Black and White, long exposure view of San Giorgio Island . Photo by Simone Padovani
Details
Camera Nikon D500
Filters NiSi 10 Stop
Focal Length 12.0 mm
Aperture f22
Shutter Speed 87s
ISO 100
Our Favorite Restaurants in Venice (Nov.2018) /
Which one are our favourite restaurants in Venice?? Where do we go for formal lunch?? Or for a romantic dinner? It is now time to tel.
Do leave your feedback and post below or tell us YOUR favourite venues!!
La Zucca
Vegetarian restaurants are hard to find in Venice, once you've eliminated pizza from your list of menu choices. And while Osteria La Zucca isn't a vegetarian restaurant, (No fish and a little bit of meat, lot of vegetables) it's a great place for anyone who likes vegetables--if only because Zucca's chefs turn common garden-variety ingredients like carrots and eggplant into works of culinary art. Zucca is a small restaurant with just two rooms and a total seating capacity of 30 to 35 customers. In summer outdoor tables add space for a few more guests. The atmosphere is modern with slatted wood tables and walls. Wine racks add to the cozy ambience, and an attractive display case in the front room lets you see what dishes are being served.
La Zucca is owned by three partners who take turns cooking. The chefs and of course the menus vary from one day to the next, so it's hard to recommend any one specialty.
Osteria La Zucca
San Giacomo dell'Orio
Santa Croce 1762 - Venezia
Italy
Tel. 041-52 41 570
Paradiso Perduto
The quiet district of Cannaregio is home to one of Venice’s unique restaurants. Don’t expect white tablecloths and candles at this more hip and cool place with a very local feel. A seat at the long table inside or at one of the tables outside along the canal is highly coveted and reservations are recommended. The food comes mainly from the sea.
Don’t be surprised to find the chef/owner Maurizio sitting next to you at the table; he’s known to mingle with the guests, giving generously of his time. He looks like a cross between Santa and the Swedish chef from the Muppets and the way he plays host at his restaurant helps to make it a genuine experience. He speaks several languages, but refuses to speak English.
Paradiso Perduto is one of the few restaurants in Venice where you can also enjoy live music three Sundays a month, mostly jazz or salsa.
Paradiso Perduto
Fondamenta de la Misericordia, 2640
Antica Adelaide
This restaurant Osteria is of the most ancient in Cannaregio District in Venice, opened since the 18th century! Its chief, Alvise Ceccato, Venetian and proud to be, has decided to only offer typical Venetian dishes.
Food and especially fish is fresh from the market. You will eat here for about 35€ per person plus beverages for a full meal antipasti + Primi Patti + Secondi Piatti + Desserts.
Restaurant Antica Adelaide
3728, Calle Larga Priuli Racheta
Cannaregio
Venezia
Trattoria alla Madonna
Cuisine and chaos at a old-school trattoria in Venice A veritable seafood mecca since 1954 Situated near the Rialto market, originally an antique Venetian tavern characterised by the presence of an ancient grapevine, which has maintained over the years its style and quality of its traditional dishes with the freshness of the raw materials as its strong point.
Their specialities are based mainly on a fish menu prepared to naturally enhance the typical flavours of each single dish, of the many proposals we recommend sardines in "soar", crab, risotto with seafood or squid ink, grilled and fried fish.
Meat based dishes include Venetian style liver, grilled chops and ox fillets.
The cellar offers a good choice of wines from the Friuli region, the principal Italian regional labels, such as Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Riserva.
The restaurant is often visited by cultural and show business celebrities, who prefer an informal setting with an attentive quick service.
The service here is friendly but occasionally brusque as waiters constantly rush to satisfy diners. You won’t be able to linger over your meals here—so only visit if you’re looking for fast, delicious, traditional food, not a romantic evening out.
Trattoria alla Madonna
Calle della Madonna, San Polo, 594 - 30125 Venezia (VE) - IT
Tel: + 39 041.5223824
Fax: + 39 041.5210167
www.ristoranteallamadonna.com
Al Graspo de ua
Tradition meets the modern world in this brand new restaurant, Graspo de Ua, offering – in the chef’s own words – “Italian and Venetian style food”. The dish to try is bigoli in salsa, whole-wheat spaghetti with sardines and onions, or the fried cod with vegetable flan.
Wine lovers can count on more than 200 labels, and light tasting menus are also available. It’s not the cheapest place in Venice, but the classy atmosphere makes it worth it. And if you’re travelling with kids, keep in mind that under 12s get a 50% discount on their meal.
S. Marco, 5096, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
+39 041 528 8285
Riviera
If you are looking for one of the most special restaurants in Venice where you can enjoy a meal from a terrace with a view, then Riviera is a great choice, as the view is superb. One of the most distinctive aspects of the menu is that it presents traditional dishes with a modern twist; it includes some seafood dishes, as well as others made from locally sourced meat. Although it might stretch your budget, dishes such as the venison with blueberry sauce and spaghetti with langoustine tails really make a trip here worthwhile.
Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Longo 1473,
30123 Venezia, Italy
http://www.ristoranteriviera.it/
Alle Testiere
If you manage to get reservations at this beautiful little restaurant, you can be confident that you’ll get to try some wonderfully prepared simple dishes. The restaurant only has space for twenty-four people (they do two sittings in the evening), which gives it an amazing atmosphere. They also have a great range of local and regional wines. The seafood plays the starring role, and whether you opt for squid in ink, oysters, or whatever else has been caught by the fishermen that day, you can be confident of excellent quality.
