Mercato di Rialto (Rialto Food Market), Venice (must see)

If you seek to experience Venice in its entirety, then head to the Rialto Market! Just like in any other city, this food market is a pulsating center of the local community. Among other things, the Rialto Market epitomizes the sincerity and joyfulness of the Venetians and their love of life, which is why some people mistake it for an open-air theme park.

To describe the Rialto Market, one must begin with its location, directly overlooking the Grand Canal since as early as the 11th century. Another distinct feature is the creative product signage crafted by the grocers. These signs not only provide information about the origin and price, but also offer detailed characteristics and sometimes even cooking tips, all presented in a very artistic style.

The entire place is as much colorful and lively as it is highly practical. Here, you can buy flowers, spices, seasonal produce, fresh meat and seafood, all of which have a wide range of options and surprisingly reasonable prices. While you may recognize some of the fish, such as salmon, the majority of the selection is quite exotic. For example, you can find cuttlefish used for the famous black ink pasta unique to Venice, as well as a wide variety of shellfish. A mere watching all this is a feast for eyes and a grand source of photo opportunities!

Tip:
As part of tourist etiquette, please keep in mind that it's a regular market, where regular people come for regular shopping – so try and be as little hindrance as possible. It is also important to ask for permission before touching any items for sale, so as not to disturb anyone.