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Winter in Venice
WINTER IN VENICE
Chiesa della Madonna dell'Orto
ph. Gabriele Vattolo - Comune di Venezia
"Venice is the most romantic place in the world but it's even better when there is no one around.” - Woody Allen. When the calli become quieter, soon after the famous Carnival, it is a great time to explore Venice's treasures.
Starting with the masterpieces inside the Doge's Palace and the other museums in Piazza San Marco, plus the collections housed in the four museums that make up the Dorsoduro Museum Mile, not to mention the churches, treasure troves of art and architecture - more than a hundred!
In addition to monumental basilicas, such as the 14th-century basilica dedicated to Saints John and Paul, chosen as a burial place by many doges, lesser-known churches often conceal unexpected works by great masters such as Titian, Tintoretto or Paolo Veronese.
An example? San Nicolò dei Mendicoli, one of the oldest churches in the city, entirely covered with wooden decorations, gilded sculptures, canvases, statues and ornamental motifs, layered from the Renaissance to the 18th century. It also contains paintings by Jacopo Palma il Giovane and others of the Veronese school, making it one of the wonders of the Serenissima.
Caffè Florian
ph. @fannizdavid via Instagram
HISTORIC CAFÈS AND GONDOLA TOURS
And then walk on, enjoying the uncommon sights of Venice at rest. Afterward, stop into any historic cafés under the arcades of Piazza San Marco for hot chocolate and zaléti biscuits or an aperitif, while seating at a marble table with a breathtaking view of the renowned St. Mark’s Basilica.
Places where the voices of the poets and men of letters who frequented them from the 19th century onwards, from Stendhal to Hemingway, still echo.
On foggy winter days, the city's palaces seems to swallow up the gondolas as they wind their way through the narrow canals: then a tour on the water will be an even more evocative experience, and will provide a glimpse of the most hidden spots. A 30-minute tour costs 90 euro, after 7pm it is 110 euro, maximum 5 people on board.
Baccalà mantecato
ph. @emycamol via Instagram
WARMING VENETIAN RECIPES
On colder evenings, you can always warm up with some of the city's tastiest food and wine served up in bàcari, tiny neighbourhood wine bars offering an authentic taste of Venetian culinary culture.
Here a must is ciccheti, tasty appetizers: whether fried, with salami, fish or vegetarian, all these finger foods are much loved by Venetians!
Among them, not to be missed are crostini with baccalà mantecato, meatballs and the popular sardines in saòr, fried and then marinated in vinegar, flavoured with onion, sultanas and pine nuts.
Teatro La Fenice
ph. Ufficio Stampa Teatro La Fenice
BEHIND THE SCENES AT LA FENICE THEATRE
If you prefer a dinner jacket and a long dress, get ready to experience an evening of music and emotions at the Gran Teatro La Fenice (Venice's Opera House), a landmark of Venice, and not just for Opera.
Inaugurated in 1792, La Fenice is where Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, still one of opera’s best-known love stories, was first staged.
If you’re passionate about the history of opera, you can discover all the splendid spaces of the theatre on an exclusive guided tour, strolling through the stucco and gold of the prestigious halls, to learn the background and secrets of La Fenice and its protagonists.
