%s5%cbBeautiful watercolours – Itaca Art Studio and other Venice, Italy Shopping Tips

Itaca Art Studio, Venezia :-)

Name of Shop: Itaca Art Studio

I already saw these shops (it is two of them) on my very first evening in Venezia and liked their exhibits. And as I passed it quite often during my stay in the city, I finally bought some gifts. The artist, Monica Martin of Jesolo, is selling beautiful watercolour paintings here, in all different sizes. The themes range from typical Veneziano sights, like of course gondolas, the most famous Palazzos, such as Ca’d’Oro and of course, Basilica San Marco, to more colourful steet scenes. The affordable paintings are reprints of her original artwork, which is also available, but of course, at a much higher price. Her website lists the different artwork, according to themes. As far as I could see, the smallest printings (reprints) can be only bought framed (wooden frame, in colours red, orange or blue), but the bigger ones are also sold without frame.

What To Buy: I bought some of the smaller reprints (14 x 9 cm) of gondolas and … yes, I even bought a reprint of Basilica San Marco, as I liked the watercolour (photos and 4).
In addition to the paintings to hang on walls, they also have bookmarks with similar watercolours (photo 5).

At the time of my visit (May 2007), they had a special offer for the small prints: if you buy 3, you get one for free. Each of the smaller ones was 15 Euro. The prices for the bigger ones are abailable on her website (click on the prints and then a new window with info will pop up).
Bookmarks were 5 Euro each.

What To Pay: Directions: the shops are easy to find. One is located in Calle delle Bande, 5267/a (Castello), which is the southernmost street/bridge to San Marco from Campo S Maria Formosa, and the other one is in Calle S Lio 5765 (Castello), which is eastward from Ponte Rialto. You can’t miss them, the windows are full with the colourful prints.
From what I could see – they are open all day, including Sundays.

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Theme: Local Craft
Phone: ++39 - 041 - 5203207/2412403
Address: (see above)
Directions: Coordinates on GoogleEarth (C della Bande): 45°26’11,67’’N; 12°20’24,36’’E
(C S Lio): 45°26’12,89’’N; 12°20’22,86’’E
Website: http://www.itacaartstudio.com/Sta_VGon%20E.html
Other Contact: info@itacavenezia.it

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Signor Blum: Signor Blum – finest wood art

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Updated by Trekki

on Nov 17, 2008

Signor Blum - wood art in Venezia

by Trekki , 3 more photos

Name of Shop: Signor Blum

A big big big thanks to Christine for introducing me to Signor Blum through her page ! I have checked already the homepage of this lovely shop from back home, so I had a rough idea of what I wanted to buy.
But still, entering the shop, it is amazing what different puzzles and small gifts they have !
All is woodwork, the art ranges from small pieces such as fridge magnets to little gondolas, wooden boxes with Venezia motifs (such as gondolas or carneval masks), mobiles and much more, and all very much colourful painted. BTW: the paint is eco friendly and non-toxic. They also have bigger wood paintings, but these are done in a puzzle style. And they also have wood painting sets, where 3 or more single ones build one “picture”.
His motifs are Venezia, of course, like gondolas, carneval, Venezia scenes and contemporary scenes (mediterranean, animals, desert, tropic). In addition, depending on the time of year, also holiday related themes are sold, such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas. Obviously also Halloween made its way to Venezia, so there are also witches and the inevitable pumpkin.

What To Buy: The prices vary of course, the small fridge magnets (photo 3) are 3 – 4 Euro each, wooden boxes 9,50 – 12 Euro, and the bigger wooden paints can be up to 500 Euro. But smaller are available of course as well. My gondola theme one, 15 x 9 cm, came to 36 Euro and it is definitely worth every cent.

I can’t open the other present, a little wooden gondola, as it is still wrapped and waits to be sent to the best friend of my travel companion. Maybe if he receives it, he can take a picture J

The shop is very easy to find. It is located at Campo San Barnaba in Dorsoduro. If you have the church in your back, look to your right at the end at the canale of the campo. Watch out, the shop is tiny !

The shop is open also on Sundays !