Calle del Mondo Novo 5801,
30122 Venezia, Italy
http://www.osterialletestiere.it
Antiche Carampane
This absolutely hidden local favorite is worth finding for its insiders-only, clubby vibe that still somehow maintains an unpretentious air. Standouts from the typically Venetian menu include dishes like fried soft-shell crab with delicious fried eggplant slivers, seasonal vegetables, and daily fish specials. Fish is the thing here, just about the freshest you can imagine. In fact, while I was there recently the owner had to interrupt taking my order to chat with a fisherman who had just arrived. They were discussing what he was likely to catch the following day, and if so, how much Carampane would order. That’s right. They were talking about fish so fresh it was still swimming around in the ocean.
Do feel free to look at the menu, but it’s mostly just for show. (except for the large sign out front that declares: no pizza, no lasagna, no menu turistico. That’s for real) The menu changes daily based on – as I’ve explained – the catch of the day.
Antiche Carampane
Rio Terra delle Carampane
+39.041.524.0165
last week High Water in Venice /
This is a picture taken by Stefano Mazzola, one of the photographer of Venice Photo Walk, for Getty Images that has been widely published during last week. Including The Guardian, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, Newsweek,
View of the Grand Canal /
A general view of the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge, seen from the rooftop of the Fondeco dei Tedeschi. Photo by Marco Secchi
Details
Camera MakeLeica Camera AG
Camera ModelLEICA M10
Focal Length35.0mm
Aperture f8
Shutter Speed1/30s
ISO1600
70 percent of Venice covered in water by flooding /
Around three-quarters of the Italian lagoon city of Venice has been flooded after strong winds raised the water level by 156 centimeters (nearly 61-1/2 inches) before receding, officials said Monday.
Venice frequently floods when high winds push in water from the lagoon, but Monday’s levels were exceptional. The peak level was the highest reached since December 2008, according to Venice statistics. The last time levels topped 160 centimeters, which had been forecast, was in December 1979.
The public transport company closed the water taxi service due to the emergency, with connections remaining active only to the outlying islands. The city, built on a series of islands, deals with the high water by erecting a series of risers that permit people to circulate by foot. Residents and businesses typically reinforce doors with metal or wooden panels to prevent water from entering bottom floors.
Health and Emergencies in Venice /
First Aid
Venice - Piazza San Marco 63/65 Procuratie Nuove
8 am - 8 pm every day
Link to the map:
Emergencies:
In case of an emergency, please call 118 which is the national emergency number valid all over Italy, and active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The call is free on landlines and mobile phones.
Health network project
The “Salute in rete” project organized by the Local health and care services -ULSS 12- offers qualified medical and emergencies services to residents, tourists, business operators, workers, commuters and students through a network of medical centres, units and equipment:
St. Mark's Square First Aid Point
Venice - Piazza San Marco 63/65 Procuratie Nuove 8 am - 8 pm every dayPiazzale Roma First Aid Point
Venice - Santa Croce 496 Piazzale Roma“Cardiac Life support” City: 50 defibrillators all over the city
“health-in-touch”: service is also operative in both Italian and English, from April 1st to October 31st - 8 am to 6 pm, to provide tourists with information on what to do, where to go or who to consult.
Pharmacies:
Pharmacies are open from 8.30am to12.30pm, and from 4.00pm to 8.00pm, Mondays to Fridays; and from 9.00am to 12.00 midday on Saturdays. Opening hours are displayed at the entrance of each pharmacy, together with a night service roster. For more information please check pharmacies on duty
Doctor on call:
This service is operative every day from 8.00pm to 8.00am the following day; and on days before holidays from 10.00am to 8.00am the following day; on holidays from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
Centro Storico Venezia tel. 0039 041 5294060
Lido Malmocco Alberoni tel. 0039 041 5267743
Pellestrina tel. 0039 041 967549
Burano tel. 0039 041 730005
Murano S. Erasmo tel. 0039 041 5274078
Cavallino Treporti Ca’ Savio tel. 0039 041 5300214
Mestre Sud – Marghera – Mestre Nord tel. 0039 041 9657999
Marcon Quarto d’Altino tel. 0039 0422 824146
Doctor on call for tourists
Exclusively for tourists in summer, from 13th June to 15th September. Clinic hours and home calls every day from 8.30am to 1.30pm and from 2.30pm to 7.30pm. The clinic is at Via Lisbona 1 Ca' Vio-Cavallino, Venice. Tel: 0039 041 5300874
Hospitals:
DISTRETTO DEL VENEZIANO
Venezia Centro Storico, Isole ed Estuario, Cavallino-Treporti
DISTRETTO DEL VENEZIANO
Venezia Terraferma, Marcon e Quarto d'Altino
DISTRETTO DI MIRANO-DOLO
DISTRETTO DI CHIOGGIA
First aid point at Lido di Venezia:
Ospedale Al Mare - Centro Sanitario Polifunzionale - (Outpatients clinic)
Paediatric Wards
Ulss 12 Venezia Ospedale SS. Giovanni e Paolo - Pediatria - (Peadiatric ward)
Ulss 12 Mestre Ospedale dell’Angelo - Pediatria - (Peadiatric ward)
Links
Non-urgent healthcare transport with different organizations, see link
Health assistance for foreigners in Italy, see link
Doge Palace - Capitals /
Doge Palace, Capital n23 People of the World "Ongari" Hungarians - Next to Tatars and Turks
During a photo walk in Venice this morning.
