A Month In Venice

If you have ever visited Venice then you are surely aware that the area around the Rialto Bridge is the shopping hub for tourists. However have you ever wondered about where the locals go to shop? I know I have and fortunately I have discovered a few places where you can pick up the necessities of life while you are staying in this city.

For instance if you want to get robbed by buying your bags from the various street vendors feel free. However most Venetians buy their clothes from the COIN department store where the prices are three times cheaper. If you do not know how to find this store simply ask one of the hotel workers or a local where to find it I am sure they are willing to help you out.

If you are into looking for leather goods such as jackets, hand bags and the like the best place to go is called Kalimala which is in the Castello sesteri. And if you shoe should happen to break and want to have it repaired then the best place for that would be Risuola Tutto di Giovanni Dittura which is in the Dorsoduro district. Either store will be surely cheaper then if you bought near the Rialto or St. Mark’s Square.

If you are looking for a place to buy your coffee the most recommend store would be Caffee Costarica which is in the Cannaregio sesteri. For the wine lovers I would recommend the store Cantinone gia Schiavi which is one of the oldest wine shops in the Dorsoduro neighborhood.

Perhaps you are more in the mood for some kitchenware. For that particular need I would recommend L’Arca which is on the island of Santa Croce. Of course most of the other shops that offer glassware are on the island of Murano as that is to be expected. However if you do choose to go to the island I would recommend only shopping at CAM and Carlo Moretti because both have a great reputation for quality and service.

What if you are looking for the genuine Carnavale masks? There is really one or two places that make traditional Venetian masks. One store that still makes the masks the old way is Giorgio Clanetti which is in the Castello sesteri. Since these masks are so rare it is best if you call ahead at the following phone number 041-522-3110. For costumes during Carnvale the only place that I know of is Tragicomica which is in the San Polo neighborhood.

I hope that if you do go to Venice that you check these stores out. They are surely worth a visit as I am sure they will help your wallet out by not catering exclusively to tourists. Since the locals use these stores this is yet another way to soak up the culture of Venice and perhaps even get yourself a good deal as well.

I think I did a pretty good job covering budget hotels in Venice. However now is time for a different perspective on things. Say for instance that you have the money to spare to really treat yourself to a spectacular stay in this very expensive city. Where do you go? Well the most luxurious hotels that this city has to offer of course. This is saying much because this city is very opulent with wealth and seems to cater to the wealthy and well to do.

Here is just a short listing of some of the more notable places to stay if you are so inclined to truly pamper yourself. Who is to say that you need to spend an entire week in one of these hotels? Most people spend at most one or two days in Venice anyways and since you are here, go wild!

Hotel Cipriani
Giudecca 10, Fondamenta San Giovanni
041-520-7744
http://www.orientexpresshotels.com
This hotel has been serving guests since 1993 and has been one of the most luxious places to stay ever since then. Since this hotel is on the island of Giudecca it is very isolated from the rest of the city and has some unique features such as lush garden that you can visit and let your problems drift away. Also since this hotel has an Olympic sized swimming pool and other great amenities you will not be bored if you choose to just sit and relax and soak up what this hotel has to offer.

Hotel Danieli
Castello 4196, Riva degli Schiavoni
041-522-6480
http://www.luxurycollection.com
One of the most famous hotels in the whole of Venice. This hotel has been featured on several travel shows and been a home to many of the travel celebrities such as Samantha Brown. This hotel is just right next to the Palazzo Ducale which is home of the Doge of Venice and is just in the center of the St. Mark’s Square. You certainly will not be too far from all the action if you choose to stay here.

Hotel Des Bains
Lido Lungamare Marconi 17
041-526-5921
http://www.sheraton.com
This is the hotel that the famous writer Thomas Mann stayed in when he was in Venice. Having a salt water pool you need not fret about swimming if you are allergic to chlorine besides this hotel has access to a private beach which is sure different than many other hotels and villas in the area. You can count on having your every whim satisfied while you stay in this hotel as this place prides itself on impeccable service.

Hotel Kette
San Marco 2053
041-520-7766
http://www.hotelkette.com
A fairly large hotel with 63 rooms this is not your average place to rest  your head. You are surrounded in an opulent and luxurious setting that makes you feel like you are one of the elite residents of Venice. This hotel certainly will remind you of “old Venice” as it is decorated just like an old Venetian palace.

Staying in Venice for most is usually a one or two night affair. For some these hotels will be far out of reach because you will most likely have to give up an entire month’s salary just to stay for a night. However if you really want to just live a little then by all means look these hotels up and see if you can afford to take a night at one of these destinations.

The Venetian culture scene is dying by all accounts. Swamped with tourists this city caters only to the middle class patrons who can only stay for a week or so and in that short time period have little time to take in all that Venice has to offer. But this was not always the case. Venice was once the center for baroque music and this is where Vivaldi had clear reign over much of the music scene.

