Venice has always been a busy retail centre, with an emphasis on luxury goods and a flair for the eccentric. The main retail areas are the Mercerie and the streets known collectively as the Frezzeria, which wind between campo San Fantin and piazza San Marco itself. The densest concentration of big-name fashion houses is in calle Larga XXII Marzo, just west of the piazza, where Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Fendi and Ferragamo huddle together. Calle della Mandola is the street for books and glass beads. For antiques, nose around campo Santo Stefano and San Marco. Look out for unique boutiques with imported or hand-crafted items between the Rialto and San Polo.

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