Going to Venice, Italy? Don't buy anything in Venice until you read this book! If you're traveling to Venice, Italy, you want to go home with a special souvenir: a piece of Murano glass, a work of Burano lace, a carnival mask, or one of the city's famous luxury fabrics. But selecting which mask or which goblet to buy can be an intimidating experience. How do you know if you're buying something authentic, something made in Venice, something made in a traditional way? How do you determine if you've fallen prey to one of the city's many tourist traps? Buyer Beware: Venice is full of tourist traps and mass-produced souvenirs passed off as authentic. Do you know how to tell the treasures from the trash? In Venice, it's not easy to tell the treasures from the trash. This is true now more than ever before, as increasing numbers of carnival masks, glass, and other souvenirs flood into Venice, imported from overseas and passed off as authentic. There is no substitute for an educated buyer. Laura Morelli leads you to the city's most authentic arts--the centuries-old trades of mask making, glass blowing, wood turning, silk spinning, and other traditions. Wouldn't you rather support authentic Venetian master artisans than importers looking to turn a quick profit without any connection to Venice at all? Venice boasts some of the most famous artistic traditions in the world. Here's what you need to know about them. Laura Morelli leads you beyond the souvenir shops for an immersive cultural experience that you won't find in any other guidebook. This indispensable guide includes practical tips for locating the most authentic goods in one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world. Packed with useful information on pricing, quality, and value, and with a comprehensive resource guide, Laura Morelli s Authentic Arts: Venice is the perfect guide for anyone wanting to bring home the unique traditions of La Serenissima. ARTISANS OF VENICE is the companion to this book, bringing you inside the workshops of several dozen of the most accomplished makers of Venetian fabrics, Murano glass and millefiori, carnival masks and masquerade costumes, gondolas, Burano lace, mirrors, marbleized paper, hand-carved frames, and other treasures. Put both books together and you'll be the most knowledgable traveler in Venice! Laura Morelli has set out to make you an expert in handmade crafts. --American Style Magazine Laura Morelli, an art historian and trusted guide in the world of cultural travel and authentic shopping, leads you to the best of Venice's most traditional arts. Laura Morelli's Authentic Arts series is the only travel guide series on the market that takes you beyond the museums and tourist traps to make you an educated buyer--maybe even a connoisseur--of Florentine leather, ceramics of the Amalfi Coast, Parisian hats, Venetian glass, the handmade quilts of Provence, and more treasures. Bring Laura Morelli's guides to Venice with you, and you'll be sure to come home with the best of Venice in your suitcase.