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Venice in Winter: Intrigue and Mystery

Winter is a fine season to visit Venice. Finally, I get to mingle with actual Venetians, to rub shoulders with them on numerous vaporetto rides along the canals and to the islands and to haggle amongst Venetians over delicious fruit and vegetables at the markets at the foot of the Rialto bridge.

I am warmly welcomed in mom and pop shops, deep in the alleyways, when I enter and enquire about the displayed, multi-colored and wildly twisted pasta that I have never before seen. I can enjoy a cappuccino and sinful chocolate cake at the famous Café Florian without having to stand in line. Yes, it feels good to be surrounded by chic locals whiling away the day and having a their own good time.

It may be a bit chilly and it might rain occasionally, but that’s nothing a warm coat, boots and an umbrella can’t cure. Add to this the advantage that during the winter hiatus prices for hotels drop considerably and the shops offer discounts and sale prices; and Venice, before the crowds descend again for carnival in February, is a winter destination par excellence. Of course, more than a few knowledgeable tourists and visitors are around, which means that all the sites, museums and attractions are open.

My home away from home for four days was the aptly named Hotel Serenissima in Calle Goldoni, half way between the Rialto stop where the vaporetto from the airport dropped me and St. Mark’s Square. A lovely four story town house, and family run, Hotel Serenissima is a low-season bargain at 81€ for a single including breakfast and taxes. Two things require particular mention: a) free and working wifi in your room and, b) breakfast. The owner, herself, greets you in the first floor breakfast room by name and with a big smile, huge coffee pot in one hand, hot milk in the other. She then rushes off to heat your choice of flaky croissants, toast and other delicacies. If you must, you can have tea, but…

Thus fortified, I made my way to St. Mark’s Square. My eyes fell on a notice board which announced: ’Murder and Mystery Tour’. Fabulous. In the city with a history full of conspiracy and intrigue, I couldn’t have asked for more. The tour started at 5pm and cost 20€. I bought my ticket and returned at the appointed hour.

The group, which assembled near the ticket office, consisted of just six eager souls; three Italians, an American, a French lady and myself. We introduced ourselves to each other and agreed on English as a common language. Now, where was our guide? As if on cue, a figure right out of a Goldoni play literally jumped into our midst. Our guide, a young actor as it turned out, a native of Venice, in full period costume quickly set the scene. Twirling his walking stick he promised us secret alleys, anecdotes and mysteries. And he did not disappoint. At a quick clip, he led us deeper and deeper into the side streets of Venice. We followed over bridges and across squares while our guide, in the most dramatic fashion, pointed out secret doors in palaces which were used by the gentleman or lady of the house to conduct illicit trysts. He showed us a balcony over which ghosts threw a greedy man into the canal after murdering him. Over and over again, our guide recounted stories of Casanova gambling and carousing with his friends or hiding in this house or that after seducing various women. The stories are too many to be told here, but they were entertaining and fascinating and so were the out-of-the-way parts of Venice we saw. The tour was, of course, made even more dramatic by our guide’s play acting.

After two hours and in tune with the theme of intrigue and mystery, he raised his stick and declared: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is where our tour ends! ” Lord, where are we, I thought? I had no sense of direction and felt somewhat disoriented. Looking around, I found myself in front of the Ospedale Civile, quite a distance from St. Mark’s Square.

By now it was dark and our little group had quickly dispersed. I thought: let’s see if I can’t get a private tour back. As our guide prepared to slip away, I asked him if he was returning to St. Mark’s Square. He was. Could I go with him? “But, of course.” And thus started my second tour, even more entertaining than the ‘official’ one. He told me about his acting career, about the art scene in Venice and then asked me if I was hungry. We entered a tiny trattoria, shared a couple of delicious ham and vegetable sandwiches, a few glasses of wine, followed by a grappa and then we parted company at the Café Florian.

The tour was a most enjoyable experience and an entertaining way to see Venice. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring a map so you can find your own way back if ’abandoned’ at the end of the tour. You can get lost in Venice, but on the other hand there are signs everywhere which direct you towards either the Rialto Bridge or St. Mark’s Square. Although, from time to time, the signs seem to point in opposite directions. This suggests either the long or the short route, but you’ll eventually end up where you want to go.

Written by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte for EuropeUpClose.com

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Where To Stay in Venice: Editor’s Picks

When deciding where to stay in Venice, its important to know something about the differences between it’s many neighborhoods. Should you stay near the main piazza, Piazza San Marco, or would you prefer to stay nearer to the train station, eliminating the otherwise long walk or water taxi ride to your hotel? Venice’s picturesque alleyways can become a confusing labyrinth, even with a good map, and wheelie bags won’t be of much help going up and down the bridges, which are comprised of steps rather than smooth ascents. In short, Venice is unlike any other city in the world, and this article will help you prepare for the tricks it has up its sleeve. Here are a few tips and hotel recommendations to help you decide where to stay in Venice.

