Recently I discovered the weekly market (mercatino) on the Lido. While I love shopping at the Rialto market, this is something completely different. Vendors bring their trucks over to the Lido on the ferry boat early every Tuesday morning and set up outdoors along the lagoon. Some of the trucks are designed to somehow magically unfold to become a shop, and other vendors set up tables alongside the truck and unpack everything onto the tables. At the end of the morning ,every thing is packed back up again and the trucks leave the Lido. It kind of reminds me of the circus coming to town!
There's no fish sold at the weekly mercatino, but there is plenty of just about everything else you can think of. It's become my go-to happy place now. Besides the variety of merchandise to choose from, I am surrounded by only locals. No tour groups milling through the Lido mercatino!
I thought I'd give you a taste of what my Tuesday mornings are like.
There are several shoe stalls, with tables full of shoes for men, women and children. Now you know where to find those green wellies at a good price if you need them when we have high water.
This is zucca (pumpkin), which is just about a staple in local vegetables. In Venice you will find pumpkin soup, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin with pasta, even roast pumpkin. It's all delicious, something you should add to your "must try" list next time you are here.
Tomatoes was the focus of this photo, but look at the view behind the tomatoes. It's the lagoon, looking back towards Venice. Who gets to shop in a place like this? It's heavenly.
One of the more popular stalls are the flower vendors. They sell not only potted plants but also a huge variety of vegetable plants. My shopping cart always has some new plants in it to bring home each week.
The rosticceria is another of my favorites. I have a tough time not overspending when I get to this stall. He sells roast chicken, roast pork, turkey, chicken legs, sausage, lots of varieties of lasagnas, fried shrimp, fried calamari, roasted potatoes, bacala and tons of other things. Locals are queued up at this truck all morning long. waiting to take home their Tuesday lunch.
Yes, this is the sock truck. They just sell socks. Kids socks, mens socks, womens socks, winter socks, hunting socks. Socks. I love it.
While Venice is overrun with trinket shops selling 2 Euro masks and 1 Euro glass souvenirs, a little bit of the old traditional Venice still exists, just a few minutes away on a vaporetto. Tuesdays are one of my favorite days of the week.
There's no fish sold at the weekly mercatino, but there is plenty of just about everything else you can think of. It's become my go-to happy place now. Besides the variety of merchandise to choose from, I am surrounded by only locals. No tour groups milling through the Lido mercatino!
I thought I'd give you a taste of what my Tuesday mornings are like.
I buy my fresh eggs from this guy now. I love that I can buy any number of eggs I want, even just one. Large size eggs are 20 cents per egg. Well, 20 centesimi.
The linens truck sells towels, rugs, sheets, pillowcases, pillows.
We're right smack in the middle of mushroom season here in Italy, and there has been a great selection to choose from at the mercatino.
Candy!
This is zucca (pumpkin), which is just about a staple in local vegetables. In Venice you will find pumpkin soup, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin with pasta, even roast pumpkin. It's all delicious, something you should add to your "must try" list next time you are here.
The olive guy is one of my favorite stalls.
One of the more popular stalls are the flower vendors. They sell not only potted plants but also a huge variety of vegetable plants. My shopping cart always has some new plants in it to bring home each week.
While Venice is overrun with trinket shops selling 2 Euro masks and 1 Euro glass souvenirs, a little bit of the old traditional Venice still exists, just a few minutes away on a vaporetto. Tuesdays are one of my favorite days of the week.
