Merchants of Venice: 10 of the city’s most beautiful historic shops | Venice holidays

Wine

Cantina del Vino gia Schiavi is a 150-year-old wood-beamed cantina that sits right on the edge of a canal and is a favourite stop on all the city bacaro tours. It is renowned for prosecco, spritz and an original selection of cichetti nibbles created by owner Alessandra De Respinis, a big inspiration for the late Russell Norman’s Polpo in London. But the faithful local clientele at Al Bottegon, as the bar is known, come because it is one of Venice’s few specialist wine cellars, as Alessandra’s sons, Tommaso and Paolo, have amassed an unparalleled selection from vineyards in the surrounding Veneto and Friuli regions, alongside rare vintages from across Italy. It is also the place to come if you are looking to take home a bottle of quality grappa.
Fondamenta Nani, 992

Stationery

Calle del Fumo is a bustling alleyway leading to Fondamente Nove, where boats depart for the islands of the lagoon. But a steady stream of visitors also come specifically to visit the narrow brick-walled Antica Stamperia Gianni Basso – a printing workshop, showroom and museum. The printing trade has been associated with Venice for centuries, and since 1981 Basso has been producing exquisite bespoke stationery – writing paper, bookmarks, business cards and invitations – using ancient hand-operated presses and a collection of metal typefaces, copper plates and woodblock stamps. Although the cards of movie stars, musicians, poets and royalty are displayed on the stamperia’s walls, everyone is welcomed equally by this genial printer known as the Gutenberg of Venice. Not surprisingly, there is no website or email, ensuring clients must either visit in person or send snail mail to order by post.
Calle del Fumo, 5306

Fragrances and beauty

The crowds of visitors walking along Strada Nova, the main drag between Venice’s train station and the Rialto Bridge, often walk straight past this neighbourhood pharmacy, missing one of the hidden gems of the glorious Settecento era of Casanova’s Serenissima. This ancient apothecary, rather grandly known as the Spezeria all’Ercole d’Oro (Pharmacy of the Golden Hercules), dates back to 17th century, and today is divided into a regular pharmacy and an adjoining salon restored to its sumptuous wood-panelled original, with walnut cabinets and lustrous lamps, gilded scales and delicate ceramic jars. Here they sell Murano glass bottles from local artisan perfumery The Merchant of Venice, along…