The main neighborhoods in Venice are Cannaregio, Santa Croce, San Polo, Dorsoduro, San Marco, Castello, and the island of Giudecca; and good accommodations can be found in all of them. Venice’s most important sights are found in the San Marco neighborhood, and the San Marco neighborhood is a great place to stay provided that you are prepared to embark on the adventurous task of getting there. The easiest way is to take a water taxi, which will drop you off within steps of your hotel and which will cost around 60 euros each way. Otherwise take an ACTV-operated vaporetto, which is a waterbus that will cost around six euro. Be forewarned that the vaporetto might not stop near your hotel. The only other way to Piazza San Marco is to walk, which takes roughly an hour, whether arriving to Venice by ferry, bus, train, or car, and is not recommended.

If you don’t want to deal with Venice’s public transportation, I recommend staying closer to the Santa Lucia train station or Piazzale Roma. However, this will put you about a 45-minute walk from the sights. Here are a few more tips to help you choose where to stay in Venice:

The island of Giudecca is home to many of Venice’s most luxurious hotels, and a ferry ride from Giudecca to Piazza San Marco takes roughly 10 minutes.
Venice’s more residential neighborhoods include Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, Castello, and Santa Croce.
Venice Mestre is the mainland portion of the city of Venice. Getting to Venice’s important sights from the Mestre neighborhood is very time-consuming and, therefore, not recommended for hotel accomodations.
Obtain a map of the city before arriving so you can plan the route to your hotel.
The tourist offices do not provide maps for free, and it is definitely worth purchasing one to help you get around.
Keep your hotel’s phone number on hand in case you get lost on your way.

5-Star Hotels in Venice

San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort
Looking for a really special hotel? This hotel comes with a private island: the island of San Clemente. An exclusive 5-star luxury hotel, it offers rooms that are exceptionally large and lavishly decorated. A one-time monastery, the hotel’s architecture is stunning, and white rabbits populate the grounds. Shuttle motor boats run regularly to the center of Venice and take around 15 minutes.
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Luna Hotel Baglioni
Located in a Venetian palace near the sight-filled Piazza San Marco, this hotel comes with great views of the Grand Canal, and its splendid rooms feature fine draperies, silk fabrics, and hand-blown Venetian glass chandeliers, as well as high speed WiFi. The concierge is fully prepared to help visitors plan trips and activities around Venice, including boat trips that leave from the hotel’s private dock. The staff is known for providing fantastic service.
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4-Star Hotels in Venice

Al Ponte Antico Hotel
Located in the San Polo neighborhood near the Rialto Bridge, this hotel offers spacious rooms that are so superbly decorated you’ll feel like Venetian royalty. Breakfast is included and eggs and crepes are made to order. For those with high standards while traveling on a budget, this hotel is a very good value. Enjoy its many amenities, including free WiFi, and don’t hesitate to ask for a room with a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal.
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Hotel Canal Grande
This hotel is in the vicinity of the train station on a private street next to the Grand Canal. All rooms come with safes, WiFi, satellite TV, and air conditioning. Rooms are decorated with golden framed mirrors, traditional furniture, and Murano glass. Prices are very competitive considering the quality of the rooms and service.
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Aqua Palace Hotel
Located in the Castello neighborhood, this hotel is a short walk from either the Rialto Bridge or Piazza San Marco. Guests are welcomed in a lobby set up to look like a classic Venetian living room. Rooms are spacious and come with WiFi, a mini bar, and traditional décor. Two rooms are handicap accessible. The hotel staff is particularly friendly and helpful.
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3-Star Hotels in Venice

Hotel Antiche Figure
This is a wonderful hotel for the money. The Hotel Antiche Figure provides high standards of service and quality. Easy to reach, it is located right across the Grand Canal from the train station. Guest rooms are recently remodeled in the Venetian style and free WiFi is available. The restaurant is also known for its great food. If sensitive to noise, ask for a room off of the Grand Canal.
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Hotel Ca’ Dogaressa
Located in the Cannaregio neighborhood on the Cannaregio Canal, this hotel gets you away from the tourists and welcomes you to Venice’s Jewish Ghetto neighborhood, which is known for its traditional restaurants. The staff excels at making you feel at home, and every room has a marble bathroom, air conditioning, and ADSL internet access. If you’re traveling without a computer, the hotel will even provide one for you.
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Albergo San Marco
This 3-star hotel is close to Piazza San Mark and provides some of the best rates in the area. The rooms include a mini bar, WiFi, and flat screen TVs. If you’re traveling alone, the economy rooms are specifically designed for solo travelers. A continental breakfast is included.
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Budget Hotels in Venice

Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo
Another boutique hotel, this one is located just steps away from a vaporetto stop in the Santa Croce neighborhood. All ten rooms are unique and feature Venetian décor. The staff is professional and friendly. Walking to Piazza San Marco will take around 30-45 minutes. Free WiFi.
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Hotel Alloggi Serena
A great option for budget travelers, this boutique hotel has small rooms artfully decorated in typical Venetian style. The staff, while sometimes hard to track down, is very friendly and happy to answer questions. Located in the Santa Croce neighborhood, breakfast and WiFi are included.
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Written by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

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Where to Eat and Drink in Venice

It is always tricky to know where to eat in Venice. While Italy has a wonderful culinary reputation, Venice is generally not known for fine restaurants. In my Venice travels, I’ve found the best strategy is to walk away from the crowds and get into out of the way neighborhoods where you will find authentic Venetian eateries. Snag a table with the locals and you will be virtually assured of finding good food, a friendly atmosphere, and an over-all positive experience that will be worth the extra effort.

