If you tire of Florida’s endless shopping plazas and anonymous shopping malls, Downtown Venice, Florida will comes as a refreshing surprise. This historic district is a place of interesting boutiques and individual businesses for browsing in a relaxing atmosphere of times gone by.

History of Downtown Venice

Downtown Venice was laid out with careful thought and planning in the 1920s. It was given a Mediterranean theme which permeated throughout the architecture, pastel color palette and tree-lined avenues to create a Main Street ambience and social hub for the city. This forethought has certainly paid dividends as it marks Venice out as a delightful place to visit, stay or live with its historic designation.

The Triangle Inn, a former boarding house, is now a fascinating local museum on S. Nokomis Avenue. It has been moved from its original position on Nassau Street where it featured a round staircase and Italian-style green tile roof. The rooms are full of photographs of old Venice along with archives and changing displays of local exhibits.

Independent Shops, Galleries and Restaurants in Venice

There are several shady tree-lined streets in the few blocks that make up the Venice Downtown Historic District. Park your car and enjoy strolling up and down. It’s the best way to appreciate the delightful low-rise architecture that was purposely modeled on towns in Northern Italy. The Old Florida atmosphere is enhanced by antique-style store fronts and handwritten signs, making this area unique and pleasing.