Food markets, farmers markets and covered halls: where Venice shops, snacks and lunches.

Markets to wander

Rialto Pescheria ★ 4.8

Tue-Sat 07:30-12:00, closed Sun-Mon30 vendors

Rialto Pescheria in Venice's San Polo has run as a fish market since 1097, the neo-Gothic loggia from 1907 where every chef in town shops weekday mornings.

Go for: Lagoon fish, Adriatic seafood, Moeche in spring

Tip: Arrive before 09:00 for the morning rush of locals and chefs. Moeche (soft-shell crab) appears in April-May; schie (lagoon shrimp) in summer.

Mercato di Rialto ★ 4.6

Mon-Sat 07:30-13:30, closed Sunday25 vendors

Mercato di Rialto in Venice's San Polo near the Pescheria is the fruit and vegetable market, with Sant'Erasmo castraure artichokes from late April and white.

Go for: Vegetables, Fruit, Castraure artichokes spring

Tip: Closes 13:30. The Sant'Erasmo artichokes (castraure) season runs late April to mid-May. White asparagus from Bassano in May-June.

Mercato di Santa Marta ★ 3.8

Mon-Sat 07:30-13:3012 vendors

Mercato di Santa Marta in Venice's western Dorsoduro is the local neighbourhood market near the university, the rare market without tourist queues.

Go for: Fish, Fruit, Local produce

Tip: Walk 15 minutes west from Piazzale Roma. The vendors are mostly university-quarter shoppers; quieter than Rialto and prices are lower.

Mercato di Via Garibaldi ★ 4.0

Mon-Sat 08:00-13:3015 vendors

Mercato di Via Garibaldi on the wide Via Garibaldi in eastern Castello is the daily street market the local residents fill, the canonical residential Venice.

Go for: Fish from the lagoon, Local fruit, Daily produce

Tip: Lined with floating fish boats moored to the canal-side fondamenta. The street stalls are residential; Via Garibaldi is one of the few proper avenues in Venice.

Sant'Erasmo Orto di Venezia ★ 4.0

Variable by season; vendor farms open daily 09:00-18:008 vendors

Sant'Erasmo is Venice's market garden island, the canonical source of castraure artichokes from late April and the small Orto di Venezia winery's lagoon-edge.

Go for: Castraure artichokes, Lagoon vegetables, Sant'Erasmo wines

Tip: Vaporetto 13 from Fondamente Nove (45 minutes).

Mercato Coperto di Cannaregio ★ 3.7

Mon-Sat morning, closed Sunday8 vendors

The residential market on Rio Terà San Leonardo in Cannaregio is the local fruit and vegetable market for the western Cannaregio quarter, a short walk.

Go for: Fruit and vegetables, Residential market, Picnic supplies

Tip: Walk-in. Fewer stalls than a decade ago but still open Monday to Saturday for fresh produce.

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