Be Authentic with Your Venetian Souvenirs! 4 Recommended Items
When it comes to a trip to Italy, Venice is a must-visit destination. Known as the "City of Water," Venice offers an atmosphere so unique it feels like walking through a movie set and is bustling with tourists from around the world all year long.
Around St. Mark’s Square—the world’s most beautiful square—and the Rialto Bridge, you’ll find numerous distinctive and charming shops that you won’t see in any other Italian city.
In this article, we introduce 4 recommended Venetian souvenirs that are all about genuine, handmade quality.
Find that special item you can only get here!
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Be Authentic with Your Venetian Souvenirs! 4 Recommended Items
1. Venetian Glass
Venetian glass was a highly prized trading commodity during the Middle Ages in trade with Eastern countries. Fearing that the techniques and secrets of its production might leak out, the old Venetian Republic forcibly relocated all glassmakers and their families to Murano Island. It is for this historical reason that Murano Island became the production center of Venetian glass.
Watching a skilled artisan blow a heated glass sphere into a piece of art feels like witnessing magic. A one-of-a-kind handmade item is perfect as a souvenir. Not only can you find classic designs, but there are also cute, everyday glass products available, so take your time to choose. Affordable glass accessories might be particularly appealing to try.
2. Mask Products
When you think of Venetian souvenirs, mask items immediately come to mind. During the famous Carnival held every February in Venice, elaborate costumes are rented so that even amateurs can dress up and stroll the streets.
These masks, indispensable for masquerade, are a traditional craft dating back to the 15th century when mask makers specialized in crafting them. They create a base from plaster and paper, then carefully adorn each mask by hand.
Some shops even accept orders for custom-made masks that can be completed in as little as 2–3 days. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a custom original mask made by a Venetian craftsman?
3. Marble Paper Products
Along the road from St. Mark’s Square to the Rialto Bridge, several specialty shops sell marble paper products. These items, made from marble paper, are incredibly popular—especially among women! You can find notebooks, letter sets, cards, and small containers, all adorably cute.
At stores that work with marble paper, you can also find paper products stamped with woodcut stamps, featuring designs of Venetian landscapes. Because paper items are light, you can buy them in different colors or purchase them in bulk for wrapping purposes, which is a delightful bonus.
4. Caffè Florian Goods
How about spending a delightful moment at Caffè Florian—the oldest café in Venice—listening to live music while enjoying tea? Established in 1720, its classic interior is adorned with luxurious furniture, making you feel as if you’ve wandered into medieval Europe.
Surprisingly, there is a small retail corner inside the café. When you order coffee, you can also purchase a piece of chocolate that comes attached to the saucer. This chocolate, which is used to coat coffee beans, comes in flavors such as espresso and cappuccino.
This is a souvenir that you can only buy here, and above all, it’s delicious—guaranteed to be a hit! They also sell bags with the Caffè Florian logo, so be sure to check those out as well.
◎ Summary
While Venetian lace from Burano is famous, because these items are handmade, mass production is impossible. Although many of these souvenirs are relatively expensive, recently inexpensive, mass-produced lace items from China have also become available.
Even if it might not be considered “Venetian” if it isn’t produced in Venice, there are clearly stores that deliberately mix in non-authentic items, so please check carefully before purchasing.
Enough of cheap and fake items! Once you’ve experienced the genuine handmade Venetian products, be sure to choose only the authentic ones as your souvenirs!
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