Does anyone know of good bead shops in Venice? We're going next month. (can't wait!)

I have never been to Venice...but it sounds an amazing city...have a lovely time.

When I am thinking of visiting somewhere, I 'google' it! I search something like 'bead shopping' and the name of the city and then I just spend time going through the pages until I get bored. It does take a long time but when the same places come up time and time again, you know that it is worthwhile visiting. The only thing I would say, is be careful of visiting somewhere which only has one or two references to it, especially if these are a year or so old. I did this and the shop had closed down! It was particularly irritating as it was a very hot day ( I was in Milan in July) and it had taken me the best part of a morning to get there!

Alison

Hi,
Venice is a great place to hunt for beads and there must be hundreds of shops selling them, but be careful. There are a lot of Chinese copies, in fact if it is cheap then it's Chinese.

There are only a couple of artists in Venice itself and they are located just off San Marco, can't remember exactly but there are 2 shops, one is artist and one is a bead shop out of the far left hand corner of the square as you face the clock.

The best place to find beads is on Murano itself. 30 minute journey by water-taxi.

A great deal is to buy the 7 day VENICECard, unlimited water-taxi rides and free entry to most of the Museums etc.

Don't buy the first beads you see, some are cheaper in the UK.

Enjoy Venice, we love it.

My daughter bought me a selection of beads when she was visiting Murano from Venice, but I reckon I could have bought all of them here, probably cheaper as well, because she says they were expensive - I didn't tell her of course!
So yes - be careful!!

the problem with Venice is that most addresses are just a number and the district, so it's hard to find places. The joy can be finding new ones for yourself, though.

There's a chain called Perle e dintorni who have a couple of shops, and sell thread etc as well as beads. At least one of them is on the route from the Rialto to San Marco - search for them on Google maps.

In the square of the Venice Ghetto in Cannaregio there was a shop which had very reasonably priced pendant beads - cheaper than the tourist areas.

On Murano most of the bead shops seem to be in Fondamenta dei Vetrai but I found it worth looking in one or two antique shops who would have a basket of old beads to rummage through. Don't go to Murano on the weekend as many places close.

On the same side of the island as the museum, on a back street somewhere around Campo San Bernardo there was a shop making lampwork beads who was happy to have us watch a while.

In the backstreets of Venice itself you can also find people making beads and selling them and it's going to be much more a memory of your trip to buy from them then from some tourist trap round san Marco.

I happened upon a shop called Larbero Venezia - couldn't give you the address but it was between St Marco and Ss Giovani (just below Ss Giovani) and the guy, Pino,(who spoke no English) gave me an afternoon's course (much sign language and smiling and my v. bad Italian) in Murano glassmaking. I came home with 2 pendants (shown below before firing). The art was in choosing the glass rods, cutting them and then stopping them from falling over as I placed them in the frame (which is later removed). He fired them and sent them to me later as they had to cool for 2 days. The course was 35 Euros.

Have a great time, and bring back items you love. You probably won't find any huge bargains, some of it may not be locally made, but if you have a great time in that glorious city, you'll have treasures forever.

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Thank you so much for all this really useful information. I'll post details of how I got on when I get ack - late September.

I love your raw pendants Georgia - how did they turn out?

Jen, I'll get round to taking a picture of them and putting them on latest creations, thanks

By the way, you'll find more shops if you google perle Venezia rather than beadshops Venice

Thanks again.

Im going to Venice for the weekend in October (to watch Rugby ). But I'd love to hear where you find the bead shops so I can go a visiting looking like a true jewellery maker (in my Rugby shirt!! hehe) .

Keep us posted.

Claire x

I will! We're going for our wedding anniversary, but I'm sure we'll get to some bead places.

Last time we went I didn't know about beads and only bought one piece of jewellery amd no beads.

I know better now!

I found the street for the place I did the course with Pino - it was L'Albero Veneziano, Calle del Ospedaletto. It's on the left hand side as you're coming up frm St. Marco.
On some maps the street is shown as Via del Ospedaletto, and its formal address (only meaningful for a Venetion) is Castello 6376/(a), tel 0415236875. I think he's only there in the afternoons.

Thank you Georgia.

Just found an interesting map

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!