What To Pay: (see above)

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Theme: Local Craft
Phone: ++39 - 041 - 522 6367
Address: Campo San Barnaba, Dorsoduro 2840
Directions: (see above).
Coordinates on GoogleEarth: 45°25’59,11’’N; 12°19’29,25’’E
Website: http://www.signorblum.com/

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Murano Glassware: Fair Murano glass prices 20 m from San Marco

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Written by Trekki

on May 28, 2007

An adorable Murano necklace

Name of Shop: Nuova Palesa Art.

Same as with the watercolour prints, I came across this shop already on my first evening in Venezia. My attention was drawn by the big glass vase in murrini (= millefiori) style (photo 3). This is not necessarily a style I would put into my appartment, but I was admiring the design. They also had a nice set of necklace and earrings with Murano pearls, very much unusual in style (thus something I liked). So I was passing this shop again and again on my walks through Venezia, and after having visited Murano and the museum, I roughly had an idea of what to buy (and what would be Chinese faked crap). I realised that this shop sold originals, and was also amazed about the prices, which seemed to be fair, despite its proximity to Piazza San Marco and on my last day I went to buy my souvenirs and gifts.
I bought pendants for the girls in the office and lab, and for me as well, and I also bought that set of necklace I saw on my first evening.

What To Buy: As a colleague of mine had just married, so I bought him and his wife an object called “Murano Love Knot” (no photo, just the website, as I kept it wrapped for being sent to him). The ones, they have in the shop, are much better worked out, the knot being a real one. Available in several different colours, they are approximately 15 cm in height and come to 35 Euro (the one on the website is said to be filled with gold, what makes it more expensive).
The necklace (photo 1) is made of typical Murano pearls (yes, they come in squares), partly in venturina style (copper, which makes up the brownish glitter), and was 55 Euro together with matching earrings. The pendants (photo 2) were 3 – 7 Euro, depending on their size (the biggest in the photo is 3x3 cm).

I can highly recommend this shop, if you stay close to Piazza San Marco and are day tourist.

What To Pay: The shop is run by two lovely ladies, English spoken, all credit cards accepted. It is also open on Sundays.
Directions: you cant miss it, it is only 20 metres away from Piazza San Marco on your right, if you walk north through the gate of Tore Orologico.

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Theme: Jewelry
Address: Venezia, San Marco 1344 (Mercerie dell'Orologico)
Directions: (See above)

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Fabris: Dali watches – haha, if you like it

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Written by Trekki

on May 28, 2007

Huge Dali watches :-)

by Trekki , 1 more photos

Name of Shop: Fabris

I came across this shop on my walks right into the jungle (where Eurodisney visitors gather) of Rialto, and laughed much about these huge Dali watches. They were on display in a shop that sold tableware, like table cloth and similar textiles. But they did have price tags on them. Even quite expensive from what I could see – around 150 Euro (plus minus 10-20 Euro, depending on the size). But they were big anyhow, approx. 40 cm in length.
The name of the shop is Fabris, I could not find them with a website, but the street is Via Due Aprile, just where it meets with Campo San Bartolomeo (and the Goldoni statue). It is on the left = west.

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Theme: Other
Phone: sorry, didn't find one
Address: San Marco, Campo S Bartolomeo
Directions: (See above)
Website: sorry, didn't find one

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Murano Glassware: Beautiful glass flowers at Do Maghi

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Updated by Trekki

on May 30, 2007

Beautiful tulips :-)

Name of Shop: Do Maghi

When wandering around from San Marco to Canaregio, I found this shop with Murano glass ware and amazingly beautiful glass tulips. They chaught my attention first for the colour (and I like to take photos of interestingly arranged articles and goods in shops), but then I realised that the price for these tulips were not that high thus ok for a gift. I was looking for something appropriate as wedding gift for a colleague of mine. The tulips were 16 Euro each and came with a lab tube, filled with sand (just like in the main photo of this). They also had interesting lampshades (as in photo 4) and … haha, now how are these called – devices, you put on opened wine bottles to close them (my dictionnary didn’t came up with a word) – well, these corks = stoppers (thanks Sarah (toonsarah) for your word suggestion :-) - with the tulip theme again. These were 25 Euro, same as the ones in my last photo, which are from a shop next door. These corks are quite popular glass items on sale all over Venezia, and from what I saw later, I am pretty sure, most of them are indeed made in Murano. Prices of 15 – 25 Euro for one seem to be fair and appropriate.

