A crossroads between East and West, built on 118 islets and 400 bridges, Venice is a unique place in the world whose myth has remained intact over the centuries. A weekend in Venice can be enough to familiarize yourself with its calli and campi, its magnificent frescoed churches and its canals on which vaporetti float peacefully . And, above all, to organize your stay at the end of February allows you to attend one of the most mythical carnivals in the world.
Unmissable visits
To have a complete vision of the city, the crossing of the Grand Canal is an indispensable classic. This almost 4 km long waterway is its main artery, a concentrate of beauty and wealth. Along the way, you will be filled with the splendor of the most beautiful Venetian palaces (Ca' d'Oro, Ca' Pesaro, Ca' Rezzonico), the most beautiful sites (Rialto Bridge, Academy, Peggy-Guggenheim Museum) to end up in St. Mark's Square and its sumptuous basilica. In order to admire the square in the best conditions, laze on the terrace of one of the historic Venetian cafés. The prices at the Florian or Quadri are excessive, but the sunsets over the lagoon while sipping a prosecco (local sparkling white wine) are mesmerizing. You can admire the magnificent curves of the Basilica and the momentum of the Clock Tower, the famous campanile where two muscular Moors beat the hours all year round. Such a moment of happiness will prepare you for the visit of the basilica (at least one hour) and to face the long queue. This symbol of Venetian power where the doges were enthroned has been embellished over the centuries to the point of excess. It is both marvelous and monstrous. Wonderful because of its incredible wealth, monstrous because it houses an incredible quantity of works whose artistic unity is questionable. If your time is inexorably running out and you are bored by the exhausting queues, opt for a climb on the campanile. Its 98.50 m height dominates the city and offers you a breathtaking view of Venice and its lagoon. Another must-see in Venice is the Doge's Palace. Center of the Venetian power until the fall of the Republic provoked by Napoleon in 1797, this masterpiece of Gothic art offers a suite of works of art among which neither Titian nor Tiepolo are missing. Leaving the Doge's Palace, a walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni is a must. Along this quay, you will find the Bridge of Sighs, a place of punishment and compulsory passage for prisoners who, judged in the palace, were taken to its prisons, and the Danieli Hotel, the most beautiful and chic of Venice
The sweetness of life
You can continue on the Giudecca canal, one of the most Venetian islands of the city, on which a Palladian church, the church of the Redentore, awaits you. At Giudecca, you should have a gastronomic stop in one of the typical restaurants of Venice, the bacari. On the way back, get off at the Zattere stop, a long quay where, on sunny days, it is pleasant to walk around and taste the Gianduitto, the favorite ice cream of the Venetians. From the Zattere you can quickly reach the Accademia Bridge, the only bridge in Venice that is still made of wood
Continuing on to the San Marco district and its Campo San Luca, we immerse ourselves in the frenetic life of the Venetian alleys. A Spritz, the typical local aperitif made of prosecco, seltzer, Aperol (sweeter) or Campari (more bitter) and cicchetti, the Venetian tapas, will relieve you of your tourist efforts.
Back in St. Mark's Square, you can take a shopping break in the Mercerie, an old merchant district that has become the most chic street in Venice, where there is no end of shop windows. You enter the Rialto district dominated by its bridge where many jewelers' stores are located and around which the fishmongers' market (the Pescaria) and the fruit and vegetable market (the Erbaria) are established. This is where everyone has been coming to shop every morning for centuries. Not far from there, you'll find yourself in the square of the La Fenice theater, after which a social stop is necessary at Harry's Bar, Ernest Hemingway's favorite. For the evening, opt for one of the bacari of the Fondamenta degli Ormesini with their tables placed on the waterfront.
City of art par excellence
In Venice, you have to devote time to art. From the Ruga Vecchia Rialto, you enter the sestiere of San Polo whose main square is one of the largest in the city and whose church houses important works by Veronese and Tintoretto. Not far away, the church of Santa Maria de' Frari is a testimony of more than 500 years of history. There are two spectacular works by Titian, The Assumption and The Virgin of Ca'Pesaro.
The Scuola di San Rocco, decorated by Tintoretto with a cycle of the great biblical events, or the Scuola dei Carmini, which houses Tiepolo's famous Madonna del Carmelo, are a must.
After having an ice cream on the sunny Campo San Barnaba and visiting a real gondola maker's workshop (Squero San Trovaso), you can easily reach one of the most important Italian art galleries, the Academy. A two-hour visit in which you will be amazed by the genius of Mantegna, Bellini, Tintoretto, Titian, Canaletto... If you prefer contemporary art, the Guggenheim Museum, with its collection of De Chirico, Pollock, Mirò, Picasso or Kandinsky, or the Palazzo Grassi in the Punta della Dogana are breathtaking visits. Here you are in the university district of Dorsoduro, one of the richest in bars and bistros. A good solution for a new Venetian evening.
Carnival, a trip back in time
Going to Venice during Carnival is a once in a lifetime experience. The city of the Doges is transformed into a fabulous baroque spectacle for a dozen days... Here, all kinds of fantasies are combined, from the most historical to the most "drag-queenesque"! A touch of irony and a good dose of mischief make this carnival an atypical and impertinent festival, which does not exist anywhere else. This year, the theme of the festivities is "Remember the future", inspired by a phrase of the surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The opening of the carnival (a young person or an exceptional guest performs a leap of the angel from the Campanile) and the traditional and unavoidable Feast of the Marys (Festa della Marie), the oldest commemoration of Venice, will not take place this year to avoid too large gatherings due to the health context. Instead, the organizers are relying on itinerant activities in the City of the Doges. And, as every year, each district of the city will have its own events.
For those who love carnival madness, consider joining the "ibernisti" (hibernators) at the Lido of Venice for a little icy swim, just to get your senses in order. In the midst of a theatrical whirlwind of Commedia dell'Arte characters, take part in the great masked ball in Saint Mark's Square. And if your wallet is too, you can choose to go to one of the many private parties inside hotels or palaces worthy of the 18th century.
Smart info
When is it? From February 12 to March1 for Carnival 2022 or mid-season (May, June, September, October) to avoid the hordes of tourists
How to get there. The train is possible, but the plane seems to be a must.
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