Venice Real Osterie /
A selection of Venice Osterie where you can get wonderful food for 30Euro or less!
La Frasca
This is a small restaurant with just the owner and his chef. Pleasant, no-frills trattoria on a quiet residential square. For a taste of tagliata di calimaro (sliced grilled squid) with arugula or pomodorini tomatoes with strawberries and violet artichokes, wend your way up quintessential calli to La Frasca. Far from the maddening San Marco crowds, this tiny eatery nestled on a remote campiello charms before you even taste the seafood sampler of grilled seppie cuttlefish, canoce mantis shrimp, excellent baccalà mantecato, or sarde in saor. Wines are an important part of the meal here; ask for a recommendation from the ample list of predominantly regional selections. With limited indoor seating, La Frasca encloses and heats their outdoor terrace to accommodate winter diners.
Address: Corte de la Carità, Cannaregio 5176, Venice, 30121 Phone: 041/2412585 Vaporetto: Fondamente Nove No lunch Mon. and Wed.
Dalla Marisa
Signora Marisa is a culinary legend in Venice, with locals calling up days in advance to ask her to prepare ancient recipes such as risotto con le secoe (risotto made with a cut of beef from around the spine). Pasta dishes include the excellent tagliatelle con sugo di masaro (in duck sauce), while secondi range from tripe to roast stuffed pheasant. In summer, tables spill out from the tiny interior on to the fondamenta. Book well ahead - and remember, serving times are rigid: turn up late and you'll go hungry. There's a €15 lunch menu..
Cannaregio 652B, fondamenta San Giobbe Vaporetto Crea or Tre Archi Telephone 041 720 211 Meals served noon-2.30pm Mon, Wed, Sun; noon-2.30pm, 8-9.15pm Tue, Thur-Sat. Closed Aug
Trattoria Ca’ D’Oro
“This picturesque osteria [informal restaurant or tavern] has a well-stocked cicchetti [small plate] counter plus small tables in the back if you order from the menu.”—Michela Scibilia, author, Venice Osterie. One of the oldest wine bars in the city and also known as Alla Vedova; popular with locals and travelers barhopping along Strada Nova; serves Venetian classics and is famous for its polpette (meatballs).
Cannaregio 3912; tel. 39 041 528 5324.
Osteria al Garanghelo
“One of the ever decreasing number of old-time Venetian osterie.”—Ruth Edenbaum, author, Chow Venice: Savoring the Food and Wine of La Serenissima. This simple, casual restaurant is low-key and local; cicchetti (small plates) up front and tables in back; wines by the glass; menu includes a vegetable antipasta platter, seafood starters like sarde in saor (Venetian-style marinated sardines), and pastas.
Close to Rialto market. San Polo 1570; tel. 39 041 721 721.
Dai Tosi (37)
If you're stuck for somewhere to eat after a visit to the Art or Architecture Biennale and are in the mood for cheap and cheerful refuelling, this neighbourhood trattoria-pizzeria, in a residential street that always seems to be festooned with laundry, should fit the bill perfectly. In summer, when they put tables outside in the street, there are few more picturesque dining backdrops in Venice. The pizzas are fine and filling (try the gorgonzola, radicchio and walnut topping), and they also do a good range of Venetian and pan-Italian pasta dishes. This is a good place to come with kids, who can work up an appetite in the play area near the Giardini vaporetto stop. Beware of mixing this up with another nearby namesake restaurant; if you're in any doubt, ask for 'Dai Tosi Piccoli' (Little Dai Tosi).
In summer, when they put tables outside in the street, there are few more picturesque dining backdrops in Venice.
In summer, when they put tables outside in the street, there are few more picturesque dining backdrops in Venice.
Address: Castello 738, Secco Marina, 30122 Getting there: Vaporetto stop Giardini Contact: 00 39 041 523 7102; trattoriadaitosi.comOpening times: Mon, Tue, Thu, midday-2pm; Fri-Sun, midday-2pm, 7pm-9.30pm Prices: pizzas from €5, pasta dishes around €12 Payment type: credit cards accepted Cuisine: Italian, pizza Reservations: not necessary
Restaurants in Venice....my favourites /
Venice Restaurants
This is not a traditional list of restaurants ...most of the places I mention are unlikely to see the light in a "regular" guide but are the places that for one reason or another myself, family or friends tend to use. There are two golden rules for eating well in Venice. First, don’t take pot luck: this is a tourist-trap city where a recommendation by a local, or a well-researched guide, is well worth heeding. Second, "the narrow the road the better the food" !You may have heard that Italy is a country that eats late, in Venice - despite the locals will go for dinner quite late particularly in summer – some of the restaurants serve lunch from noon and dinner from 6pm or earlier!