What To Buy: The shop is called Do Maghi, website available. In different menus, all of the artist’s glass ware is shown, and I just see that the tulips are also available in blue.
I also see that the Do Maghi has 3 sites with shop and showroom in Venezia, check menu “showroom”. The one I saw was on Calle Dolfin, just south of Campo SS Apostoli.

Later, I found a better gift for my colleague (the love knot as described above), so I didn’t go to this shop again, but from what I see on the website, Do Maghi's artist really makes nice things at reasonable prices. So next time.

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Theme: Other
Phone: tel +39 041 5208535
Address: Venezia, Calle Dolfin (Canaregio 5621)
Directions: (see above and on website)
Website: http://www.domaghi.com/index.php?s=7b5e79c209f38ff90129fe6a529768bb&ln=ing&gs=&

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Bottega Verde and supermarkets

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Updated by Trekki

on Jun 13, 2007

Bottega Verde - beauty shop in

Venezia

by Trekki , 3 more photos

I already mentioned it in the packing list – if you run out of beauty stuff, you can easily fill your stocks up in Bottega Verde, an Italian “version” of Body Shop. I found one Bottega Verde shop in Strada Nuova, close to where the traghetto stop is. Prices are reasonable, and the goods are ecologically safe and friendly. No animal testing. Thanks to Chiara for telling me about this shop before I left for Venezia:
Bottega Verde

It seems that there is a huge amount of supermarkets located throughout whole Venezia, I found one of the 2 (or 3?) Billa supermarkets also in Strada Nuova, just before it continues into Vittorio Emanuele. Christine describes another Billa and a Coop close to the train station.

What To Buy: Close to where I lived (at Campo SS Giovanni e Paolo), was a supermarket called SuVe (Supermarket Venezia), small, but it had all I needed. I got my peperoncino there, my Lavazza espresso (haha, and I dragged kilos of them home into my appartment, this espresso just vanishes like nothing, once you have such a machine and gas cooking…), my Barilla pasta, milk and water. Adress: Castello 5811/18.
Oh, water – the price for a bottle of 1,5 litre of natural water (acqua naturale) is 0,50 Euro !
So make sure, you find one of these supermarkets to get your supply of water. Smaller bottles, mainly in the neuralgic spots, are way more expensive !

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Theme: Other
Address: all over Venezia

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Chocolate and pasta – Venezia editions

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Written by Trekki

on May 28, 2007

Mhhhh... choco masks come wrapped

like these

Somehow I forgot to buy chocolate in the city, so I had to do this at the airport, thus a bit more expensive.
But the chocolate is excellent, for my taste even better than (sorry) Belgian chocolate. Plus it is “thicker” than the ones I know from here, the one which is wrapped as a postcard was 2 cm thick (haha, yummm).

Ah, and the main photo here has to do something with one of the chocolate types, one of the chocolate, the “Baute di Venezia” (photo 2), is sold in metal poles like these famous ones, 150 g for 6 Euro. It is from company Dolcerie Veneziana.

What To Buy: The small chocolate pieces with the watercolour paintings (at the top in photo 3) of several Venezia sights are of company Santomiele and have been 4 Euro (60 g) at the airport.

And last but not least, oh yum, the big one which looks like a postcard (bottom of photo 3). It is made by Caffarel, and I almost could not finish this here, as I was immersed in their variety of chocolates and other sweets. Check their homepage for more products. Oh yummmmm, how good that I will go to Italy more often from now on. This one was also 4 Euro (125 g) at the airport.

To complete this, I have included a photo of coloured pasta, which is available in deli shops all over Venezia. 250 g of these are roughly 4 Euro, and these are a special gift from Italy, well, maybe not necessarily of Venezia.

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Theme: Other
Address: all over in Venezia

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Farmers’ markets everywhere

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Updated by Trekki

on Jun 19, 2007

ohh yummie rucola salad, my god how

I miss that !

by Trekki