The Best Vintage Shops and Flea Markets in Venice

| © Jayme Burrows / Stocksy.com
Ione Wang

Vintage shopping is sometimes the best way to explore a city like Venice. You’ll meet all sorts of interesting characters, from fashion-forward shopkeepers to local grandmothers. You’ll browse through the history of the city through all the minutiae and pieces of clothing that have been left behind and perhaps even find something perfect for you.

Aldo Strasse

This little shop is run by Aldo, a charming bespectacled Venetian. Step in for a few moments and you’ll soon find yourself in a winding conversation about everything from Catholicism to architecture. “Strasse” in the Venetian dialect means “rags,” but you certainly won’t find any rags here. The clothing is always good quality and with a smattering of brand names for decent prices. He’s also got a great collection of old cameras, machines and records.

Bisnonni

This is a well-curated boutique, focused on Italian vintage fashions. You can find really great pieces like embroidered cowboy boots and denim jackets from the 70s. They’ve also got a large collection of vintage swimsuits so you can swim out on the Lido in style.

Mercatino San Martino

This thrift shop is located in the side of the San Martino church and you won’t find it any guidebooks or maps. It’s run by a group of local grandmothers. The store features big piles of cast-away clothing and shoes that cost next to nothing. If you really dig, you’ll find a few choice gems. Even better is when the ladies start to play stylist, bringing out shiny ruffled blazers in extravagant 70s styles.

Mercatino San Giovanni e Paolo

This is another church-basement shop, but this time it’s located on the side of San Giovanni e Paolo. This mercatino is more focused on antiques and bric-a-bracs. You’ll find charming 1950s egg beaters, etchings of Venice from the turn of the century, and strange pieces of Murano glass jewelry. Don’t miss the hidden gem – silk scarves hand-printed using the same processes as for marbled paper.

Campo San Maurizio

The most plentiful antiques market in Venice is held at Campo San Maurizio, and you’ll find everything there from Murano chandeliers to antique books, to old postcards and vintage shoes. Their site will give you a sense of the schedule. Flea markets can pop up in Venice like mushrooms when the weather permits, so to get advance notice of where they’ll be you can follow this Facebook page, although it might be an incomplete listing. Ultimately, you’ll never know until you take a walk outside what you’ll find in Venice. Campo San Maurizio, Corte dei Miracoli, Campo Santa Margherita, Campo dei Frari and Riva degli Schiavoni towards the Giardini di Biennale are all places where markets appear.

L’armadio di Coco

Located next to the Miracoli church, this vintage shop is slightly more upscale. It’s not only full of great brand-name finds, but also pieces by young up-and-coming designers and recycled fashions. The owner comes from a fashion design background, so she brings her unique eye to the curation.

La Maison de la Sireneuse

This eclectic shop is full of humor and loveliness, decked out in all kinds of underwater fittings to look like a mermaid’s bazaar. With items like 70s era lamps that look like disco hydrangeas to silvery jewelry inspired by the sea, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Vintage

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

culture trip left arrow
 culture trip brand logo

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

women sitting on iceberg

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

culture trip logo letter c
group posing for picture on iceberg
group posing for picture on iceberg

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points
culture trip brand logo
culture trip right arrow
landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.