A visit to Venice won't be complete without stopping at Antica Legatoria Piazzesi, the
oldest paper shop in Italy. I was walking along the back streets when I came across this amazing shop. Traditional handmade decorative papers fill the shop and have been popular since Giuseppi Rizzi opened the business in 1900. Now, one hundred and seven years later, his granddaughter, Lavinia Rizzi is holding down the fort. She inherited many of the original hand blocks (which are still used) and papers, which are considered antiques today. For centuries these papers have remained essentially the same. Colorful marblelized paper and classic fleur-de-lis Prints in striking colors are sold by the sheets.

A profusion of journals, scrapbooks, baskets, photo albums and frames covered in the
charming imperfections of hand-blocking make delightful gifts. After all, prolific Ernest
Hemingway bought papers here, too !