Venice: A Travel Guide to Murano Glass, Carnival Masks, Gondolas, Lace, Paper, and More

Morelli (The Gondola Maker) takes the reader on a tour of traditional artisan crafts in Venice. Her goal is to help the traveler discern real Venetian-made crafts, such as masks, glass, and paper, from the myriad fakes and knock-offs that crowd Venice’s main thoroughfares. She advises readers to visit places such as the island of Murano, which for centuries has been at the heart of Venetian glassworks. Her methodology is simple: visit museums that contain the crafts in order to train your eye, visit studios where you can see the works being produced, and buy directly from the artisans. Readers may not end up making many purchases (many of the crafts are quite expensive), but they’ll certainly get a richer experience of Venice. Even for those not planning a trip to Venice, the book is a treat: fluidly written, interspersed with stunning photographs, and filled with fascinating historical tidbits about the city and its crafts. Color photos. (BookLife)