Holiday in Venice

About Venice

Venice floats like a dream on 118 islands in the midst of a lagoon — a city without streets and cars, where gondolas and vaporetti are the means of transport and behind every bridge a new picture is revealed. St. Mark's Square with the Doge's Palace, the Basilica di San Marco with its golden mosaics, and the Campanile is the opulent centerpiece, but Venice's true magic lies in getting lost. Those who leave the main routes discover quiet canals, tiny bridges, and hidden campi (squares) where Venetians drink their Aperol Spritz. The Cannaregio district, where the Jewish Ghetto once was, is far less crowded than San Marco. Dorsoduro houses the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Accademia with Venetian masterpieces by Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. A trip to the lagoon islands is a must: Murano for blown glass, Burano for its rainbow-colored fishermen's houses and lace embroidery, Torcello for the oldest church in the lagoon. The best time for Venice is spring or late autumn — fewer tourists, mild light, and the mysterious atmosphere of fog over the canals. The Biennale (art in odd years, architecture in even years) makes Venice a meeting point for the international avant-garde. Cicchetti (Venetian tapas) with an Ombra (glass of wine) in a Bacaro bar is part of the authentic Venice experience.