by Anne Hanley and Destination Expert, The Telegraph, December 18, 2018
Venice: a trove of historical treasures
There are days when visitors to this exquisite jewel box of a city outnumber locals two-to-one, and when getting from the station to St Mark's square is a battle. But despite this, Venice never loses its capacity to enchant: stepping out of the station to be greeted by a glittering canal with the dome of San Simeon Piccolo beyond remains heart-stopping, whether you're doing it for the first time or the 100th.
Even at peak visitor periods, the worst excesses can be avoided and you're never more than a bridge away from secluded Venice with its quiet campi (squares), churches concealing luminous Madonnas, handsome Gothic palazzi – and bustling neighbourhood hangouts. Because there's more to Venice than peerless artistic riches from centuries past: it's also a hive of contemporary activity. Beyond the alternating Art and Architecture Biennale shows which showcase all that's cutting edge internationally, the city's dwindling population works hard to keep contemporary Venice creative, productive and very vibrant.
Hot right now . . .
Anne Hanley, our resident expert, offers her top tips on the hottest things to do and places to eat and shop this season.
Eat
Venice's most innovative restaurateur Hamed Ahmadi has embarked on a new adventure. Sudest 1401 (Dorsoduro 1401; 00 39 041 099 6843) offers Balkan-Sicilian fare prepared, as ever, by refugees from diverse culinary backgrounds.
• The best restaurants in Venice
Do
Venice celebrates the 500th birthday of its home-grown maestro Jacopo Robusti – aka Tintoretto – this autumn in sister exhibitions at the Accademia (Via Ricasoli, 58/60, 50122; 00 39 041 522 2247) and the Doge's Palace (Piazza San Marco, 1; 00 39 041 271 5911). Both run until January 6, 2019.
• The best things to do in Venice
Shop
Rowing against the tide, the hyperactive independent MarcoPolo bookshop (Giudecca 282; 00 39 041 8473867) has opened a second branch – part bookshop, part gallery display space – on the Giudecca island.
• The best things to do in Venice
Insider Tip | Neighbourhood Watch
48 hours in . . . Venice
Day One
MORNING
Start the day in Da Bonifacio, a tiny café with a lovely crazy-paving mosaic floor, hidden away behind the Doge's Palace (Castello 4237, calle degli Albanesi; closed Thurs). The coffee's good – ask for the very Venetian macchiatone if you like the idea of a cappuccino with less milk – and it's difficult to resist cakes like the pasta con le mandorle (almond slice).
The wondrous, mosaic-studded interior of Venice's mother church, St Mark's Basilica (Piazza San Marco, 328; 00 39 041 270 8311) doesn't open to visitors until 9.45am, but anyone is welcome to attend morning mass. Take your pick between the 7am, 8am and 9am slots. The advantage of the last, apart from the lie-in, is that it's a sung Lauds mass, and there's nothing like plainsong to bring out the magic of St Mark's. Afterwards, visit the Museum of St Mark's which affords spectacular views over the piazza; entry is €4 (£3.50).
AFTERNOON
If you are looking for a properly Venetian lunch experience, with traditional dishes such as bigoli in salsa (thick spaghetti in anchovy and onion sauce) or sardine in saor (sweet and sour sardines), Al Portego will deliver (Castello 6014, calle Malvasia; 00 39 041 522 9038). There are only a handful of tables – so book – plus space to perch at the bar and graze on a wide selection of ciccheti (bar snacks), which is what locals do.
Take a stroll through the Castello district, leaving the tourist hordes behind, until you reach the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni (Castello 3259a, calle dei Furlani; 00 39 041 522 8828). After the opulence of St Mark's, indulge in one of the city's most charmingly intimate cultural draws: an early 16th-century cycle of paintings by local artist Vittore Carpaccio narrating episodes from the life of Dalmatia's three patron saints, George, Tryphon and Jerome.
LATE
Head back west towards the Rialto bridge. For a breathtaking view, pop into the glitzy new Fondaco dei Tedeschi shopping mall (Calle del Fontego, 30100) and take the escalator up to the roof terrace. Afterwards, cross the Rialto bridge to the market area, and join the fun by grabbing a spritz at hole-in-the-wall bar Al Mercà (San Polo 213, campo Cesare Battisti; 00 39 041 243 1663), and munching on a few cicchetti - go for baccalà mantecato (creamed salt cod), mantis prawns, or schie (small grey shrimps).
Wrap the day up by hopping back on vaporetto 1 towards piazzale Roma, and disembark at San Marcuola. From here, wend your way through narrow alleys to the delightfully untouristy northern stretches of Cannaregio, where funky trattoria Anice Stellato (Cannaregio 3272, fondamenta della Sensa; 00 39 041 720 744) does excellent creative Venetian cuisine, along with good-value house wines.
• The best restaurants in Venice
Insider Tip | City Hack The best things to do in Venice
Day Two
MORNING
Enjoy a morning stroll along the scenic Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront promenade and hop on the number 2 vaporetto at the San Marco – San Zaccaria stop. Get off at the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, and take the lift to the top of the church's 18th-century campanile to enjoy a spectacular view of Venice and its lagoon.
Take the number 2 again and head to Zattere, from where it's a short walk to the Accademia gallery (campo della Carità; 00 39 041 522 2247), a vast repository of magnificent Old Masters. Look out for Vittore Carpaccio’s frantic Miracle of the Cross at the Rialto. The bridge has changed but the water-borne confusion beneath is instantly recognisable.
