, called Murano Class Act in 1994 using period-glass beads, and when she could no longer find antique beads she started designing her own.

Classic handmade jewelry here includes pieces made with semiprecious stones.

The gondola and lagoon boat expert in Venice creates scale models of a wide variety of Venetian boats in his nearby laboratorio (workshop). (If the retail shop is closed, a sign posted on the door will explain how to find Signor Penzo.) When he's not busy sawing and sanding, Mr. Penzo writes historical and technical books about traditional Venetian boats, including the gondola. Here you'll also find gondola model kits, as well as some forcole (Venetian rowing oarlocks).

Creative earrings, brooches, and necklaces are done in colored resin that looks as fragile as glass but is as strong and soft as rubber. Silk shoes can be custom "garnished" with jewelry.

The focus is on the works by the eclectic English-born artist Geoffrey Humphries, including paintings, drawings, and etchings ranging from landscapes to portraits; he also produces watercolors of Venetian vistas.