It was eons ago when I last visited Venice, we have clients who enjoy an annual summer sojourn, requesting the same sumptuous suite at the same hotel. I could have easily spent five days to wander without purpose, it won’t take me eons again for my return.

When was your last Visit to Venice?

A sea arrival is etherial, local life unfolds as you make your way by wooden boat through the water lapped maze of canals to the lagoon and the Grand Canal.  The floating city is one of the most recognizable places in the world, I felt like I was seeing Venice for the first time again. There is truly something alluring about a city surrounded by water, marshes and small islands in the sea, unlike resort islands, the city is truly floating on ancient piles of wood. It’s magical, a lure most visitors won’t deny.

Venice is built on piles of oak or larch prized by ship builders for centuries and surrounded by white Istrian stone, but really, it’s dreamlike. The city’s iconic 400 bridges bind layers of history dating back more than 1500 years.

Spring visits might be wet, the rain didn’t dampen my spirits, the city is extremely walkable with endless sights and narrow mazes of walkways, bridges, breathtaking Palazzos, adorned with flower boxes. At every bend there is beauty, life on the winding canals is fascinating, small barges pass laden with cartons, Amazon delivery by sea, flatboats piled high with construction supplies or baskets of fresh food, boat deliveries are the norm.

Venice is a collection of 118 islands connected by over 400 bridges. The city also has almost 200 canals and about 125 piazzas. There are alleys that are not on the canals, but they tend to be narrow, a calle as in Spain is a street; a rio, Spanish for rivers is a canal, riva is a street that runs along a canal. As elsewhere in Italy, a campo is a small square, but sometimes a piscina. Venice has only one piazza, that of San Marco.

The Grand Canal is the city’s most important and largest waterway, on which the noble families loved to build their remarkable palazzi. It’s the principal waterway dividing the city in two. Step back in time to view the endless roster of imposing Palazzo’s. Some are Gothic in style, built in grey or red stone, beautifully etched in gold.

Touring, shopping and dining with expert recommendations from our exceptional fun guides. A few suggestions: St Mark’s Basilica and the 15th-century Doge’s Palace. Go behind the scenes, uncover the hidden chambers where the Doge administered the republic. Enormous lion figures, Byzantine domes, angels and enormous stone columns dot the skyline.

The main attraction on San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island next to Giudecca, is the 16th Century Bendectin church designed by Andrea Palladio, which has a bell tower with some of the best views in the city.

The translation of Teatro La Fenice, a landmark opera house, is “The Phoenix”— It is one of the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian Theatre and in the history of opera as a whole.  

Explore the narrow passageways early in the morning, stroll to the Rialto fruit and vegetable and fish market near the Rialto Bridge. Where local chefs and home chefs stock their kitchens with line caught fish and the freshest of vegetables.

The Ghetto of Venice is Europe’s first “ghetto,” the ancient Jewish quarter in the center of the city. Its origins and historical events have made it glamorous over time, with its tall buildings in warm and welcoming colors overlooking wide spaces, surrounded by canals. Its uniqueness is due to its five synagogues. Two of them are open to public and worth a visit. The Ghetto area still houses all the religious and administrative institutions of the Jewish Community of Venice.

No traveler coming to Venice should fail to visit this small but unique universe and trace its fascinating history. For almost three centuries, Jewish life animated the Ghetto, and Jews interacted with the city contributing with their prolific activities to the life and economy of the Serenissima.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection. This squat palazzo Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal in Venice was once the home of the eccentric gallerist and collector Peggy Guggenheim. The Collection is one of the most important museums of European and North American art of the twentieth century in Italy.

Don’t miss an opportunity to glide in a gondola, an only in Venice experience.

Take a day trip to Murano, Burano and end with a Michelin lunch, far away from the tourist hordes, at Venissa. With its notable brightly colorful houses, Burano is an island dependent on tourism. Age old traditions still exist, you shouldn’t miss lacemaking and linen at Emilia Burano or Martina Vidal. Nibble on the famous S shaped Venetian Butter Cookies, Burano’s essi at the small local bakery, Pasticceria Costantini. Murano is the island of hand-blown glass.

Save your appetite for lunch on the small nearby island of Mazzorbo. Situated in a small walled vineyard dating back to the Middle Ages – Venissa, a Michelin restaurant, is complete with a 14C belltower.  A magical setting which is perfect for a short stroll before settling down to dine on the fringe of the vines, the oldest Vineyard in Venice. Rich in history and beauty. Its main richness, the agriculture: on the island you can find hundreds of artichoke fields, as well as vineyards and fruit trees. Another important tradition of this island is the wine.