If the Tintorettos and Bellinis don't do for you, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Dorsoduro 704, fondamenta Venier dei Leoni; 00 39 041 240 5411) offers a more modern roster of works by mostly European artists from Picasso to Matisse, assembled by the eccentric American heiress in the mid-20th century. The gallery's pretty, artsy café is a sophisticated spot for a tea or coffee break.
AFTERNOON
When hunger calls, make a beeline back to the Zattere and chalet bar El Chioschetto (Dorsoduro 1406a), where you can sit outside watching the boats ply the Giudecca Canal while munching on a piadina – a sort of flatbread pizza – or a salad.
No Venetian day would be complete without an hour or so of downtime where you just wander without a real destination. Dorsoduro is a good place to indulge the habit. This artsy, studenty district is full of quirky shops such as mask-making workshop Ca' Macana (Dorsoduro, 3172; 00 39 041 277 6142), where Stanley Kubrick went to get the masks for his film Eyes Wide Shut.
A short walk away in campo San Polo, the Gothic I Frari church (Calle del Scaleter, 3072; 00 39 041 272 8611) contains truly sumptuous artworks. Titian's dramatic, intensely spiritual Assumption of the Virgin (1518) over the high altar dominates.
LATE
The area between Frari and Zattere – in particular campo Santa Margherita and the narrow streets behind San Pantalon – is a fashionable but secluded evening favourite for those in the know. Favourites include aperitivo haunts Malvasia all'Adriatico Mar (Dorsoduro 3771, calle Crosera; 00 39 041 476 4322) and Estro Vino e Cucina (Dorsoduro 3778, calle Crosera; 00 39 041 476 4914), run by a young group with a passion for natural wine and a Slow Food approach to eating.
• The best nightlife in Venice
Insider Tip | Attractions The best restaurants in Venice
Where to stay . . .
Luxury Living
Gritti Palace, a 15th-century palazzo, is situated on the most eye-catching stretch of the Grand Canal, looking across the water to Santa Maria della Salute and to the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni. The entire building, including the rooms, house hundreds of precious paintings and other artefacts. Staff are charming and there's a small spa. The Club de Doge restaurant has one of the most beautiful dining rooms in this or any other city.
Doubles from €477 (£425). Campo S. Maria Del Giglio 2467; 00 39 041 794611
Boutique Bolthole
An effortlessly elegant mix of antique and modern, the five-room Cima Rosa is the extremely stylish creation of an Italian architect and American decorator couple. Rooms and suites are all beautifully decorated in Farrow & Ball pastels that pick up Venice's water colours and enhance the classic-contemporary elegance. The sateen bed linen is luxurious; the well equipped bathrooms are delightful. Three rooms have Grand Canal views.
Doubles from €145 (£129). Santa Croce, 1958; 00 39 373 749 5041
Budget Beauty
Rooms in the main part of the Al Ponte Mocenigo cluster around a delightful courtyard with ancient columns and a lovely antique well head. The look is classic Venetian with a contemporary twist; the feel is laid-back and very friendly. An annexe has eight more rooms but has less of the affable air generated by the outdoor space, Turkish bath, and bar and front desk facilities next door.
Doubles from €139 (£124). Fondamenta Rimpetto Mocenigo; 00 39 041 524 4797
• A complete guide to the best hotels in Venice
What to bring home . . .
Every Italian region has its signature pasta, and in Venice it's bigoli. This fat spaghetti was originally made with buckwheat and duck eggs and is served with anchovies and onion ('in salsa'). Pick up brightly coloured boxes of Bigoli de Bassan at Drogheria Mascari (San Polo 381, ruga degli Spezieri; 00 39 041 522 9762).
Those soft velvet-topped slippers worn by gondoliers are called furlane. At Piedàterre(San Polo 60, ruga degli Orefici; 00 39 041 528 5513), beneath the arches at the foot of the Rialto bridge, the tradition has been preserved and updated. Take home a brightly coloured pair for around €50 (£45).
When to go . . .
Venice is a unique, magical place 365 days a year. But much of the time you'll be sharing that magic with thousands of other visitors. Numbers peak in summer, despite the heat, humidity and swarms of mosquitoes. Spring and autumn are much more pleasant months. I especially like late autumn (mid-October to mid-November) when, if you're lucky with the weather, it can still be warm enough to eat outside. But my favourite season of all is winter, a time of misty vistas when tourists are few and far between, rooms are cheap and the city is reclaimed by Venetians.
An exception is Carnevale, in the two weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday (February/March), which brings in hordes of revellers and sends accommodation prices through the roof. Other regular annual events include the June-November Art Biennale (odd years) and Architecture Biennale (even years), the Film Festival (10 days end of August to early September) and local festivities like the Festa del Redentore on the third weekend in July, when the city and lagoon are lit up by fireworks.
Know before you go . . .
Basics
Currency: Euro. Most cashpoint machines work with international cards, via the Cirrus circuit
International dialing codes: Dial 00 39 041 for Venice numbers from abroad, 041 from inside Italy. Dial 00 to get an international line, followed by the country code
Time difference: Venice is one hour ahead of GMT/BST
Flight time: London to Venice is around two hours
Essential information
British Embassy in Rome: (00 39 06 4220 0001; ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk ). There is no longer a British consulate in Venice. The Milan consulate (via San Paolo 7) is open 9am-12.30pm, 2-4pm Mon-Fri, or call during office hours on 00 39 02 723 001
Emergency services: 112 (Carabinieri); 113 (State Police)
Author bio
Anne has lived in Italy for more than 30 years – first in Rome, now deep in the Umbrian countryside. But her first love is Venice, home to the perfect Bellini – both in a glass and in a gallery.
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