20 Great Things to do in Venice 12/20 – Tour of Venice

A Venice tour has been a sought-after experience since the golden age of travel, when people set off on Grand Tours of the European continent. Its lasting allure is a testament to just how unique and unforgettable Venice is - as you look for a Venice tour to suit you, make sure it includes these elements:In addition to providing a deeper experience of the most famous sights, allows you to relax and enjoy your surroundings without the stress of needing to arrange all the varied elements of your trip. And in a city as labyrinthine as Venice, it can help to have a little added guidance so that exploring on your own is truly a pleasant experience.* Art. Venice is a work of art in its own right, but the visual delights ensconced within the city's many museums should not be missed. You'll find plenty of classical treasures, as in the collection at the palazzo Ca'Rezzonico, but the Venetian art scene is as welcoming to modernity as it is to classicism - as evidenced by the Venice Biennale festival. A Venice Tour allows you to see works that run the gamut of styles and periods in the famous Peggy Guggenheim collection.

* Architecture. The fading grandeur of Venice's canal houses makes for an intriguing atmosphere everywhere you go in the city, but there are also some standout structures that shouldn't be missed. Perhaps foremost among them is the Basilica di San Marco, which is beautiful outside and nothing short of breathtaking inside. San Marco's glittering Byzantine mosaics bring Venice's history to life in stunning visuals. Also on the docket should be the legendary Bridge of Sighs and the marble halls of the Scuola Grand di San Rocco, decorated by one of Venice's most famous residents, Tintoretto.

* Wine. Italy and wine production are inextricably linked - and for good reason. On your Venice tour, you have a unique opportunity to taste the lighter side (in color, not taste) of Italy's wines. Tauck's Culturious experience takes you to visit makers of pinot grigio, Prosecco and grappa in the Veneto region, giving you insight into the cultivation, production and enjoyment of these white-grape-based beverages.

* Food. The food culture of Italy is incredibly varied and often fiercely regional. A well-planned Venice tour takes you to exceptional trattorias and cafes where the splendors of Venetian cuisine - particularly its seafood - are yours for the tasting. And don't miss the opportunity to stroll through the city's fresh food markets to see the quality and diversity of ingredients used in local dishes.

One of the Tour I recommend is here

Redentore 2012 Celebrations

Redentore is a popular festival that combines the sacred and profane, as Venice celebrations often do.Redentore is the celebration most loved by Venetians, to remind the end of the plague in 1577, one of the most disastrous plagues in Venice history, still commemorated today with "the famous night of fireworks", on the 3rd Saturday of July.

On the 3rd weekend in July, religious and political authorities, inhabitants and guests walk on this passageway to reach by foot, from the historical centre of Venice, the temple dedicated to Christ the Redeemer in the island of Giudecca

From eleven to midnight, after the gastronomical moment, the firework show starts on the most beautiful stage ever realized by man. There is no other place on the world, where the light of fireworks may enlight with its colours a mirror of water like that of the St. Mark´s Basin, with the reflection of the Ducal Palace, St. George, the Columns of Mark and Todaro.

More images are here

20 Great Things to do in Venice 11/20 – Buy a Gondola!

Ok not a real Gondola but the best thing after that. Alberto Penzo in his wonderful shop  at S Polo 2681 sells amazing Venetians boats reproductions, not the tacky plastic ones you see walking around, we are talking about real gondolas!The Venetian lagoon has a well-established ship-building tradition. Couple that with an intense passion for boat making and you have a stunning collection of gondola model boat kits constantly in production and on sale.

Gilberto Penzo, born in Chioggia in 1954 from a family of craftsmen and shipbuilders, lives in Venice where for many years he has been conducting a vast research, gathering and organizing information about traditional Venetian boats. Explanations and direct examples of the last remaining gondola builders (squerariòi), surveys of ancient templates and patterns, and - in ideal cases - the direct measurement of intact boats, are the sources which allow the author to reconstruct their forms and the construction methods used. These have given rise to a series of books, construction plans, models for museums and private collections, restorations ans reconstructions of boats.With a group of friends who share the same interest, he founded the association Arzanà in 1992 which specializes in the study and conservation of historical Venetian boats.

If you are not coming to Venice soon you can get them here

Swimming in Venice

I found this post on a Forum...and made me laugh...quite few times...But kids use to swim in Venice an no there were no sharks!

