A Month In Venice

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.

The island of Giudecca was originally called Spinalunga most likely after the shape of the island. You see Spinalunga means a long spine of rock which is pretty much the shape of Giudecca. This island is in the Dorsoduro district of Venice and it is right off the Grand Canal so it should be easy to get to.

The term Giudecca is derived from the Jewish inhabitants who used to live there at one time. Later the island became more of an industrial center with even a film studio located there. Now this is one of the most exclusive places to live in the entire Venetian lagoon as it is sought after for its many palaces with gardens that you do not see in the city of Venice.

This part of Venice is where most of the real inhabitants live and work. This is definitely not a tourist trap however there are more and more hotels opening all the time. If you want to really get a feel for living in the city I would stay on this island as the people here are real and the surrounding atmosphere is not catered to just tourists.

However you may wonder what is there to see on this island? Well for one you can see the historical gardens that you do not find anywhere else. As there are many short term apartment buildings here you should not have trouble staying for a period of time here.

I would like to point out that Giudecca is not just one island but it is a chain of eight islands like Venice all networked by a bridges. You may not see the ornate work that some of the other bridges have in Venice as this is a place overlooked by many tourists who only come for a day.

There are plenty of restaurants on this island and a lot of them are fairly good. You certainly should not find too many tourist traps here. However as this island is not as frequented by tourists the locals might not be willing to speak to you in English so having a moderate grasp of the Italian language will go far here. One of the eyesores of the island is the industrial section.  You see the industrial section of this island lost most of its work after the second world war. So in contrast with some of the main islands you will see some abandoned and ruined buildings in an old industrial park. It really does not add much character to the island and I am sure that eventually these eyesores will be replaced with something better, hopefully soon. One of the worst things the city rulers can do is turn this island into another tourist trap. I would much rather see this part of Venice kept as real as possible.

Sometimes even though you might be on a budget when visiting Venice it is good to indulge yourself and others in some really fine dining. With this city’s reputation of being one of the most romantic cities in the whole of Europe it just stands to reason that spending a romantic evening with the one you love to be a right of passage and something that all couples should do while here.

With this in mind I have gathered a few of the more indulgent places to eat to tickle your senses and hopefully spark the mood for a wonderful evening. Now just as a bit of warning these restaurants are not cheap and that is by Venice standards which is about 15% higher then the whole of Europe so please plan accordingly. Also since most of these restaurants are known for their high quality it is a good idea to make reservations well ahead of time so as to not embarrass yourself.

The Met
Hotel Metropole
041-520-5044
http://www.hotelmetropole.com
This is the only Michelin starred restaurant in the whole of Venice. So obviously the quality of the food is not in doubt and the elegant surroundings match the city and the food that they serve. Please keep in mind that the specialties center around the fresh seafood so if you do not like seafood I would stay away from this restaurant.

Da Flore
+39 41 72 1308
Considered by some of the locals of Venice to be one of the finest dining experiences in the city. A serious atmosphere pervades the restaurant as the food is taken very seriously here. They are famous for their scallops in penne or even their bigoli in salsa which is handmade spaghetti in a sauce of mixed anchovies and onions.

Harry’s Bar
041-528-5777
Discussed previously in this blog Harry’s Bar is by far one of the most famous destinations for American tourists. This restaurant is known for its relationship with Ernest Hemingway and other notable stars of the past and present. The food here can be a bit pricey and you must have reservations but the experience is second to none.

Harry’s Dolci
041-522-4844
This restaurant is more of a trattoria then a fine dining experience. Serving much of the same food as Harry’s bar with much less expensive prices. This is well worth a visit as the atmosphere alone can capture your heart and imagination. This restaurant is in the same family as Harry’s bar but since it is not as famous you can still get the experience of eating in a good restaurant without such a high price.

There are many more restaurants to share and I will in later posts. However if you are planning a trip to Venice in the near future I would really look into these restaurants. You can really wow someone you care about by taking them to one or all of these places.