01/09/2025
When traveling in Italy, many people are eager to pick up souvenirs to remember their special trip.
Walking around major cities like Rome, Venice, or Florence, you'll find plenty of options: Italian leather goods, limoncello, Venetian masks, Murano glass, and watercolor paintings of famous landmarks.
However, what many might not realize is that a lot of these items are fake.
For example, the watercolor paintings are often not created on the spot, as the sellers might suggest.
The limoncello is often imported, and the same goes for much of the Murano glass and Venetian masks. Unfortunately, scams involving souvenirs in Italy are quite common.
One of the most prevalent examples is in Venice, where many of the Venetian masks and Murano glass items are actually mass-produced fakes from outside of Italy.
When it comes to masks, authentic, locally handmade ones have become increasingly rare in the city, despite deceptive stickers, packaging, and price tags.
Recently in Venice, we visited Najib, a local shop owner near Saint Mark's Basilica who has been handcrafting masks for years. He invited us into his workshop and shared the differences between genuine, authentic masks and the imitations.
Najib shared his reality about being one of the few remaining artists on the island making genuine masks and the challenges he faces competing against sellers who produce masks quickly and cheaply using machines.
Stay tuned for our upcoming video, where we interview Najib and learn more about these iconic symbols of Venice.
And, check out this post about 8 great options for 8 great artisanal souvenirs from Italy (& where to buy them): https://takewalks.co/4dsWuI5