I keep seeing these movies and programs on TV about Venice Italy, and I see the people's houses that are like directly on the water, and can't help but think that it would be really cool to swim from place to place. Sure you would be dripping wet, but the water there looks really cool in the movies. (Although it's probably kinda nasty from all of the boats concentrated in that one area.) But I'm asking more of, would there be...sharks and stuff in Venice. If you look on Google Earth, the water eventually does reach the ocean. So I thought that maybe all sorts of evil animals and junk might be waiting to eat you as soon as you tried it. Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'd like to hear yours.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0SzvLhIi_g&w=600&h=450]

Bigoli in Salsa

For this dish, the pasta is all important. Originally made with duck eggs and buckwheat flour (these days, wholewheat flour and chicken eggs), Why is the pasta so important? Every pasta in Italy is shaped to serve a purpose, and in this case the pasta has a spaghetti-like length and shape, but with a coarse rather than smooth exterior. The texture of this pasta allows more sauce to ‘stick’ to the pasta, so the pasta is generally used when you have a pasta sauce with a gravy-like consistency.The following recipe come from Vini da Gigio ....but this is another story....

Ingredients (serves 2) 250g Bigoli pasta 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 8 anchovy fillets or Sarde 1 medium red onion, chopped finely 1 good bunch of Italian parsley, chopped finely Salt and pepper

Directions 1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil for the pasta. Add a tablespoon of good salt. 2. In a large sauté pan over low-medium heat, add the olive oil, the anchovies and the onion. 3. Stir the mix, helping to break down the anchovies. This should take around 10 minutes. 4. When you have a thick gravy, the sauce is ready, so put your pasta on. 5. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the sauce. Mix through most of the parsley and serve. Add a little parsley on top to make it pretty. Season and add more olive oil if you wish and enjoy with a medium to full bodied white wine.

Fegato alla Veneziana (Venetian Liver and Onions)

Fegato alla Venziana, finely sliced liver with gently stewed onions, is one of the most classic Venetian dishes, and even those who do not usually like liver enjoy it. The recipe will serve 2Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 white onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon rubbed or ground dried sage
• 1 garlic clove, flattened
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• 1 12-ounce, 1/4- 1/2-inch-thick calf's liver, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 teaspoon sage and sauté until onion is tender and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Discard garlic.

Combine flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pat liver dry. Add liver to flour mixture and toss to coat. Add butter to garlic oil and melt over medium-high heat. Add liver and stir until beginning to brown on outside but still pink inside, about 3 minutes. Add onions and sauté until liver is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley

Spot the intruder.....

I am not sure but it seems to me that today there is an intruder in St Mark's 

20 Things to do in Venice 10/20 - Venice Handmade shoes

The women and not only them of Venice have always paid particular attention to shoes.Today Venice’s artisan shoemakers strike a balance between style and comfort, handcrafting a wide range of boots and shoes using traditional techniques revisited with creative flair. There are three currently plying their trade from workshops within a few minutes of Rialto Bridge. And all of them are women.

When Daniela Ghezzo San Marco 4365, calle dei Fuseri, was studying painting at the Fine Arts Academy in Venice, she found herself constantly drawing footwear, and instinctively knew that this was her real calling. When she was 18, Ms. Ghezzo began spending her days in the Segalin atelier By the time Signor Segalin retired, Ms. Ghezzo, then 24, felt confident enough to take over. With an assistant who does the stitching, she now produces around 10 pairs of shoes a month, at prices ranging from 700€, or about $960, for women and 800€ for men. Her customers wait around six weeks for delivery.

Giovanna Zanella, Campo San Lio, 5641  30122 Venice on the other hand, has an eye-catching range of footwear on display at her colorful workshop in the Castello district. While Ms. Ghezzo favors the classic look, Ms. Zanella goes for flamboyance and delights in the outré touch. The daughter of a master glass-blower, she first opened her store 15 years ago, making hats, bags and other accessories, but shoes have been her sole focus for the past 10 years.

The third shoemaker also learned from Mr. Segalin during two extended visits to Venice before she set up her own atelier in the San Polo district in 2003. Her background, however, is otherwise entirely different. Gabriele Gmeiner   campiello del sol san polo 951 30125 Venice was born in Austria and took a diploma in footwear technology and design in London, which she followed with workshops in Vienna and Paris. Later came experience with John Lobb in London and Hermès in Paris.

Cranes in flight over Venice

A stunning new video shows cranes in flight over Venice. The Earthflight - Episode 3 "Europe" a John Downer Productions, Narrated by David Tennantwas screened Thursday 12th January on BBC One.