Venice Cannaregio
£ Restaurants
La Bottega ai Promessi Sposi
Though it’s well hidden, off the busy Strada Nuova, it’s easy to spot this restaurant: the locals spilling out into the calle, wine glass and cicchetto in hand, say it all. Whether you perch at the counter (the bar stools are hotly contested) or bag a table in the dark interior, you’ll eat excellent, unfussy fare – seafood and meat – served by a dedicated, enthusiastic team. The menu changes daily but generally manages to include some Venetian stalwarts. The ample choice of meat-free antipasti keeps vegetarians happy too.
Address: 4367 Cannaregio, calle dell’Oca Contact: 041 241 2747 Prices: Around €30/£25 a head for a full meal.
Ristorante Diana
Good inexpensive lunch or dinner sitting on the side of a quiet canal in Cannaregio!
Address:2519 Cannaregio, fondamenta de la Misericordia , Venice, Italy Contact: 392 3623092 Prices: Around €13 For Fixed Price Menu
Trattoria La Misericordia
A nice restaurant. Lovely food, excellent service. Little extras such as the free aperitif and digestive and bruschetta made us feel very welcome. Lovely location, away from the crowds, next to a canal, on the way to the Jewish Ghetto
Address:2515 Cannaregio, fondamenta de la Misericordia , Venice, Italy Contact: 0418391729 Prices: Around €13 For Fixed Price Menu
Trattoria Chinellato
If you want a good and inexpensive lunch . First course and second course for about 12 euros/person including a cup of coffee or a dessert this is the place .And you will experience an atmosphere of a positive and good service in a flash !!! The lady who I think is the owner is talking all the time and I was so exciting watching how well all thing worked ...fast !! The food is good tasting . It is those small restaurants you shall visit to feel genuine Italian food and atmosphere. Staff and owners working here makes you feel welcome
Address: Centro Storico calle dei Albanesi No. 4227, Venice, ItalyContact: +39 0415236025 Prices: Around €13 for Fixed Price Menu
Al Nono Risorto
Don’t come here for peace and quiet, or refined service for that matter, but if you want good pizza served up in convivial surroundings – plus the bonus of a garden courtyard with outside tables – then this evergreen budget option certainly delivers . As well as all the pizzas there are a few pasta dishes and classic meaty main courses.
Address: Santa Croce 2338, Sotoportego di Siora Bettina. Contact: 041 524 1169. Prices: €20 should cover a starter, a pizza and a beer. Opening times: Noon-2.30pm, 7pm-11pm. Closed all day Wed, and Thu lunch. Reservations: Not usually necessary. Payment type: Cash only.
££ Restaurants
Antica Trattoria Bandierette Run by two sisters and relative husbands is a fantastic place. Specialty is fish, You can tell this is a place where the emphasis is on what is fresh and in-season. The menus had a moderate selection and you could tell they were typed up at home. Dishes ranged from €6-18. They have Set Menus from €13I had a wonderful Gnocchi and Capesante. I have never had such sweet, tender capesante in my life! The Frittura Mista is out of this world. Bandierette's food shows that you don't need a lot of ingredients or fancy presentation to enjoy good food. Start with a few quality items and let them shine through on their own with a simple preparation and you have a wonderful meal!
Address: Barbaria delle Tole, Castello 6671 Phone: 041 522 06 19
Ristorante Riviera
This comfortable, intimate restaurant, with seating inside for 30, is just a few steps from the Accademia, facing the Giudecca canal right in front of the Mulino Stuky. Here you can savour the delights of Venetian cuisine presented with refinement and attention to detail, in a balance between tradition and innovation. Monica and Luca, the young owners, invite you to savor their specialties on the splendid terrace (seating for 50) at the Zattere from the very first sunny days of January Closed Monday Average price € 35.00 – 45.00 (excluding wine and drinks)
Address Dorsoduro 1473, Zattere Venice tel 041 5227621 fax 041 2447722
Ristorante Le Testiere
Bruno and Luca have been friends for years, sharing a love of good cooking and fine wine. After working in various historic restaurants in the city, Bruno set up the osteria in 1993 and Luca soon joined him. The antipasti, first and second courses are all exclusively of the freshest fish, preferably local, prepared with a dash of creativity and an eye to tradition. The use of spices and aromatic herbs from the lagoon islands and the littoral recall the ancient recipes of the Serenissima while also adding a touch of modernity. The sweets are all made on the premises with simple but tasty ingredients. The wine list offers about a hundred labels, mainly from small local winemakers. The menu changes several times … a day, so is spoken, immediately creating a magical synergy between host and guest. There are only 9 tables, which is perhaps the real secret of this small osteria just a few steps from St Mark’s and from Rialto.
Information Closed Sunday and Monday Average price € 45.00 (excluding wine and drinks)
Address Castello 5801 San Lio, Calle del Mondo Novo
Vini da Gigio Paolo and Laura, a brother-sister team, run this refined trattoria as if they've invited you to dinner in their home, while keeping the service professional. Deservedly popular with Venetians and visitors alike, it's one of the best values in the city. Indulge in pastas such as rigatoni with duck sauce and arugula-stuffed ravioli. Fish is well represented—try the sesame-encrusted tuna—but the meat dishes steal the show. The steak with red-pepper sauce and the tagliata di agnello (sautéed lamb fillet with a light, crusty coating) are both superb, and you'll never enjoy a better fegato alla veneziana (Venetian-style liver with onions). This is a place for wine connoisseurs, as the cellar is one of the best in the city. Come at lunch or for the second sitting in the evening, to avoid being rushed
Address: Fondamenta San Felice, Cannaregio 3628/A, Venice, 30121 | Map It Phone: 041/5285140 Website: www.vinidagigio.com Vaporetto: Vaporetto: Ca' d'Oro. Location: Cannaregio
Corte Sconta
The Corte Sconta is now an important point of reference on the Venetian restaurant scene. Quality and freshness are ensured by using strictly seasonal products, attentively served in a space more geared to function than to form. Try the antipasti, from clams with ginger, with gorgonzola or on their own, to baccalà mantecato and sardines in saor; savour the lightness of our own pasta made fresh daily combined with seafood and vegetables delivered every day; don’t miss the lightest, crunchiest mixed fried fish, and don’t forget the sweets (real temptations). Accompanied by a wine chosen from our interesting wine list, with limited mark-up, the entire meal will offer you a pleasant memory and another reason for coming back to Venice.
