Last month I spent a week in Venice with Mary Claire, a very talented artist I met in Russia. She does a month-long residency in the floating city every year and I couldn’t turn down an invitation to explore the area with her.
Where to Stay
MC had an apartment that I stayed in and renting seems to be the way to go. Because of the insane tourism rate (we’ll get back to that) and the finite size of the island, hotels can be wildly expensive. I recommend booking an Airbnb in advance to get the best deal.
Our apartment was in the Ca’ d’Oro district across from the Rialto fish market. This turned out to be a prime spot. It’s accessible from pretty much anywhere via vaporetto or walking. Plus you can pop over to the fish market and shop for fresh groceries to cook at home which feels like a luxury in this dreamy city. We ended up eating many meals at our apartment to keep costs down and it was great to have fresh fish and produce so close by.
What to Do
I’ve been to Venice before so we bypassed most of the touristy spots in favor of exploring residential neighborhoods. But there are a few tried-and-true spots that I would recommend hitting like the Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore. This is a true emblem of Venetian style. Thousands of books are crammed into the tiny shop in any way possible. Some are stacked in a gondola or in an old bathtub, half for whimsy half for protection from flooding. Others are stacked outdoors creating walls out of old volumes. They sell books in both Italian and English but it’s worth it for the experience even if you don’t buy anything.
For a day trip head out to the nearby islands. You can take the vaporetto there in about 40 minutes and it’s included in your regular transportation pass. We bypassed Murano (known for its exquisite glass production) and went straight to the multicolored streets of Burano. Burano is historically known for its handmade lace and you can still find elderly women stitching away in local shops. Though very crowded and popular with tourists, I still enjoyed Burano, it’s just too beautiful not to love. That’s where I shot this outfit.
From there we headed to Torcello, a smaller and less visited island nearby. MC recommended this and I’m so glad she did. We visited Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, a church founded in 639. That’s right, 639. It was breathtaking. I’ve been fortunate to be in some very historic spaces and I’m always overcome with emotion. To think that over 1,000 years ago people worshipped here is astounding. It’s moments like that when even cynical I can’t help but wonder if there’s a spiritual plane at work.
We were in Venice during the end of Carnivale which was…interesting. I’ve always been fascinated by the historical Carnivale and how it functioned as a genuine escape from societal roles and restrictions. But the contemporary version isn’t quite as satisfying. Carnivale was actually discontinued and only brought back in the 1980s to stimulate tourism. As a result, I found it to feel less like a genuine cultural experience and more like a tourist trap.
This leads me in to a brief digression. I had many conflicting feelings during this trip. It was amazing. I had a spectacular time and I owe MC big time. But I had read a lot about the way the tourism industry is eroding the city (physical deteriorating it, forcing locals out, etc.) and I knew I was part of the problem. There’s been speculation that no one will live on the island of Venice in 30 years. 30 years. Who can say if that’s true, but it really put things into perspective for me. My children will never see the Venice that I’ve seen. And I’ll never see the Venice of those before me. It’s led to some introspection about travel and accountability.
Anyway! One of my favorite parts of this trip was seeing an opera with Musica a Palazzo. They’re a very talented group that performs operas in a 14th century palazzo on the grand canal. It was an absolutely magical experience.
Imagine this. You walk up stone steps lit by candlelight and into a 14th century palazzo. You settle into a wood backed chair with just a few other people, an intimate crowd. The ceilings were been decorated with murals by Tiepolo (casual). The room is only lit by candles. Suddenly performers walk into the space in full traditional regalia and begin singing a powerful Italian libretto.
You truly feel like you’re visiting a countess friend and she’s having a few local performers play for her friends. Three musicians strum in the corner, dressed to the nines. In between acts you sip champagne. Each act is performed in a different room of the historic home so you move through them with each new section of the story.
Weirdly I also ran into two other people from Massachusetts at this opera. Small world! If you’re going to Venice I can’t recommend this experience enough. I love opera but this took things to an entirely different level. MC went again after I left it was so good!
Where to Eat
This is always the hardest section because there are so many delicious things to eat, it’s hard to recommend just a few! One classic Venetian experience you must have is cicchetti. Cicchetti are like Venetian tapas. They’re cheap, small bites that you eat bar side (or outside) with a glass of wine. It’s a great way to eat cheap while still experiencing some of those classic Venetian flavors. We went to Cantine del Vino gia Schiavi, right near the spot where they make and repair gondolas. I highly recommend hitting this location up. It’s a bit off the beaten path so it’s quiet and it’s right next to a canal so you can eat waterside.
Another place I was extremely impressed by was La Zucca (the pumpkin), a Michelin star vegetarian restaurant hidden deep in a residential neighborhood. I know what you’re thinking, vegetarian food is not usually my scene. But this food was incredible. I had a pumpkin soufflé (billed as a sort of flan) and MC had a to-die-for lasagna. Plus, it was nice to have some vegetables after binging on pasta and gelato.
It’s hard to have bad food in Venice, but there are a lot of overpriced spots aimed at tourists. I urge you to delve into the winding neighborhoods of the city to find local hotspots. It’s worth it. MC took me to a il Mercante, a craft cocktail bar in one of her old neighborhoods. Now, I’ve been to many a high-end cocktail bar, and let me tell you, this was one of my favorites. It’s an intimate, speakeasy serving up a book-sized list of unique beverages and flavor pairings. Not to mention the bartenders are really hot. Oh and the menu is themed around the historical life of Sir Francis Drake. I mean, come on.
I had “Lettera di Corsa” which fused milk-washed gin with squid ink, lemon and pink peppercorn cordial, akvavit aged in ex-port barrels and Normandy seaweed. It was paired with a “sugar cube” or pickled cucumber and fizzy sugar. The pairings work like this: you have a few sips of the drink initially, then clear your palate and eat the food pairing. Then you sip the drink again and taste a whole new set of flavors as a result. My second drink was “Le Corsaire” with cognac, applejack, dijon mustard, celery leaves, spirulins seaweed, lemon, absinth and peche de vigne, paired with a blue cheese mousse and honey caviar. Side note: this isn’t sponsored I’m just really obsessed with it.
On our last night we had spritzes, a classic Italian blend of sparkling wine, aperol, and soda water, at Palazzetto Pisani on the grand canal. Once a grand palazzo it’s now a boutique hotel with a lot of charm. In the warm months they have a balcony overlooking the canal where you can have a romantic dinner (there’s only room for two). But even in cooler weather I recommend having a drink here. It’s another way to experience that old-world feel.
No matter the qualms I have about over tourism, Venice utterly charmed me this second time. I was able to escape reality into the past here in a way that I’m almost never able to achieve. It felt like magic.