After visiting Venice for the first time, you'll always feel the urge to return. Venice captivates with the charm and authenticity of a seaside city, magnetic and candid. The water, which for centuries brought merchants and innovations and made Venice famous worldwide as a multicultural and avant-garde crossroads, reflects the city perfectly. Like its waters, Venice changes its appearance and form depending on how you look at it.
Choosing the most significant monuments in Venice is no easy task; even just Piazza San Marco, with its Basilica, is a collection of wonders. A visit to the Doge's Palace is a journey through time, uncovering the historical treasures of the Serenissima. Then there's the Rialto Bridge, the Guggenheim Museum, La Fenice Theatre, and the Libreria Acqua Alta.
Venice is also about food, with a culinary tradition that has taken the best from all the peoples who have passed through. The Serenissima is the capital of the aperitivo, enjoyed in typical bacari with a Spritz, made with Prosecco DOC, Select, and a green olive, and a cicchetto. Try the offerings at Osteria Bancogiro, including the exquisite and typical baccalà mantecato and traditional meatballs. Cantina Do Spade serves traditional cicchetti and a carefully selected wine list, featuring Prosecco DOC, the city's official sparkling wine. This wine pairs perfectly with a plate of sarde in saor, mussel stew, or the typical bigoli in salsa, a traditional pasta dish with anchovy and Chioggia white onion sauce.
For a creative take on traditional cuisine, visit Zanze XVI, where local ingredients are reinterpreted with cooking techniques from distant lands. Contemporary cuisine enthusiasts must try the Michelin-starred Glam, under the direction of chef Enrico Bartolini. The two tasting menus, "Arte, orti e laguna," featuring dishes that pay homage to Venice and its rich gastronomy, and "I Classici del Glam," showcasing the chef's iconic dishes, offer a true sensory journey.
When it comes to accommodation, Venice offers a wide range of options, from historic residences and scattered hotels to Habsburg palaces and former convents. Locanda Casa dei Querini is a 16th-century palace just five minutes from Piazza San Marco, offering a relaxed atmosphere with six rooms overlooking the picturesque Campo San Giovanni Novo, furnished in pure Venetian style. Villa Laguna on Lido Island is a hotel overlooking the Adriatic Sea, perfect for a romantic and secluded experience. For a more adventurous and less luxurious stay, Foresteria Levi is an excellent choice.