Information Closed Sunday and Monday Average price € 60.00 (excluding wine and drinks)
Address Castello 3886, Calle del Pestrin (Arsenale) Venice tel 041 5227024 fax 041 5227513
Anice Stellato
Anice Stellato sits as the Al Timon on a very nice canal in Cannaregio. Tops on my list of Venice fish restaurants is L'Anice Stellato in the Cannaregio on Fondamente de la Sensa. Using spices more familiar on far Eastern menus (Anice Stellato means "star anice" a major component of five-spice powder), the chef manages to bring the flavors together in a way that brings home the idea that you're sitting upon the western edge of a major old eastern trade route.
Anice Stellato Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272 Venice, Italy Closed Mondays and Tuesdays Telephone: (+39) 041 720 744
Al Timon Nice, busy and trendy place on a canal in the Cannaregio area. For me due to prices and style does not qualify as a traditional Bacaro but more as a trendy restaurant. At the same time do not expect a formal restaurant! Food and Wine are good, and you are right on the water!
Fondamenta Ormesini | 2754, 30121 Venice, Italy
Trattoria Altanella
President François Mitterrand of France used to eat here whenever he was in Venice. But the real draw at this sweet and cozy trattoria, which has been in the same family for 104 years, is the delicious homemade gnocchi, served with tomatoes or nero di sepia (squid ink). Address Calle delle Erbe, 268, Giudecca, Venice, 30133 Phone 39-041-522-7780 Cuisine Venetian Seafood Price Average meal per person 40€ ($51) without wine
La Zucca
This alternative trattoria in San Polo (5) has been going for years, but time has eroded none of its charm, value for money, or culinary bravura. The interior, with its slanted oak panneling, comes on a little like a designer Alpine chalet, but the bottle-lined shelves and paper placemats are pure Venetian bacaro. Unusually for Venice, the menu features as much meat and game as fish, and it also includes several vegetarian options, such as the sformato (a pastry-less quiche) of potatoes and broccoli with smoked ricotta. Service is laid-back but friendly. The few outside tables are sought-after.
Address: Santa Croce 1762, Ponte del Megio. Contact: 041 524 1570; www.lazucca.itPrices: €35 a head with house wine. Opening times: Mon-Sat, 12.30-2.30pm, 7pm-10.30pm. Closed Sun. Reservations: Recommended. Payment type: Cards accepted.
£££ Restaurants
Gran Caffè Quadri
Marcel Proust used to bring his mother to Quadri (2) for lunch, and the French wordsmith would no doubt feel quite at home today in these classically plush surroundings, with their extraordinary view over St Mark’s Square. Since the recent advent of the Alajmo brothers from Padua, however, Proust might be surprised at what he found on the plate.
Address: 121 San Marco, Piazza San Marco. Contact: 00 39 041 522 2105, www.caffequadri.itPrices: Expect to pay at least €150 a head for three courses, without wine. Opening times: 12.30-2.30pm, 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sun. Closed Mon. Reservations: Essential. Payment type: Cards accepted
Osteria di Santa Marina
Wherea beer costs more or less 18 but where the quality of food and service is reliably high, whether you are a regular or just passing through. On a pretty square a short wiggle north of the Rialto, the Osteria does what might be described as “Creative Venetian” cuisine (sea bass ravioli in mussel and clam broth ) – nothing too fancy, but with an edge of refinement that lifts it well above the uninspiring Venetian norm. The outside tables are lovely, but on sticky summer days the air-conditioned interior can be a better option.
Address: Castello 5911, Campo di Santa Marina. Contact: 041 528 5239 Prices: €70/90 a head with a decent bottle. Opening times: Mon, 8pm-11pm; Tue-Sat, noon-2.30pm, 8pm-11pm. Closed Sunday. Reservations: Recommended. Payment type: Cards accepted.
OUTSIDE VENICE
The Al Gatto Nero restaurant was opened in 1965 when the current owner, Ruggero Bovo, took over an old, popular osteria on the island of Burano. Ruggero and his wife, Lucia, then gradually transformed the old meeting place into a restaurant recommended by the most authoritative restaurant guides, presenting simple dishes but with a focus on quality and local lagoon products. The wine list is entrusted to their son Massimiliano, who has created a fine selection of wines to magnificently accompany every dish.
Information Closed on Moday Average price € 40.00 – 60.00 (excluding wine and drinks)
Address Via Giudecca 88, Burano Venezia tel 041 730120 fax 041 735570
Learn How to Row in Venice /
row
A nice feature on the Washington Post on learning how to row in Venice.