The video filmed from above and alongside a small group of cranes, with the city as a backdrop, is the latest effort off BBC’s Earth Flight. Shown close-up in flight, and in slow motion, the video reveals how air movement arising from the crane’s wing tips allows other birds to “draft,” much like cyclists do when traveling in pelotons. Those familiar with the sound of migrating cranes passing overhead will appreciate the short video in all its splendor.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHuH7KaPbLc&w=590&h=330]

The Production says:

Common cranes have been hand-reared to fly alongside a microlight to capture these images. Earthflight uses many different filming techniques to create the experience of flying with birds as they reveal some of the greatest natural and man-made monuments of the planet. For more information about the series visit http://www.earthflight.co.uk For more information about John Downer Productions visit their website: http://www.jdp.co.uk

Venice's Cats...where are they gone??

For a Gallery of Venetian Stray Cats click here

The Lion of St. Mark is Venice's mascot, at least among sculptors and decorators but in real life, the closest lion is probably at the Parco Natura Viva just outside Verona ;-)

With no living lions to reign over Venice, the local feline population has adopted a surrogate leonine role. Back in the 1980s, when I spent my year in Venice as part of the national army service, cats were seen everywhere in the city: sunning themselves on park benches, perched on bridges, wandering the streets, and dining on leftovers at the Rialto fish market.

Now the cat population has been limited mainly by laws and modern way of life, there are still few colonies the main ones are at Ospedale Civile (yes inside!) , at San Lorenzo near the Church, at Bacini, at Giudecca near Ponte Lungo at the Arsenale, there are quite few at the Lido and one at Torcello!

There is an Anglo Italian organization Dingo part of AISPA that works to feed, protect and maintain colonies in a healthy and modern way, they also run the "gattile" (Cattery)  at Malamocco. Despite several misconceptions and a bit of Italian racism there are no proofs (!!!) that Dingo or the Cinese people are responsible for the disappearance of cats from Venice!

In a brilliant book titled A Venetian Bestiary, Jan Morris wrote:"The cat has always been an essential scavenger in a city that depends on the tides for its hygiene, and has periodically been decimated by rat-borne plagues. It was Shylock the Venetian who declared the cat to be 'both necessary and harmless,' and when from time to time the municipality has tried to reduce the teeming feline population, the citizenry has always been up in arms in protest. Your Venetian cats are not like others. Sometimes of course they live in the bosoms of families, and are fed on canned horsemeat, and prettied up with bows: but far more often they survive half-wild, in feral gangs or covens of cats, and not infrequently some cherished household pet, observing the lives of such lucky ruffians from the kitchen window, will abandon the comforts of basket and fireside rug, and take to the streets himself."

20 Great Things to do in Venice 9/20 – Tour the Lagoon

If you're spending more than a few days in Venice, take time to visit the islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Explore the famous islands of  - Murano, Burano and Torcello - on a half-day or full day excursion. You'll see  glass-blowing display on Murano, shop for lace on Burano, be lost in the wonderful colours of Burano and visit Venice's first church on the tranquil island of Torcello. This tour is a great introduction to the magical islands of the Venetian lagoon

You'll reach the islands on water buses operated by ACTV, the Venice public-transportation company best place will be from Fte Nove. Allow a full day for the entire excursion, or half a day if you skip one of them.

ACTV's lagoon water buses can be crowded during peak season, on weekends, or if local groups of senior citizens or schoolchildren are travelling between the islands. If crowds bother you, or if you're unwilling to stand on a moving boat when seats aren't available, consider one of these alternatives:

• Take an escorted tour of Murano, Burano, and Torcello. This half-day tour is more expensive than a tour by public transportation, but it's worth considering if your schedule is tighter than your budget. The trip is offered by Viator, our sightseeing-tour partner.
• Hire a water taxi by the half-day or day, which could easily cost several hundred euros. If you want the services of a private guide, try a customized lagoon itinerary from WalksInsideVenice or the Venice Tourist Guides Association and let the guide arrange transportation.

Tips:

• Organized tours don't give you much time on the islands, so we'd recommend traveling independently unless you're in a hurry or have limited mobility.
• Instead of buying individual tickets for the boat trips between the islands, buy a 12-hour to 7-day  tourist card at any Hellovenezia or ACTV ticket booth. (See our Vaporetto Fares article.) Or order the tourist office's Venice Connected pass before you leave home, if you can figure out the byzantine pricing scheme.
•  If you have access to the Internet during your trip, you can check boat schedules at the official ACTV Web site.