Venice is so full of alleyways, bridges, and squares to explore that it can sometimes be easy to forget to eat. But then, depending on the time of day, predictable aromas will begin to fill the air. In the morning, it’s the smell of strong coffee and fresh pastries. Around lunchtime it’s fresh pizza, grilled fish, and garlic. By night, more classic Italian ingredients are thrown at the senses: tomatoes, fresh chopped parsley, simple simmering soups.

Where to eat and drink in Venice

Out of the Way Places:

La Zucca
I first discovered La Zucca when staying in a nearby apartment rental. Although I was cooking in most nights with fresh fish and produce from the market, every time I walked by this teeny restaurant, it would be packed full of gesticulating Italians. I tried it and couldn’t forget it. When I returned to Venice a year later, this restaurant was first on my list. Located near San Giacomo Square in the quiet Santa Croce neighborhood, this restaurant sits on a picturesque canal right next to a small bridge. During warm weather there are a handful of outdoor tables. The menu is incredibly fresh, with an emphasis on vegetables. Don’t miss the pastas and braised meats. Linger over your meal as a local Italian would and be sure to order many different courses.

Paradiso Perduto
While La Zucca is the kind of small, intimate place that’s perfect for a date, Paradiso Perduto is a raucous food-hall-type-restaurant where you will sit at communal tables amongst groups of boisterous – mostly young – Italians. Tucked away from any major attractions in the Cannaregio neighborhood, this restaurant is as well known for live jazz performances and affordable drinks as it is for the food. Whatever the daily special, order it. From delicious fish soups to pastas, the menu here is simple but hearty. If your Italian is rusty (or non-existant) one perk of the communal dining is the ability to point to what your neighbor is having, indicating you would like to try it too.
Fondamenta della Misericordia, 2640
Cannaregio.

Orange
I’ve heard people say that Venice lacks a nightlife; that after the daytrippers go home the streets are silent and there’s nothing to do. This simply isn’t true – there are a number of nightlife centers throughout the city that you need to seek out. One of them is Campo Santa Margarita in the Dorsoduro neighborhood. Around midnight on weekends this square will fill with mingling people roaming from bar to bar while sipping on the a local drink, such as the spritz. Orange is one of the top bars in the square – featuring a DJ, back garden, and rooftop dance party. And Orange is not alone, there are many bars with a great after-dark buzz that cater to the young and those who want to be young.

Nico
As you would expect, there are numerous gelato outlets throughout Venice, each calling hungry visitors with their enticing, bright colored, creamy textured delights. While just about any scoop of gelato will taste amazingly great on a sunny day in Venice, one of the best places to fullfill your decadent snack need is Nico. It is located in the Dorsoduro neighborhood right on the edge of the Giudecca Canal. You can grab a scoop or two of straciatella or bacio to go, or take a table overlooking the water and order up a big ice cream sundae, topped-off with a coffee. Venice after all, is all about taking things slow.

Harry’s Bar
In order to avoid the hoards of tourists at the iconic Harry’s Bar, consider getting your party started early and visit Harry’s in mid-afternoon. This centrally located bar is famous for being home of the Bellini. Skip the tables and take a seat right at the bar in order to watch the bartender mix your Bellini to order. Yes, it’s a splurge, but the engaging bartenders and historic atmosphere will be worth the expense. Smile at the bartender and you might receive a complimentary ‘top up’ on your Bellini.

These restaurants and bars are spread throughout the many different neighborhoods of Venice. And while you could take the vaporetto to get there, walking will help you discover some of your own out of the way places in this stunning, but sinking, city. For another take on Venice food read Mattie’s Finding an Authentic Venetian Restaurant

Written by Jessica Colley for EuropeUpClose.com

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The Perfect Nighttime Walk in Venice, Italy

Here is my perfect nighttime walk in Venice. Venice gets packed during the day, but at night, especially if the fog rolls in off the Adriatic Sea, the city becomes private and magical all over again. This nighttime walk passes through Venice’s hippest nightlife locations, along the open sea, and past many of Venice’s most beautiful buildings. Venice is an exceptionally safe city, and this nighttime walk will stick to well-populated areas. To make sure we don’t over exert ourselves, I’ll recommend several cafes, gelaterias, and bars along the way.

The nighttime walk begins in St. Mark’s Square, winds through the happening Dorsoduro neighborhood, and passes the beautiful churches of the San Polo neighborhood, before making a full loop and returning to St. Mark’s Square. As pictured below, the walk takes up to two hours. I recommend adapting it to fit your time schedule and location, and make sure to bring a detailed map.