20 Things to do in Venice – 15/20 Acqua Alta Bookshop /
Photo By: Marco Secchi
As you walk in the Acqua Alta bookshop you will be greeted by Luigi and one of his cats
Walk in the labyrinth of interconnected rooms, and you will see the full-sized gondola in the middle of the shop, overflowing with books then along to bathtubs filled with books and sleeping cats you will find a doorway leading straight out onto a canal where the water level seems a precarious few centimeters away from spilling into the room. It happened to us to get there in a rainy day and the owner was moving all the books from the floor to bathtubs and shelves because of the danger of high water level!
Keep searching (for books and memorable shots) and you’ll find yourself in a tiny quiet courtyard which hosts a staircase made entirely from books. Climb up to the top for a lovely view onto the Venice canals.
You may feel literally overwhelmed by books. New and old, romance and science fiction, best sellers and b-series novels, you can find anything here if you are patient enough to search. It’s possible that you won’t be able to find any specific books given the bizarre nature of the piles, or you may don’t like the smell of humidity or second hand books, but you should include a visit to Acqua Alta into your Venice tour anyway.
Libreria Acqua Alta Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa (Campiello Del Tintor) | 5176 - Castello, 30122 Venice, Italy
--------------
If you are looking for unusual, rare, incredibly interesting books about Venice a REAL must is
Libreria Editrice Franco Filippi Castello, Casselleria 5284 Venezia 30122
http://www.filippilibreriaeditrice.com/
FRANCO IS A WONDERFUL GUY AND AN AMAZING LIBRARIAN AND EDITOR!
FAQ Portraits during a Venice Photo Walk /
Behind a nearly negative feedback on Tripadvisor …I got close to get my very first negative feedback after 2 years…and 138 excellent comments!
Dmitriy and his wife, a lovely couple from Russia, took a photo walk, before the meeting we agreed about a Gondola Portrait Photo Walk then due to being a bit late in the day I told them would have been a Normal Photo Walk and I would have taken few photos….and charged them accordingly. Final results…and rightly so… he was not too happy with the pictures on the other side I knew I had just “taken” some informal pics so was happy with my work.
In some way apart the stress for me and Dmitriy, it was good for me because it teach me a few more things about this kind of portraits during a photo walk or a gondola ride
So let’s try to wrap up some ideas for me and my future guest…
- I have removed the Portrait add on from the Photo Walks. Was far too risky and iffy. I will be more than happy to take for free a few snaps with your camera during a Photo walk. Just ask
Then….few words of advice if you are planning to have your photo taken ….
- This is not the right service if you want the pictures to be a memorable lifetime event. Does not sobstitute a wedding or engagement photography session either!
- Try to listen to the photographer if he tells you that light is not particularly nice at that time of the day
- Properly groomed and nice hair go a long way
- Wear smart clothes and nice shoes…do not wear shorts or tennis shoes
- Smile and look at the camera ….at least few times
- A photographer is not a magician…..if I look like Danny DeVito…. in pictures I will not be George Clooney …no matter the photographer I used
- Please remember that a mini portrait session during a Gondola or a Photo Walk will never be like a full portrait session in terms of equipment, lights, time …but also price!! Check here for my Portraits Sessions
- Check and then check again my portfolio and my style. If you do not like 100% my style it is very unlikely you will like your pictures….there is no if or but… Ask me for details of other colleagues.
- If you are unhappy talk with the photographer, explain the problem.
- During a session I will take may be 150-250 frames but you will ONLY get an edited version with between 15 to 25 images depends on the package you have chosen . You will never get ALL the shots or the RAW (Negative files)
Keeping it Fun!
A good expression on every face is the very heart of the family portrait. Organize everything before your session so that you do not feel hurried and hassled. This will ensure good expressions!
Clothing
I like to design family or couple portraits with a coordinated color scheme. Keep this in mind when you choose your wardrobe. You do not have to be matchy-matchy, but colors should compliment each other. Usually, I recommend warm-toned clothing for your family portrait. We suggest Black (always flattering ), ‘ Navy Blue, Forest Green, and Burgundy Red, our favorite color. Solid white shirts or pants will emphasize the clothing and not the person. In harsh light white clothing can create a long list of avoidable issues. So, our recommendation is to limit solid white clothing if you can. Yes, Levi’s are fine.
Look for Pose Inspiration
I often try to find poses in magazines or online but send me ideas of images you have seen before abd that you like.
Think Action
A picture of a couple with faces side-by-side can be nice, but even a beautiful image can be a bit boring if it is static. I will try to incorporate action into your portrait. Please remeber to try to engage in some action
Tell a Story
Powerful images tell stories. Help me in telling how you as a couple normally interact with one another! Are you serious and very deep/romantic? Or constantly giggling and playful?
Get intimate
A quiet moment in a hug, or a soft kiss can be the perfect image to capture a relationship.
Photo By: Marco Secchi
Photo By: Marco Secchi 2012
Photo By: Marco Secchi 2012
Few Links
Venice Redentore 2013 /
Redentore means “Redeemer” in Italian, and the Festa del Redentore Venice is in celebration of the city’s deliverance from the ravages of the plague in 1577. The Venice Redentore Festival is held on the third Saturday and Sunday of July. A grand secular celebration with festive dinners and fireworks occurs on Saturday evening. Sunday is reserved for religious observances, including High Mass at the Redentore Church and in afternoon regattas in the lagoon.