Venice Spritz Recipe

Spritz is the Venetian drink or Aperitif and once you have tried you will most likely become an adept!One of the best recipe is printed on the canvas bags or t shirts  made by women in Venetian prison – They have stalls around twon and one shop in Cannaregio or you can find them here http://www.rioteradeipensieri.org

Spritz recipe INGREDIENTS: 1 part white wine 1 part Aperol (medium sweet) or Select or Campari or San Bitter or Cynar (Very bitter) 1 part seltzer/sparkling water a little ice,an olive, and a slice of orange / lemon

The origins of this drink are not known but it is widely believed that the Spritz was born during the 19th century Austrian occupation of Italy. Its name, in fact, may derive from the German verb spritzen meaning “to spray” or might be linked to the name of specific Austrian wines of the western region of Wachau. German soldiers soon got used to drinking local Venetian wines at the many taverns, but the alcohol content, so much higher than the beer they would drink back home, made them dilute it with water. Thus was born the “straight” Spritz!

But the Spritz isn’t only an Italian phenomenon. Recently, both the Spritz and Aperol are starting to take hold in many different countries, including the US. For example, in the smash hit “Meet the Parents” starring Robert de Niro, Barbra Streisand, and Dustin Hoffman, the latter offers De Niro an Italian Spritz instead of his usual Tom Collins.

Sant' Ariano: The Island of Bones

Sant’Ariano island is located in the Northern Lagoon, between Torcello and La Cura islands, north of La Centrega marsh. In 1565 the island was surrounded by a wall to preserve the bones and ashes dug out of Venice cemetery (San Michele) when more room was needed on those grounds. Today, the island is disused and it is believed to plagued with snakes.

From the inside of S Ariano looking out toward the marsh

With my fellows partners we sailed to S Ariano and walked all around the perimeter wall, we tried in few places to reach the centre of the ossuary but  a deep ravine and thorny bushes prevented us. We would have needed a machete! The dead were defending themselves, sending away  the intruders. There were mice not sure about snakes  we just managed a brief glimps of some tombstones and bones but it was impossible to reach them.

"Go Back Home!" said the tenants of  Sant'Ariano.

Amy & Chris Portrait Session in Venice

A lovely couple with a fantastic family during a portrait session along the Grand Canal and few hidden areas of VeniceHad a great fun with them!!

Islandness

An island generally comes with a bit of mystery and fascination, probably for being so close between sea and land. You may have discovered it by pure coincidence. Sometime slowly slowly the island grows in you. As the time passes you feel closer, factors such as the island’s remoteness, boundedness, and insularity combine to create a state of “islandness” . Then suddenly one day, when you are not thinking, you discover a sense of belonging. That is where you want to spend the rest of your life.

You did not choose the island, the island finally had chosen you.

Vini Sfusi...Wines by the pump!

Where can I buy wine in Venice? It’s easy. You enter the store advertising Vini Sfusi with your bottles ( not always necessary!), peruse the selection, noting the alcohol and the types of grapes used, and then, if possible, taste what you think you might want to buy. After than you just hand your bottles over and the rest is done by the shopkeeper. Prices in Venice range from 1.20 to 2.50 Euros per liter.Here are a few of the shops which specialize in "vino sfuso", most of which I think are still active:

Nave de Oro: Cannaregio 1370, rio terà San Leonardo (041 719 695) recognizable by a barrel out front, usually with a model ship atop, also a good selection of reasonably priced wines selected by near by producers. They also have the following shops:

• Nave de Oro: Castello 5786B, calle del Mondo Nuovo (041 523 3056);
• Nave de Oro: Dorsoduro 3664, near campo Santa Margherita (041 522 2693)
• Nave de Oro: via Lepanto 24D, Lido (041 276 0055)
• Nave de Oro, Cannaregio 4657, rio Terrà dei SS. Apostoli, near the Giorgione Theatre

Enoteca in Fondamenta Ormesini on the corner of Calle del Forner Very nice place and good choice of wines all very nice. They have most of the time Raboso, Raboso frizzante and Prosecco Frizzante. In season they stock Fragolino

Vini Sfusi S Polo 59 Small shop under the arcades in front of the church of S Giacometto. Smallchoice of Vini Sfusi but great quality!