St. Mark’s Square is home to Venice’s most commanding architecture, most of which dates between 1300-1600. This was once the seat of the Venetian Empire, and it can get a bit eerie thinking about all of the kings, queens, troops, and jesters who’ve strolled through the piazza. If the wind’s blowing, you might even be able to hear their voices.

Heading west, stroll beneath the long portico that wraps around the piazza and exit onto the street, Santa San Moise. Continue straight until reaching Campo Santo Stefano. Walk past the famous Galleria dell’Accademia art museum and across the Academy Bridge, then continue straight until reaching the Fondamenta Zattere Ai Gesuati. This part of Venice can be downright freaky on a foggy night: the distant lights on the island of Giudecca are nearly obscured, making the sound of the lapping waves seem all the stronger. The adventuresome can walk to the elaborate, domed church, Santa Maria Della Salute, which guards over the entrance to the Grand Canal. The rest of us will be eating gelato at Gelateria Nico. Turn left on Fondamenta Zattere Ai Gesuati and you can’t miss it (the gelateria stays open late during the summer months).

Continue on Fondamenta Nani, located just past Gelateria Nico. Take the second bridge, admiring the stunning Venetian glass artworks in the windows of Massimo Micheluzzi’s gallery, located at the foot of the bridge. Wind your way to Campo San Barnaba, and continue onto the street Rio Terá Canal. Here you’ll find Imagina Café, a wine bar and art gallery that features Veneto-region wines beginning at 2.50€ a glass. Campo Santa Margherite, one of Venice’s most happening nightlife scenes, is another hundred steps past Imagina. Every night, university students and revelers fill this piazza, either spilling out of the cafes or standing among the statues swigging wine or beer.

Exit the piazza on the opposite side from which you entered, continuing on Chiesa San Pantalon. This area is one of the most maze-like in Venice. Carefully wind your way to Campo Dei Frari and the Frari church, which is one of the city’s most stunning, featuring Italian Gothic architecture. Now head for the Rialto Bridge. Along the way, enter Campo San Polo and stand in the middle: Imagine the hundreds of bullfights that were held here.

Finally, cross the Rialto Bridge—the most iconic of Venice’s bridges—but don’t dawdle: It has collapsed several times throughout history (just kidding; it’s stayed strong since 1591). Returning to St. Mark’s Square, you’ll be just in time to catch the first entrance to the nightclubs on Piscina de Frezzaria.

Written by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

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Eating the Adriatic – Finding an Authentic Venetian Restaurant

Finding an authentic Venetian restaurant is sometimes difficult; of all the cities in Italy, Venice is the only one that regularly serves bad food. In Italy, a bad restaurant doesn’t last long, because everyone knows what a traditional dish is supposed to taste like. If you can’t hack it, you’re out of business… fast. The Veneto region is the origin of many of Italy’s most iconic culinary ingredients and dishes, from Asiago cheese and Prosecco sparkling wine to risotto and tiramisu. And when you find the right restaurant, the meal can be truly great. But Venice is a complicated city, from the winding alleyways and streets to the beautiful palaces sinking in seawater. Finding a hotel that meets your needs is hard enough, but finding an authentic restaurant can be a real challenge.

I arrived in Venice with two tasks, 1) to meet my girlfriend who was flying over from Portland, Oregon and to walk her through her jet lag, and 2) to update a Venice guidebook. Both tasks would require massive amounts of eating. The weather was cool, the streets were quiet, and the restaurants advertised the day’s specials on chalkboards. We entered one restaurant advertising Spaghetti alla Buzara. After my excellent experience with buzara in Croatia, I wanted to show this dish to my girlfriend. Unfortunately, when the plates arrived they were flavorless; the prawns had been cooked so long that their legs had disintegrated into the pasta and the seafood wasn’t fresh. When I complained to the waiter, he said there was nothing he could do. Strike one. Nice service guys.

Luckily, things turned around fast. It began with olive ascolana, a dish technically from the Marche region, but which Venetians have adopted with a passion. Olive ascolana are olives stuffed with meat, breaded, then deep fried, and the result is one of the most addictive snacks I’ve ever had.

For lunch, we stopped in Ristorante Diana, located in the Cannaregio neighborhood. For once, the prices were reasonable, especially the price of the house wine. Good house white wine is a staple in Venice thanks to the Veneto region’s massive production of white wines featuring the pinot grigio, pinot bianco, and verduzzo grapes. Another way to save a buck in Venice is to frequent the vino sfuso shops that sell locally produced wines by the liter. Prices usually range between one to three euros a liter.

The first highlight of my meal at Ristorante Diana was the seafood antipasto with components that included the famous sarde in saor (sardines in a sweet and sour onion sauce) and a very tender octopus carpaccio. It was like eating the heart of Venetian cuisine. The spaghetti con vongole was nice and light (with fresh clams) and the ravioli con porcini was homemade with fresh, seasonal mushrooms.

