Venice

Venice 

I have just returned from the Veneto region of Italy with my lovely friends Sara & Eva who are studying there. We spent half the time in Venice wandering its 118 islands before travelling to Verona. We were blessed with a friend’s gorgeous little apartment in an abandoned Palazzo to borrow on the Grand Canal.

Its walls were adorned with frescoes and in the early hours we’d sit on our window ledge dangling our toes above the water, falling in love with Venice by night. In the mornings we’d emerge from the covers and lie listening to the splashing of water as the first Gondolas went by.

With only three days in Venice and it being Spring, we wanted to stray from the tourist trail and discover its secrets especially in the wine bars, gardens and art. 

Despite being in the company of three friends fluent in Italian, the words ‘Vin Rossi’, ‘Sogni D’oro’, ‘l'acqua del rubinetto’ and ‘posso avere un bacio’ were always useful! Packing wise, black on black is the way to go and don’t show skin before May or you’ll declare yourself a tourist.

For food our favourite Osteria was the ramshackle, but delicious 'Paradiso Perduto', which serves platters of fresh octopus and more obscure varieties of seafood to share by candlelight. Thankfully, you only hear Italian voices over the gypsy music.

 On the last night the intimate hideaway Vini de Gigio – tucked away beside a dark little canal - was a little more grown up, but equally delicious for its melanzane, clams and wines.

For drinks Rialto was where we always went to drink Vin Rossi

and the infamous ‘Spritz’ on the docks with the rest of the young Venetians. Near our palazzo apartment was Al Cantinon Osteria, where Sara told me all about the intriguing and inspiring philosophers she’s learnt about in Verona. Hegel’s ‘The Death of Art’, Fish’s ‘Aesthetic distance’ and Plato’s essay on beauty are now on my reading list!

In the prestigious centre of the Sculo Grande of the Santa Maria della Carita (one of the most ancient lay fraternal orders of the city) I was easily swept up in the romance of Accademia. I was overwhelmed by the collection of Venetian paintings from the Byzantine and Gothic to the 14^th century to works of artists like Carpaccio, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Tiziano through to the Vedutisti of the 18^th century.

I discovered a new hero Jacopo Robusti whose allegorical images like ‘St Mark Rescues a Saracen’ left me spellbound. My favourite Bellini was ‘Madonna del Cherubini Rossi’, which resembled a surrealist work of Dali. As I sat sketching and taking notes in the gallery I felt a sense of tranquillity and release from the stress of the crowds outside, it’s the perfect place to find a moment of harmony. 

The Basilica Frari was an equally spiritual and calm place to light a candle and explore before the contemporary Pinault collection. As we boarded the 8.05 train to Verona we talked about how Venice is indeed one of the most beautiful places we’ve been, but how we were deeply saddened by the impact of tourism. The advice to ‘let yourself get lost’ is valuable, but going with Italians is the best thing you can do.

 Our most magic memories from the long weekend were the evenings we spent wandering the cobbled streets with Vin Rossi from Rialto and looking up at the wonderful architecture. To be in a city where the sky is truly dark at night is something so rare. This was the view from our bedroom at night...