Photo Gallery is here
Colours of Venice /
Textures and colours in Venice
My Fav Hotels in Venice /
A #bench at hotel #cipriani in… (Photo credit: MarcoSecchi)
You can certainly spend a great deal of money on a hotel in Venice. A night at the Gritti Palace in high summer will set you back at least £750. But for the same amount you could enjoy an entire week in most of the hotels listed here. You won’t get the same status, or quite the same service, or the same superb location, but you will still find a decently sized room, lots of character and a warm welcome.
Cà del Nobile San Marco 987, ria terà delle Colonne (528 3473; cadelnobile.com)
This hotel is just off one of the thronging routes between St Mark’s and the Rialto. Interestingly, it’s in one of the lowest points of the city: if you visit during acqua alta, you’ll be able to watch water bubbling up through the cobblestones below. Lots of stairs and no lift mean that it’s not for the unfit. Price from £79
Domus Orsoni Cannaregio 1045, Sottoportego dei Vedei (275 9538; domusorsoni.it)
In 1291, Venice’s glassworkers were banished to the island of Murano. Today, only one glass foundry remains in the city: Orsoni. Located in the Jewish Ghetto, and set in a delightful palazzo overlooking a private garden and the foundry, the Domus Orsoni channels the Orsoni family’s heritage in five rooms, resplendent with glass-mosaic-tiled walls and mosaic art works. Price from £71
Locanda Orseolo (Corte Zorzi; 041 523 5586; www.locandaorseolo.com; £160).
Step inside the hotel and you might be in a compartment on the Orient Express: elegant, enveloping, and richly coloured and furnished. But it’s the warmth of the young team at this equally young 15-room hotel that makes it really special – Matteo, Barbara and their brothers, sisters and friends. In the morning, Matteo dons an apron and cooks pancakes and omelettes to order, Barbara serves and everyone chats. The comfortable bedrooms are being transformed to echo the ground floor, complete with hand-painted murals and canopied beds. Secure one and you’ll have a real bargain.
La Villeggiatura San Polo, 1569, Calle dei Botteri (524 4673; lavilleggiatura.it)
A short hop from the Rialto markets, in an area buzzing with restaurants and residential activity, La Villeggiatura is an elegantly tasteful home-from-home. Tea and coffee-making equipment in the spacious bedrooms, and gently attentive service, add to the pleasure of a stay here. Price from £71
Hotel Centauro S Marco Calle della Vida Cpo Manin (www.hotelcentauro.com/)
Located in the historic centre of Venice just a stone’s throw from St Mark’s Square (five minutes walking distance), the Centauro Hotel offers elegant, welcoming accommodation from which you can enjoy the city’s art and culture. Housed within an ancient palace from the 1500’s, the Centauro Hotel has Venetian style furnishings from the 18th century and 30 comfortable guestrooms. Rooms have air conditioning and satellite television, some have canal views and those on the top floor have a private terrace from which you can enjoy panoramic views over the rooftops of Venice.
Al Ponte Mocenigo This is another charming 16th-century palazzo, so tucked away that you could walk right past and never know it was there. You will find one entrance down a very narrow alley just up from the San Stae vaporetto stop; the other is on the opposite side, over a small bridge. Officially it is a two-star hotel, but frankly it rivals many establishments with double that number of stars. The very smart, high-ceilinged rooms are in Venetian styles and colours. The best are numbers five and six, on the first floor overlooking a tiny canal to one side (they are classed as “superior” doubles and cost £128 in mid-season).
Zingy Gnocchi /
Gnocchi con burro, limone e ricotta
Gnocchi with butter with store-bought gnocchi must be one of the easiest recipes around. Even when you give it a fresh, lemony twist.
This is a recipe pinched and adapted from the Italian version of La Cucina Italiana. They start by making the gnocchi from scratch, but this time I’ve bought them ready-made, which means you can make the dish in 5 minutes flat, provided of course you have some salted lemon. Otherwise you might have to invest 10 minutes in the preparation of a very fresh and delicious, vegetarian primo piatto.
Ingredients
1 lemon
2 tbsp salt
75 g butter
100 g ricotta
Fresh basil
salt, pepper
Preparation
Cook the lemon in boiling and heavily salted water for 15 minutes
Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water until they pop to the surface
Meanwhile fry the butter until it becomes brown with a slight taste of nuts
Cut the lemon in four wedges, remove the flesh of one wedge, cut the peel in strips and add it to the butter
Mix the cooked gnocchi with lemoned butter, ricotta and leaves of basil before serving
The remaining lemon wedges are really good with white meat or in grain salads.
The Befana in Venice /
Every child of Italian heritage has heard of La Befana, a character in Italian folklore who delivers presents to children throughout Italy. It is believed that the legend of La Befana may have originated in Rome, then spread as a tradition to the rest of Italy.Some believe her name is derived from the word Epiphany, but others say La Befana descended Roman goddess named Strina.
In folklore, Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the 6th of January (the Epiphany) to fill their socks with candy and presents if they are good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad. Because she is a good housekeeper, she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The child's family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food for La Befana.She is usually portrayed as an old lady riding a broomstick through the air wearing a black shawl and is covered in soot because she enters the children's houses through the chimney. She is often smiling and carries a bag or hamper filled with candy, gifts, or both.