The next night we stumbled across one of the best deals in Venice: a happening wine bar that offers wine for .60 euro a glass. Bacareto Da Lele in Campo dei Tolentini was filled—I should say surrounded—by university students. We stood by the canal with our small glasses of wine absorbing the laughter, and the massive Corinthian columns of the Church of San Nicolo dominating the piazza. Campo dei Tolentini is on the edge of the Campo Santa Margherita nightlife scene. If you’re looking for heavy-drinking revelry, just walk to Campo Santa Margherita: the whole piazza is an open bar.

After our first night, we didn’t have another negative dining experience in Venice, but not every meal was impressive. When choosing a restaurant in Venice, I recommend looking for traditional Venetian dishes such as risi e bisi, caparossoli in cassopipa, fegato alla veneziana, and baccala. I would be wary of restaurants that excessively advertise non-Venetian dishes such as spaghetti carbonara, lasagna, or cotoletta alla milanese. Also, a traditional dish such as risi e bisi shouldn’t cost more than 10€ at a regular restaurant. Anything higher than that and you’re getting gouged. As a general rule, I recommend listening for the beautiful sound of Italian voices and laughter: proof of a good meal.

Below is a list of restaurants that stood out during my visit. If you know of any great restaurants in Venice, please share. I’m sure everyone would appreciate it.

Venice Restaurant Recommendations:

Diana Ristorante – €€ The only drawback to this restaurant is that it is popular with tourists. However, the prices are low, the portions large, and the dishes are prepared by talented chefs. It provided one of the best meals I had in Venice.
Fondamenta de la Misericordia, 2519

Dalla Marisa – €€ You’ll need to make reservations for this restaurant, which only does one or two seatings for lunch and dinner. It’s very popular with the locals. The waitress will tell you the day’s menu, but you can expect two options for each course: antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce. You will find very authentic food here. It helps to speak a little Italian, but you can get by without.
On the corner of Calle de le Canne and Fondamenta di San Giobbe, 652b

Bacareto Da Lele – € Besides cheap wine, this place serves good finger food, and this is a great place to get the famous Venetian sandwich: a crust-less, white bread sandwich that can be stuffed with pretty much anything. There are no tables, so you will need to eat and drink while standing with nice views of the canal and piazza.
Campo dei Tolentini

Pizzeria Trattoria All’Anfora Venice – €
This pizzeria makes a descent pizza, the size of which is truly impressive. Hungry budget travelers go here! The 4 Seasons (Quattro Stagioni) and specialty pizzas are excellent, as are the desserts.
Lista dei Bari, 1223

Written by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

Follow our own Ravenous Traveler, Mattie Bamman @ravenoustravelr, as he eats his way through Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.

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Magical Venice, our ‘City of the Month’

Venice, Italy is our ‘city of the month’. We have lots of Venice stories to share and many more to come. There is so much to see and do on this little island that you’ll never get bored.

The first time I visited Venice, I was mesmerized by the tiny alleyways and quiet canals. I was overcome with a compelling need to explore, to walk and find what was around the next corner: it was like a maze. I also loved the eerie quietness of a city buzzing with people. Unknowingly, I was waiting to hear something that simply wasn’t there…the urban noise of darting cars and scooters. Venetians experience a slower pace of life and for the few days we were there, we experienced it as well.

For a complete rundown of the top sights, hotels and restaurants of Venice, read our Venice Travel Guide. Reviewing this article brings back warm memories of this very special place. Check-out Jessica Colley’s short piece on A Bird’s Eye View of Venice with its accompanying lovely photos.

We also have a number of posts that offer very practical information on visiting Venice. Getting Around Venice by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard, for instance, helps you make sense of the - vaporetti, gondola, and traghetti – modes of transportation that allow you to get around Venice and the outer islands. Speaking of which, Brigitte Aflalo Calderon wrote about the Islands of Venice. No trip to Venice is complete without a visit to its neighboring islands; Burano, known for lace-making; Murano, the glass blowing capital of the world; and sleepy Torcello.

If you love food, and since you are in Italy, we will assume that you do, you might be interested in the Markets of Venice. Stop by early and pick up food for your lunchtime picnic. And finally, Hope Tarr wrote a humorous piece on eating her way through Venice, with lots of recommendations. (Hint: the gelato is out of this world.)

No matter when you visit Venice, in the warm summer months, for winter festivities, or for Carnivale, you will not be disappointed; it is a place for all time.

Written by Terri Fogarty for EuropeUpClose.com

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Eating My Way Through Venice

Before departing New York, I joke that I am going to Italy to get my Eat Pray Love on—but as soon as I step off the vaporetto (water taxi) that brings me from Marco Polo Airport, I decide these first few days in Venice will be focused on eating. Everything looks so amazingly good that figuring out what to eat nearly…consumes me. What do you do when your biggest decision of the day is what flavor of gelato to order?…You get a second scoop.

Before coming to Venice, I never considered myself to have much of a sweet tooth. But then I have my first Venetian gelato—amaretto which means almond—and the experience is…transforming.