If you were to catch a play or any other type of musical performance it would be at La Fenice on Tronchetto island which is more of a mere tent placed outside on the island. The original structure where these performances occurred burned down in 1996 and I guess the mayor Venice did not think it worth his time to build a more permanent structure.

In order to get to La Fenice on Tronchetto you would need to take a Vaparetto from St. Mark’s square. You can find this Vaparetto because it is marked as La Fenice so it should be pretty easy to spot. A typical ticket to see a performance would cost you around 15.50 Euros per person and can be purchased two hours before the show begins.

I think part of the reason that Venice is no longer the hub of music and theatre that it once was is because many of the great performances occur in Verona and Padua. These two cities it seems overshadow the once grandiose nature of Venice in its heyday. Now while both of these cities are certainly worth a look I believe that in order to preserve the city of Venice you should take in some of its culture by going to the local performances.

So then how do I go about find about the local performances? Glad you asked. I came across a great website called A Guest in Venice that lists all of the major cultural events that this city offers. From University lectures to shows of all types this website has it all. Certainly well worth a look before you plan your trip to see what you can take in while you are staying in Venice.

One of the lesser known festivals in Venice is The Feast of the Redeemer. Originally it was to celebrate the end of the bubonic plague which ended in 1576 and ended up killing tens of thousands of citizens of Venice. Certainly not your typical celebration by any means as this is a celebration truly unique to this city.

This time of year is the only time when the island of Giudecca is accessible by foot as a floating foot bridge is constructed to allow for the Doge of Venice to cross to this island. As you probably can guess the majority of the celebrations for this festival occur on this island
as Giudecca becomes a center for activity in the city.

This celebration is marked by many fireworks that can be seen throughout the city but are best viewed in the Dorsoduro district. Also many Venetians choose to eat elaborate meals on their boats at night in the Grand Canal in order to honor those that died and to give thanks for those that continued to live on. What you might expect at this time of year is many bands and street performances similar to what you would see during a historical regatta or Carnvale. This celebration typically lasts for an entire week and begins about mid July around the 16th of the month.

For many Americans you can consider this a celebration of thanksgiving similar to what we have in November. Like in America this celebration is steeped in tradition and centers around the family. Unlike the American celebration of thanksgiving many festivities occur outside of the home and with other families that are also celebrating. So there is a contrast in cultures that exists between these two celebrations. For some that are just visiting I would check to see what your hotel offers during this time of year. Since you are not a local you might feel left out but sometimes a hotel will try to include you in the celebration and make you feel more like a local.

Eating out in Venice or Italy can be daunting if you do not want to get cheated. To get a truly Italian experience it is always best to eat where the locals eat. This means that the menu will be written only in Italian and you are expected to know what all of these items are on the menu. If you have special dietary concerns then this will be even more of a struggle if you do not understand some of the common items on the menu.

Fortunately I have gathered some of the most common terms for you and translated them so that it should be much easier to understand when you to out. I am seriously considering a Italian word of the day email to help my readers learn Italian. Or perhaps I could find a sponsor that has this that will be of service to those that read my blog regularly.

Here are some of the more common dishes used.

Antipasti – Appetizer
Antipasto misto – a mix of appetizers
Carcifi – This is some sort of artichoke dish served in oil
Gamberi el fagloli – shrimp and white beans
Prosciutto – this is a cured ham that is normally served with melons but can be used in any appetizer dish

Minestre (Soups) and Pasta
Cacciucco – this is a spicy fish soup
Cappelletti – Small ravioli with a light broth
Frittata – An Italian omelet
Minestrone – This is a beef soup with vegetables and pasta
Panzerotti – This is ra avioli filled with mozzarella, anchovies and an egg mixture
Polenta – This is a cake made of corn
Spaghetti alle vongole – This is a pasta dish with a clam sauce

Meat Dishes (carne)
Abbacchio – milk fed lamb
Agnello – lamb
Anatra – duck
Arista – Pork loin
Cervo – Venison
Cinghiale – boar
Coniglio – rabbit
Fagiano – pheasant
Lingua – tongue
Lombo di malate – pork loin
Ragu – meat sauce
Vitello – veal

Fish (Pesce)
Aragosta – lobster
Aringa – herring
Baccala – dried salt cod
Branzino – sea bass
Brodetto – fish stew
Calamari – squid
Gamberetto – shrimp
Gamberi – prawns
Gamberi di flume – crayfish
Granchia – Crab
Sogliola – sole
Squadron – monkfish
Tonna – tuna
Vongola  - small clams

This is just a small sample of what is available. Perhaps I could include a new word with each new post so as to help us all learn the Italian language. I am really kicking around some ideas here and hopefully soon I should have something in the works. Well I hope this helped someone out there.