EAT

Harry’s Bar. Famous for several reasons. Firstly, it is considered the birthplace of the Bellini cocktail, a drink made with fresh white peach puree and Prosecco, which was created by the founder Giuseppe Cipriani, in 1948. Perched along a canal just off St. Mark’s Square, this legendary bar and restaurant channels the club-like atmosphere of Europe’s historic cafes. Reserve a table downstairs at the back for the best people watching. Beef carpaccio drizzled with a zingy, creamy sauce is the signature dish. Other classics include tagliatelle with fresh lobster and warm strawberries marinated in white port.

Afternoon views and lunch at Restaurant Terrazza Danieli
 Opulent, rooftop dining room in Hotel Danieli serving classic Venetian cuisine overlooking the city. The outdoor terrace is open between May and October, with its 180° views of the lagoon and islands that is its crowning glory.

Aman Arva Select few outside reservations are accepted, best to just stay and enjoy the over-the-top aspect of this stunning Palazzi. Arva is Aman’s tribute to Italy’s rich culinary heritage – an inventive and sustainable approach to cooking using the finest ingredients of the season. Its name is taken from the Latin term for ‘cultivated land’, a reflection of the kitchen’s philosophy of making the best of land and sea.

Da Ivo. Cozy canal side eatery decorated with brass pans, turning out classic Tuscan & Venetian dishes. Founded in 1976 by the Tuscan-born Ivo Natali, this restaurant made a name for itself by serving dishes that originated in both Venice and Tuscany. Serving traditional Venetian dishes such as spider crab or spaghetti with clams live in harmony with a good Fiorentina steak. The friendly atmosphere is a plus – one reason it is popular with actors and celebrities during the Venice Film Festival.

Antiche Carampane. Hidden in the little streets and charming squares between the famous Rialto fish market and Campo San Polo, one doesn’t arrive by chance. Frequented by locals and the lucky tourist who can find it amid the long narrow alleys.

Al Covo Authentic family hospitality for this renowned restaurant, tucked away behind Riva degli Schiavoni. Bread sticks and butter appear the moment you perch, the menu is read to you as if you are a regular. Al Covo entices connoisseurs from Venice and the world. Refined, updated Venetian classics in a charming, rustic-style restaurant, with outside tables. Anthony Bourdain dined here.

SHOP

Giuliana Longo Hats has been handcrafting and importing hats in this compact boutique for decades.

PiedàTerre, a pocket-sized boutique hidden behind a market stall near the Rialto bridge is the top place to buy furlane, the chic gondolier slippers that have become a sort of hallmark of low-key Italian style.

Gianni Basso Stampatore, an old-school stationery atelier, is one of the city’s most charming institutions. The shop makes everything—including custom correspondence cards, invitations, bookplates, and business cards—by hand on vintage letterpresses, then ships the designs all over the world.

Gondolier Uniform stripes stripes stripes! Emilio Ceccato brand with its historic shop at the basis of Rialto bridge, is the official dealer for the iconic uniforms of gondoliers. The gondoliers can choose between blue and red. In the earliest days of the Gondola, Gondoliers were mostly Moorish slaves.

Nardi Jewelry is synonymous with glamour and luxury and loved for its incomparable design aesthetic and finely crafted Venetian jewelry. Hand-crafted with precision and passion, it’s a testament to the artisanal mastery for which Nardi has been proudly renowned for almost a century.

DRINK

Aman Bar Overlooking the secret garden beside the Grand Canal, Aman Venice’s Bar serves drinks, tea, late-night snacks and light meals – including Aman’s take on classic Venetian cicchetti – from midday until midnight. A homage to Lord Byron, it’s a warm and inviting space. Explore the largest selection of gins in Venice or request a bespoke cocktail from the award-winning resident mixologist.

Harry’s Bar Bellini The Bellini is a perfect long drink for the summer. It’s part of the family of sparkling cocktails, made with fresh white peaches mixed with sparkling brut wine or Prosecco. A refined and delicious Italian cocktail, the structure and freshness of the sparkling wine blend perfectly with the flavor and aroma of the peaches.

WATCH

A Haunting In Venice

Don’t Look Now

The Merchant of Venice h

Death In Venice

The Talented Mr. Ripley

READ

The World of Venice By Jan Morris

Venice Observed

Italian Neighbors

What To Read and Watch By Smithsonian

Bellini Cocktail Recipe

As for the proportions, the ratio of ingredients is 1 to 2: there must be double the amount of sparkling wine compared to peach nectar. This is especially important if you have to prepare jugs of cocktails for summer parties.

​½ cup Prosecco

¼ cup fresh white peach purée

For the peach purée Peel 1 pound of white peaches and gradually place them in 1 cup of water with 1/8 cup lemon juice. Blend the mixture with 4 ice cubes and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to balance the sugar content of the fruit. Add 2 raspberries to get the typical color (if the peaches aren’t pink enough).

Complete the Bellini Pour the white peach purée into flutes and slowly add the Prosecco.
Stir gently using a bar spoon.

Highly Recommend a Return to Venice!