Like any addiction, once you’ve had true Italian gelato, you pretty much want it all the time. To really mess with your willpower, there’s at minimum one gelateria per block. Not infrequently there are two situated side-by-side, both apparently thriving. A single scoop runs from 1.30 to 1.50 Euros. The saving grace is that the portion size follows European standards, which amounts to about half of an American serving.

That, of course, means I can totally justify having due—two!

And then there is the pizza. Mama mia, the pizza! In The States, inhaling a whole pizza would count as a Kirstie Allie moment, the scraping bottom binge prelude to signing up for Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig, but here no one looks at you askance. In point, everyone is ordering their own pizzas, which are not “personal pan” size but actual whole pizza size. And what’s brilliant about all this pizza scarfing, inspiring really, is that nearly no one in Venice is overweight. Apparently once you set foot on Italian soil, calories don’t count unless you count them.

On my first night in Venice, I decide to test drive this theory for myself. After a day spent strolling along the Grand Canal, taking in the majesty of St. Mark’s Square, gazing into the shops selling elaborate masks and other Carnivale wear, and yes, having the requisite Bellini at Harry’s Bar, I decide on dinner at an unprepossessing little pizzeria in Campo Santa Maria Formosa, Venice’s Castello district.

The variety of pizzas listed on the very large menu of this very tiny place is staggering. Sticking to the K.I.S.S. Rule, I order a caprese pizza and settle in with my half-bottle of chianti. (Note: Few Venetian restaurants sell wine by the glass). The pizza arrives, huge and sizzling, the tomatoes so fresh I can all but smell the topsoil on them. I tuck in. This is my first pizza on Italian soil and yes, it is the hands down Best Pizza of My Life. Any puritanical thoughts of saving half or even a slice back fly away from my first bite on. Eating this pizza in anything less than its pristine, fresh out-of-the-oven state would be a culinary crime.

It doesn’t hurt that the waiter prefaced the taking of my order with, “Bonne sera, pretty, what can I do for you?”

What, indeed, beautiful Italian server dude of the flashing black-brown eyes and bulging biceps?

If you’re a single woman of a certain age looking to get your flirt (back) on, Venice does not disappoint. Venetian men are generous with their compliments and if their chivalry has a decidedly sexual slant—and it does, oh how it does—who’s complaining? Even the Best Pizza of My Life tasted that much better seasoned with a smile and a compliment.

“Have a beautiful life,” he calls after me as I leave to head back to my hotel, the better part of my half bottle of wine tucked beneath my arm.

Wine is drunk at both lunch and dinner. Drunk, not guzzled. As a broad rule, Italians are sippers, not quaffers. A typical Venetian will nurse a glass of wine—what would be considered a half glass in the U.S.—throughout a meal. The selection of commercially available wines leans heavily on the regional. Northern Italy, including Venice, is best known for its whites, notably prosecco. In The States, prosecco has become synonymous with sparkling wine and indeed most of the prosecco I have in Venice is precisely that. Still, the name has to do with the grape, not the fizz. (“Secco” translates to “dry”). If you want your bubbles closer to champagne, order a spumante.

Northeast Italy is also home to grappa, a high alcohol (70-120 U.S. proof) grape-based pomace (the skins and seeds left over from the grape pressing) frequently served after meals as a digestive. Bassano del Grappa, about a two hour drive north of Venice, is home to Nardini, the oldest producer of grappa in Italy.

Drinking and eating are not only basic bodily necessities but social occasions. Sitting down to a good meal at least once a day isn’t a decadent splurge but simply a sensible way of being. A proper meal is served in courses, typically an antipasto, a prima, a secondo, an insalate (salad comes at the end of the meal), espresso and dessert, and often, as the finale to dinner, a small glass of grappa. Taking cappuccino or any coffee with milk after 3:00PM, the official start of “evening,” is something no true Italian will ever do, a faux-pas rooted in the sensibility that dairy taken late in the day interferes with optimal digestion.

Another big no-no: cell phones. A Blackberry or iPhone set out on a restaurant table is a rare sight. To ignore your lunch or dinner companions in favor of texting or talking to others not present is seen as unpardonably rude. Huzzah! And no matter how young and hip you are, no one—repeat, no one—walks while texting. While I do spot some Venetians chatting on their cells while walking, shouting one’s personal business to the skies is definitely not done here.

Amidst all the abundance, there is a distinct scarcity of stress in Venice. They don’t call it The Most Serene Republic for nothing. If you’re anything like me, you rely on a certain baseline level of stress simply to hold you up. By the end of my four days, I am positively limp from the lack of anxiety.

Along with my daily infusion of stress, there are other things I miss while in Venice. Like the ridiculously large—gigantico—American coffees a la Starbucks readily available in paper to-go cups. There is precious little “to go” here in Venice. Unlike New York, indeed most of Unitas Statis, Venetians wouldn’t dream of drinking their coffee, let alone eating, on the run.