La Cantina  S Polo 970 (041 523 5042) My Local!!  A short walk from Rialto and Rialto Market in a side alley. Wide choice of Vini sfusi very good quality. They also sell some specialty foods oils, jams, biscuits

Al Canton del Vino: Castello 3156, Salizada San Francesco, Very good choice and lot of wines by the pump!

Enoteca Vino e...vini: Castello 3566 , Salizada del Pignater (041 521 0184, enoteca@vinoevini.it)

Fondamenta di Cannaregio (near the Guglie bridge)

Rio Terà di Cristo and Calle di Cristo (entrance on two opposite sides) also has a wide selection of bottled wines and speciality foods

P.S. the Nave de Oro is not really a "chain" as much as a sort of expansion which started out many years ago as two brothers with two shops, then a third, then one of the first ones got sold, then a cousin got into it, and then one of the brothers moved across town... ... ...

20 Great Things to do in Venice 8/20 – Buy a Carnival Mask

Venetian masks are a centuries-old tradition of Venice, Italy. The masks are typically worn during the Carnevale (Carnival of Venice), but have been used on many other occasions in the past, usually as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. For a list of what to do during Carnival check my previous postThe mask would permit the wearer to act more freely in cases where he or she wanted to interact with other members of the society outside the bounds of identity and everyday convention. It was useful for a variety of purposes, some of them illicit or criminal, others just personal, such as romantic encounters.

Venetian masks are characterized by their ornate design, featuring bright colours such as gold or silver and the use of complex decorations in the baroque style. Many designs of Venetian masks stem from Commedia dell'arte. They can be full-face masks (e.g. the bauta) or eye masks (e.g. the Columbina). Other types of masks are Medico della Peste, (The Plague Doctor), Moretta and Volto

One of my favorite shops for Masks is Ca del Sol in Fondamenta Osmarin near Ponte dei Greci..

Another very nice shop is "La bottega dei Mascareri", of brothers Sergio and Massimo Boldrin, located at the foot of the Rialto bridge in Venice since 1984, offers authentic masks worked in a centuries-old craft.

if you have any recommended shop please do add it in the comments or send us an email and we will add it.....

20 Great Things to do in Venice 7/20 – Music

Experience (well-played) Vivaldi in Venice

For many, experiencing Vivaldi in Venice is an absolute must. But more discerning music-lovers might feel somewhat Baroqued out by the predictable programmes performed by local groups, whose technical ability rarely goes beyond the so-so to fairly good range. Exceptions are the Venice Baroque Orchestra, a global success, and the orchestra of La Fenice, one of the best in the country. As well as its opera and ballet seasons, La Fenice has at least two concert seasons a year. The Teatro Malibran shares the Fenice’s programmes and also has its own chamber music season, with performances by the Società Veneziana dei Concerti.

Mestre’s Teatro Toniolo also has a symphony and chamber music season. Most other musical events take place in Venice’s churches or scuole. St Mark’s basilica holds a smattering of ceremonial concerts throughout the year, with the patriarch deciding who is to attend. But lovers of sacred music should catch one of two regular Sunday appointments: the sung Mass at St Mark’s (10.30am) and the Gregorian chant on the island of San Giorgio (11am).

Peter and Melissa Portrait Session in Venice

The fantastic couple Peter and Melissa during a Portrait Session in Venice

Pick a number. The Venice waterbuses

Venice's vaporetti (singular - vaporetto), or water buses, are the public transportation of Venice and for the Venetian Lagoon. I have posted a Printable Map here. Vaporetti take visitors along the main canals, to the islands, and around the lagoon. Although often crowded, they are by far the least expensive way to get around (other than walking). If you're visiting Venice, sooner or later you'll probably find yourself on a vaporetto!The single vaporetto fare is a steep 6.50 euro (good for one hour from the time it's stamped) but if you plan to spend much time on the vaporetto system, it's wise to buy a travelcard that can be bought at any vaporetto ticket office. Travelcards are good for both water and land transport in the Venice area (land services on the Lido and in Mestre). Here are prices :

• 18,00 € - 12-HOUR TRAVELCARD
• 20,00 € - 24-HOUR TRAVELCARD
• 25,00 € - 36-HOUR TRAVELCARD
• 30,00 € - 48-HOUR TRAVELCARD
• 35,00 € - 72-HOUR TRAVELCARD
• 50,00 € - 7 DAYS TRAVELCARD

Recently, ACTV announced a renumbering of several vaporetto lines, effective November 2, 2011. Here's a handy chart to help make the transition. I can't even imagine what kind of havoc this is going to cause with all the maps of Venice having the old numbering system on them.