What to see and where to eat in Venice? I think this is one of the questions I have been most often asked! My name is Giulia, I live in Auckland, New Zealand, but I was born in Venice and grew up in its province.
I know the city like the back of my hand, having also attended Ca’ Foscari University, and I love it madly. I get really angry when I hear people say that Venice is too expensive or, even worse, that the food is bad.
So here I am, on the travel blog of my dear friends Giulia and Guido, to break down some prejudices and reveal some artistic and culinary gems about my beloved Venice. Let’s begin!
Which museums to visit in Venice and other artistic gems
If you’re here, I imagine you’ve already visited the usual Doge’s Palace, Gallerie dell’Accademia, and Guggenheim Museum, and are looking for a few artistic gems that are a little less ‘in the tourist sights’.
As for museums, I would definitely recommend visiting Ca’ Pesaro, which houses a vast collection of contemporary art from the late 19th century to the post-World War II period. It contains works by famous artists such as Salvador Dali, Picasso, Lucio Fontana, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, Alexander Calder, etc. It is much less ‘hyped’ than the Guggenheim but, in my opinion, has nothing to envy (and costs less, too!).
– Fortuny Museum, housed in the Palazzo Fortuny, is another museum which is not often visited by tourists, but it is much loved by locals. Built in the mid-15th century, it is a wonderful example of Venetian Gothic. However, its history was enriched in the last century, when Mariano Fortuny transformed it into his atelier for photography, stage design, textile creation and painting.
In addition to visiting the splendid Gothic palace, you will also have access to Fortuny’s extensive collection, including several of his photographic, pictorial, and scenographic works.
Near Campo Santa Margherita, in the Dorsoduro Sestiere, the Church of San Pantalon treasures a real gem. Don’t be fooled by its bare façade: enter and turn your gaze upwards. You will find yourself staring at one of the largest paintings in the world, Martyrdom and Glory of St Pantaleon, a work by Gian Antonio Fumiani completed in the early 1700s. What makes it even more interesting is that it is not a fresco, but an immense painting on canvas, a good 443 square metres wide!
One of my favourite neighbourhoods in Venice is the Jewish Ghetto, consisting of Gheto Vecio (old ghetto) and Gheto Novo (new ghetto), in the Sestiere Cannaregio. Where the Jewish community once lived, it is now one of the most beautiful residential neighbourhoods in Venice. Enjoy the Campi del Gheto Vecio and Gheto Novo and drop by The Studio in Venice, an art gallery curated by Michal Meron. Admission is free and you’re sure to bump into Penelope, ‘the cat of the Ghetto’.
Last but not least is the wonderful Scala Contarini dal Bovolo, which can be accessed via Campo Manin, not far from the Ponte dell’Accademia. It is an external spiral staircase located on the façade of a 15th-century noble palace belonging to the Contarini family. Indeed, it is precisely the construction of this winding staircase that seems to be the reason behind the nickname given to the family, as ‘bovolo’ in Venetian dialect means ‘snail’.
According to legend, the nobleman Pietro Contarini used to reach his private rooms via this staircase… on horseback!
Eating and drinking: where Venetians hang out
Let’s start with the highlight. My favourite place to eat in Venice is Rosticceria Gislon, near the Rialto Bridge. Being also a tavola calda, at Gislon you can really find any Venetian speciality: stewed cuttlefish, pasta with bovoeti (small spotted Mediterranean snails), polenta e osei (small birds), castraure (baby artichokes), and all at more than reasonable prices.
The rotisserie pieces, also, are a real treat. My top picks are the very special mozzarelle in carrozza (fried mozzarella sandwich) and the crema fritta (fried custard). For about 4€ you can have a mozzarella in carrozza and a nice biancheto (ask the guys to make you a biancheto: it is nothing more than a small glass of white wine)!
Another fantastic area where you can feast on Venetian cicheti (small bites / tapas) and perhaps take part in a little bacaro tour is the Fondamenta della Misericordia [a ‘bacaro’ is a bar where you can drink wine]. In the Fondamenta you will find literally every good thing: it is one of the richest areas for bacari and is also little known by tourists.
My favourites are: Vino Vero, Il Paradiso Perduto, A La Vecia Papussa, and Al Timon (where you can even sit and drink spritz on a boat!). As for what to eat, there are two watchwords: spritz and cicheti! I recommend that you try the spritz with Select, the typical Venetian seltzer. Then, try different cicheti, for example with baccalà mantecato, with sopressa, with polenta, with sardines in saor and with fegatini alla veneziana.
Another area full of bacari, small restaurants, and nightclubs is Campo Santa Margherita, popular with university students. ‘Santa Marghe’, as the locals call it, is perhaps the main centre of Venetian nightlife, thanks also to its proximity to Piazzale Roma, where the buses to the mainland depart.
On the other hand, if you are looking for some spicier cuisine, I would again recommend the Ghetto, where you can try kosher cuisine at Ba Ghetto or Gam Gam.
Finally, if you are a sweet tooth you must must try ‘il gianduiotto di Nico’, a true institution in Venice. Go to the Gelateria da Nico, on the Zattere (Dorsoduro) and ask them to prepare you a gianduiotto. It is a block of ice cream covered with cream… truly divine!
Everything worth seeing in Venice… and beyond!
I hope these little tips on how best to enjoy Venice will be useful for your next trip or excursion to the Venetian capital. For more, I recommend the following articles on my art and travel blog (in italian):
– Cosa vedere a Venezia in un giorno.
– 10 musei da vedere a Venezia.
– Bacaro tour: la guida completa ai bacari veneziani.
Buon viaggio e… duri i banchi! (Enjoy your trip and… keep going!)
Giulia