But then no one is doing much running. Venice is a walking culture. Actually, it’s a strolling culture. After a few token laps through the Giardini Pubblici (Public Garden), I decide to power-down the Energizer battery and slip into stride with everyone else. Sure, I’d inhaled an entire pizza the night before. Sure I was packing enough pasta to fuel a daily marathon. Sure, my gelato intake was escalating to a two scoop a day habit. And yet running in Venice feels so very…wrong.

As to my theory on the calorie dissolving properties of standing on Italian soil, I end my four days in Venice with no real empirical data. Still, my observations, anecdotal and self-serving though they arguably are, have me considering this:

Maybe, just maybe, it isn’t food that’s making us Americans fat. Maybe it’s stressing about food—all the calorie counting and triglyceride monitoring, the guilty tallying of points and grams—that’s bringing our spirits down and our jeans’ sizes up.

If that’s even remotely true, then Venice may just be paradise on earth.

I don’t know about you, but I’m having another gelato while I think about it.

Written by and photos by Hope Tarr for EuropeUpClose.com

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A Bird’s Eye View of Venice

There are many different strategies for exploring the stunning city of Venice, Italy. Some visitors choose to wander along canals and over bridges, abandoning the idea of following a map. Others choose to focus on the main attractions – St Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge, and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum – to guide them through the city. Another approach for experiencing the beauty of Venice is to gain a bird’s eye view. To do so, there are two bell towers in the city that offer different, yet equally striking, perspectives of the famous Italian city.

St Mark’s Campanile

Start with the better known of the two bell towers, the one in Piazza San Marco. St. Mark’s campanile ( the Italian word for bell tower) contains an elevator that will take you over 300 feet to the top of Campanile di San Marco. Stepping out of the elevator, you will discover a very different perspective of Venice than you experience on the ground.

When strolling the streets of Venice, it feels as if water is everywhere. The canals, large and small, are significant to the local atmosphere. Yet from above, Venice seems almost free of canals. Although the canals densely wind their way through the city, from the top of the bell tower, all you can see are red roofs and a new, spectacular view of Basilica San Marco. Some visitors think that this view is even better than exploring the inside of the Basilica itself.

The entrance fee for the bell tower is approximately 8 euros. A quick elevator ride will bring you to the top, where you will be greeted with 360-degree views of Venice. Be sure to look out across the wide lagoon towards the bell tower at San Giorgio, where you can experience yet another perspective of Venice by riding an elevator to the top.

The bell tower in Piazza San Marco is a popular attraction in Venice. The best time to visit (to avoid crowds) is early. If you’re visiting during the off-season, don’t be surprised if the line is only a few minutes at any time of day. (During an October visit, I waited less than 5 minutes to enter the elevator in the middle of the afternoon).

San Giorgio’s Campanile

Fewer visitors venture to the top of the bell tower in San Giorgio – but this is a mistake. Located on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, directly across the lagoon from Piazza San Marco, this bell tower offers an incredible view of Venice’s most famous square. Once you become aware of the bell towers, you realize what a role they play in city life. Marking the hour, the bell towers can be heard at almost all locations throughout the city.

The island of San Giorgio is only a short vaporetto (water bus) ride away from St Mark’s Square. On a sunny day, the boat ride in the open water is a pleasure in itself, but arriving at San Giorgio there is plenty more to see. This bell tower is part of a beautiful 16th century church with a white marble façade. On a recent visit, I stepped off the vaporetto to find a bride and groom sharing their first kisses in the square out front of the church.

On this side of the lagoon, you won’t pay premium prices for attractions. To reach the top of the bell tower, you will only pay approximately 3 euros. I didn’t check my watch before climbing in the elevator and, to my surprise and great pleasure, it was only five minutes after I arrived that the bells started ringing, signifying the top of the hour. It was an incredibly exhilarating (and odd) feeling to be that close to the bells as their chime rang out across the water.

Deciding which bell tower is your favorite can be part of the evening discussion over a bellini or two at a small bar or outdoor café. On the ground, this city is full of mystique around every corner. Seeing Venice from above only confirms that there is always somewhere new to discover in the famous, sinking city.

Written by and photos by Jessica Colley for EuropeUpClose.com

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Carnevale di Venezia: The Carnival of Venice

Since returning from Venice, Italy a few days ago, I have been pondering why my experience of spending four days at The Venice Carnival left such a deep and persistent impression - more than any other trip I have taken to numerous outstanding places throughout the world. I have come to the conclusion that Venice Carnival gets under your skin because for some 10 days the city and her people go back in time and really become people living out the times of the Renaissance – as opposed to putting on a show.

Roaming the streets and encountering mask after mask, I got the feeling that Venetions couldn’t care less if visitors and tourists came to their city during Carnival. Venetions seemed to be caught up in the moment as expressed through their outfits and sophisticated manners. I kid you not, more than once did I have the urge to curtsy when I came face to face with the Doge!!