Christian legend has it that La Befana was approached by the magi (the biblical three kings) a few days before Christ's birth. They asked for directions to where the baby Jesus was, but she did not know. She provided them with shelter for a night, as she was considered the best housekeeper in the village with the most pleasant home. They invited her to join them on the journey to find the baby Jesus, but she declined, stating she was too busy with her housework. Later, La Befana had a change of heart, and tried to search out the astrologers and Jesus. That night she was not able to find them, so to this day, La Befana is searching for the baby Jesus. She leaves all the good children toys and candy, while the bad children get coal or bags of ashes.
Another Christian legend takes a slightly darker tone. La Befana was an ordinary woman with a child whom she greatly loved. However, her child died, and her grief maddened her. Upon hearing news of Jesus' birth, she set out to see him, delusional that he was her son. She eventually met Jesus and presented him with gifts to make him happy. The infant Jesus was delighted, and he gave La Befana a gift in return; she would be the mother of every child in Italy.
Italians believe that if one sees La Befana one will receive a thump from her broomstick because she doesn't wish to be seen. This aspect of the tradition may be designed to keep children in their beds while parents are distributing candy (or coal) and sweeping the floor on Epiphany Eve.
Traditionally, all Italian children may expect to find a lump of "coal" in their stockings (actually rock candy made black with caramel coloring), as every child has been at least occasionally bad during the year.
Casanova filming in Venice /
Few frames backstage and behind the scenes from the new film "The secret of Casanova" produced by ZDFDirector Eike Schmitz Casanova: Adrian Becker
Costumes, Researches, Historic boats etc by Ateleir Pietro Longhi Venezia
You can find all my images here
S Martin's Cake /
The Saint Martin Celebration is an old traditional popular celebration in the North East of Italy that is rooted into the territory and has very old traditions
S. Martin xe 'ndà in sofita a trovar ea nonna Rita nona Rita no ghe gera S.Martin col cùeo par tera E col nostro sachetìn cari signori xe S.Martin
San Martin's short pastry cake
This short pastry cake is made in Venice to celebrate the feast day of Saint Martin, on 11th November every year, and it is a favourite with Venetian children who receive one from their grandparents and parents. The cake is in the shape of Saint Martin on horseback with his sword and, if you come to Venice in that period, you will see it in confectioners’ windows, decorated with sugar icing or coated with plain or milk chocolate and decorated with chocolate drops and candies
Oven-proof paper mould Download it here Prepare the paper mould used to cut out the cake. Cut a sheet of oven-proof paper measuring about 30x40 cm. Draw the shape of Saint Martin on horseback with his sword on the paper, cut it out and set it aside.
Alternatively, in Venice, during the period of the feast day, you can buy the cake mould in shops specialised in household goods.
Ingredients for a “Saint Martin” of 20x30 cm
For the short pastry: 250 gr flour 150 gr butter 100 gr sugar 1 egg yolk + 1 whole egg ½ sachet vanillin or vanilla flavouring
For the icing and decoration: 250 – 300 gr icing sugar 1 egg white 5 drops lemon juice 100 gr mixed sweets: chocolate Smarties, sugar sweets, candies, chocolate drops Cooking time: 15/20 minutes at 180°C
Preparation Light the oven. Prepare the pastry base by putting into a bowl, in this order, the flour, the sugar, the softened butter cut into small pieces, the yolk and the whole egg. Keep the extra egg white to one side in a bowl. Start mixing the ingredients by hand, crushing together the eggs, butter and sugar. Once they are fairly well mixed, add the flour and vanilla flavouring. Knead the mixture with your fingertips until it is homogeneous as regards both consistency and colour, working into a ball. Sprinkle some flour on a sheet of oven-proof paper and roll out the pastry into a rectangular sheep measuring about 30x40 cm and cut the outline of the cake. If you like, you can use the trimmings to make a round biscuit. Put the cake in the oven and bake till golden (it will take about 15/20 minutes). When the short pastry is ready, leave it to cool and start to prepare the icing. Put the egg white in a bowl and add the icing sugar, a teaspoonful at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the first teaspoonful has been absorbed, add the second and so on, until you have added half the sugar. At this point squeeze 5 drops of lemon juice into the icing and keep stirring and adding the icing sugar as before. At the end the mixture will be quite thick and you will have to stir it energetically for a minute until it is nice and shiny. Pour the icing into a bag with a medium star-shaped nozzle and start decorating the biscuit. Scatter the biscuit as desired with chocolate drops, sweets or candies. When you have finished decorating it, let the icing “dry” for about 12 hours at room temperature.
An extra idea If you want, you can cover Saint Martin with melted chocolate or colour the icing with food colourings, choose the sweets for decorating it with your children, or change the shape of the cake, for example making biscuits with a hole at the top that you can decorate and hang on the Christmas tree.
Colours of Floods (Burano) /
The Italian island of Burano, known for its picturesque canals, is also prone to flooding from high tides, a problem heightened by the Venice city's gradual sinking. Flooding is common this time of year and Thursday's level that reached a peak of 55 inches (140 centimeters) was below the 63 inches (160 centimeters) recorded four years ago in the worst flooding in decades.
