A few days in Venice: November 3-6

Venice in November 

Mystical and magical are two words that come to mind when describing the city of Venice. I had the pleasure of visiting Venice, Italy during my fall break from November 3-6. We first took a train from Florence to Venice early Wednesday morning. Upon arriving, I was taken aback by the aura of tranquility that hung over the city. There are no cars or loud motorcycles. We boarded our water taxi and it took about one hour to get to our hotel. The city of Venice was much slower than Rome and Florence, and had the feel of a city that had been forgotten in time. Most of the population was older; we did not see a many students or children. The Rialto Bridge, built in 1181, is the oldest of the four main bridges that crosses the Grand Canal. This is a spot where you can find many people taking pictures, shopping in the blown glass shops, and admiring the shimmer of the water against the silver motorboats.

view from the Rialto Bridge

First dinner in Venice 

Venice is undeniably one of the most beautiful and colorful cities in Italy. Known as the “Floating City,” Venice is built completely on the water. I did not understand how it was built or how it has survived for so long. The only way to travel is by foot, boats or gondolas. Visiting in November, David, Kathleen and I were lucky to be touring during the “low” season. There were not a lot of people, and it seemed as if we had the luxury of having the city to ourselves. The first day, Kathleen and I ventured off to see if we could find a bite to eat. This task was a little more difficult than we had imagined. We walked around the little side streets for an hour before we found the restaurant we were looking for. The streets are narrow and maze-like. The small winding passageways add to the mystical feel of the city. Every time we turned down a different street, we would end up at a different bridge of river. It took us a while to get a lay of the land. The first night, we chose a restaurant that was suggested on NYtimes 36 hours in Venice. This little restaurant, 'Trattori Da Remigio,' was known for its seafood. I ordered the Bronzino, which was a white mild fish. I remember eating Bronzino with my Aunt Franny and Uncle Mike in Lancaster, PA when I was little. I loved this meal. It was simple, but refreshing to eat something that was not pasta or pizza. Walking around the city at night was very calming. Kathleen noted that the city was very relaxed, and said it definitely had something to do with the tranquility and peacefulness of the water.

"Special Toast"

The second day in Venice, the three of us planned a day around touring the famous churches and palaces. Before we followed through with our plan, we stopped at this little corner restaurant for lunch. This restaurant was famous for its “special toast.” This toast consisted of a large piece of crustini cut into different triangles with a variety of peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese. It was really delicious. The first church we went to was the Basilica di Santa Maria Gioriosa dei Frari or just simply called: "Frari." Though the outside of the church was somewhat plain, the inside was extremely grand and is known for its Italian Gothic style. The famous Venetian artist, Bellini, painted the main altar in the church.  We later walked to St. Marks Square. Beautiful when lit up at night, the square is lined with shops that lead to the Saint Mark’s Basilica. Known for its amazing Byzantine architecture, the San Marco Cathedral was unlike any of the churches I have seen. Adorned with lots of gold accents and red glass chandeliers, the cathedral made me feel as if I were in a different country. Beams of light illuminated the church from tiny windows above, but for the most part, the church was relatively dark and gave off a kind of mysterious vibe. Next door, the Doge’s Palace was once used as a space for government meetings. The Palace is known for the “golden hallways,” beautiful courtyards, and famous painted ceilings. Used mainly as a museum now, the Doge’s Palace showcased different rooms explaining the different aspects of architecture. We later walked down by the water where we saw the most beautiful sunset.

Doge's Palace

St. Mark's Basilica 

Inside St. Mark's Basilica

sunset on Venice canal

St, Mark's Square at night

Kathleen in little Venetian shop

The shopping in Venice was amazing. The streets were lined with high-end couture shops like Chanel, Miu Miu and Ferragamo… just to name a few. Though we were tempted to go in, Kathleen and I found this little boutique that was so much cuter. A Venetian woman made a business out of sewing custom made fabric flowers to different gloves, hats and scarves as her signature pieces. We both bought a pair of gloves, each in different colors. Venice is known for its blown glass. Hundreds of stores showcased varieties of different figurines, bowls and necklaces that were made out of blown glass. The bright hanging glass hanging in the windows added to the colorfulness of the city.

Accademia Museum 

On Friday, we decided to tour two very different museums. The Accademia Museum showcased all Venetian artists from before the 19^th century. It was neat to see the works of Bellini and Carpaccio, two artists who I previously studied in art history courses. Later, we took a boat over to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. This famous modern art museum is the home to some of the greatest modern artists like Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollack, Max Ernst and Kandinsky. Peggy Guggenheim was known for her affinity for modern art. It was so interesting to see such contrasting types of art in one day. I loved getting to see the evolution of art over time. I have to admit, I am fonder of modern art. It was amusing to get to stand so close to the modern pieces and actually see the globs of paint on the canvases. There was a special Adolph Gottlieb exhibit that I really enjoyed. I never knew how much I appreciated modern art until I walked through the Peggy Guggenheim museum. For our last dinner in Italy we decided to go to this small Italian restaurant called: 'Al Portego.' Known for their seafood dishes, the restaurant encouraged us to order the spaghetti with mussels and cherry tomatoes. This was one of the best meals I ate in Italy. When we walked up to the restaurant there were crowds of people standing outside, and I was surprised to see that the restaurant was hardly the size of a shoebox. However the casual nature of the restaurant only added to the homey Italian atmosphere.

Adolph Gottlieb Exhibit, Peggy Guggenheim Museum

Jackson Pollack, photo credit: Kathleen Crowley

Al Portego Restaurant

spaghetti with mussels and cherry tomatoes 

 At the very end of our visit in Venice, Kathleen and I went to tea at a famous hotel close to where we were staying. Kathleen's mother told us about this hotel she stayed at in the past, and the fact that they were known for the "Afternoon Tea." The tea was so elegant and calming. It was a really nice way to end our trip. The tea came with little finger sandwiches and cookies. It was fun to sit there and remember all of the memories we had made in Italy. 

Afternoon Tea

I loved Venice so much. The meals, museums and sunsets were unlike any I had ever experienced. Venice is an amazing city that I hope to get to experience again in life.