I have lived with the desire to attend the Venice Carnival for as long as I can remember and finally I had the opportunity to make my dream come true. I also decided to really get into the spirit of things and immerse myself in whatever was going on in Venice.

To get started in style, I booked myself into a hotel which, fittingly, is called Serenissima. Conveniently located between the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square, the little hotel’s location is a perfect point from which to explore Venice in all directions.

One of the objectives of my stay was to have dinner in a Palazzo, in traditional costume of course. So, on my first day, I made my way across the Rialto Bridge to a shop which sells masks and rents costumes. I immediatly knew it was my lucky day. Though cold, the sun was shining and the rippling waters of the Grand Canal were reflecting the colourful facades of all the impressive Venetian buildings. As I watched the lazy gondolas and darting vaporetti make their way through this enchanting city, I was reminded of the added pleasure of not having to contend with cars over the next few days. It would, instead, be foot traffic only over the twisting, cobbled alleys. With an ever increasing number of people arriving in the city a day before the official beginning of Carnival, their donning of the typical Carnival face masks made it apparent that they were anxious to get the party started.

The costume shop in question is called Leone d’ Oro, and is just across the bridge. You can reserve costumes in advance through the official Carnival website as well as book tickets for the events. I did not reserve an outfit in advance as I wanted to see, first-hand, just what was on offer. Upon selecting a costume, the transformation into a lady of times-gone-by was a memorable experience. Two dressers are needed to tie the corset, get into the ‘undercarriage’ for the hoop skirt, put on the underskirt, and finally the dress. It is then topped off with a distinctive hat. The result made me feel like a princess. The shop, of course, offers plenty of vintage outfits for men as well.

I proceeded to St Mark’s Square to see the preparations for the evenings concert. I then walked along the water, crossing bridge after bridge. Upon reaching the famous Danieli Hotel, I took a vaporetto back to Rialto.

I had originally intended to go to the Opening Ball, but it was cancelled by the organizers. So, instead, I took a gondola to the Ball of the Duke in the Palazzo Pesaro Papafava which overlooks the Canal de la Misericordia. The entire palace was illuminated by candle light and orchestral music by Offenbach and Strauss entertained as did professional dancers; everybody wore their best masks and costumes and everybody had a great time. As I said, nobody seemed to be in disguise. People behaved as if these costumes were their every day garb which makes the entire Carnival experience so unique. It also helps that this unique city is an ideal stage.

Another highlight was the Flight of the Angel, an event which marks the official beginning of Carnival and takes place precisely at noon in St. Mark’s Square. In the 16^th century, a Turkish acrobat stunned the Venetians by walking on a tight rope from a boot moored in the canal right up to the top of the St. Mark’s bell tower. And ever since, the performance, which changed names from Flight of the Turk, to Flight of the Dove to Flight of the Angel, is repeated.

Today, though, the ‘angel’ doesn’t walk a tight rope. Instead, she is launched in a harness from the balustrade just below the ‘angel’ which sits on top of the Bell Tower and she glides to earth along steel ropes; all of which is accompanied by music from Vivaldi.

The square was absolutely packed, so I was glad to discover that an enclosed area had been roped off where you could enter for a fee of 20 euros to watch the spectacle without being crushed by the mass of people. Here you could follow the parade of the costumes and the arrival of the court of the doge up close.

The fountain in the middle of the square spouts red wine and, mercifully, a drink is included in the admission fee. All the Renaissance people assemble there as well, to parade, chat with each other, and show off their glamorous costumes and masks. Ladies wave regally, gentlemen nod graciously and some couples dance cotillions. You really don’t know where to look first, there is so much to see. Although at first it seemed strange to don a mask all day long, I got used to it very quickly and, indeed, would have felt out of place had I not done so.

I also took a vaporetto to Murano to visit the glass factories. Although I found the huge glass sculptures which are displayed in tiny parks on the island more interesting than the glass making itself.

I finished my visit to Venice with another intriguing event; a murder and mystery tour. This guided tour through Venice’s most secret alleys, along with tales of outragous things was a lot of fun. The guide was an actor in costume and he surpassed all expectations because he not only told the stories, he acted them out. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back for The Carnival of Venice next year. See you there?

Useful information and links:

Carnival 2012 takes place from February 11^th to 21^st.
Information about events will be available through Venice Carnival Italy.
Be prepared, nothing in Venice is cheap. Ball and dinners cost between 225 to 400 euros p.p.
Costume hire is approx. 100 euros, depending on how long you need them.
Vaporettos are quite expensive too. Whether you go one stop or to the end of the line, the ticket is 6.50 euros.
Gondola trips cost between 80 and 100 euros.
Instead of spending a lot of money in expensive restaurants, I found tiny cafes where an excellent latte costs 1 euro, and a very filling sandwich can be had for 5 euros.

Written by Inka Piegsa-Quishotte for EuropeUpClose.com

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Up Close Picture of the Week: Venice

Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and among its charms are the quiet canals and the gondoliers who will take you on a romantic cruise. Read more about Venice on a budget.

Written by Carla Scott for EuropeUpClose.com

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