La Serenissima - Venezia
a:Venezia
r:Venice
After nearly eight years in Berlin, we were ready for a new adventure. Alex said to me, he wants to live where Palm trees grow and the seaside is close. That was my brief and now all I had to do was find a job that fit. When my headhunter called and said, what about Venice, I was actually interested. It is not a city I ever imagined to live in, as I do not speak Italian, I only eat Italian quite well... But as Venice lives of International Tourism, speaking Italian was not the most important priority when they needed to fill this position. So I thought why not and gave it a go. After a few conversations and an online assessment centre, I was invited for a personal interview. And on the last April weekend, we flew to Venice and were taken in a private water taxi to this hotel which was to become my new place of work. We fell in love with the beauty of this place and I signed the contract then and there. In July I started my position with the beautiful San Clemente Palace Kempinski and now, four months later I finally have the chance to share some details of our new life in Venice here with you. In this article, I will show you my new hotel, some impressions of Venice and some personal recommendations. The list of recommendation will obviously grow, the longer we stay, so do stay tuned for more!!
San Clemente Palace Kempinski
a:Venezia
r:Venice
This gem of a hotel is located in the heart of the Venetian lagoon on its own historic, luxurious island. A former monastery, turned hotel will make you feel, live and breathe Italy from every minute you are there. In comparison to the hotels on the main Venetian Island, this hotel offers peace, quiet and space combined with great service, tasty Italian food and stunning surroundings with great views of the city of Venice. For me, this really is the perfect combination of a city trip to Venice and a relaxing holiday at the same time. And working on an island means taking a boat to work every day, having an office with views of the stunning gardens and welcoming visitors and guests at a very unique place!
Alex's new project
a:Venezia
r:Venice
Venice is flooded with tourists all year round and Alex thought he could start to work in this field too. As a photographer taking pictures of people touring the city. With their permission of course. For everyone out there who wants professional photos of their holiday in Venice, visit www.venice-insta-photo-shoot.com for all details and to book your very own session. It is perfect for people travelling alone or for a couple who wants to be in the pictures together or for a group of friends or family members who would love their perfect memories of this precious time together. He knows some good places already of where to get that perfect Venice photo and he is also more than happy to show people great spots for a coffee or aperitivo in more off the beaten track places in town.
Living in Venice
a:Venezia
r:Venice
For the first month, we were able to live in the hotel which I was very grateful for. That gave us time to look for an apartment and organise our move here. Many landlords told us they are only renting to tourists so it took us a while to find an apartment we liked and which was also affordable. On what felt like the hottest day of the summer we then finally moved into our beautiful, modern apartment close to Rialto bridge. All our boxes arrived on a boat and were carried into our apartment for us. Now we live in a quiet street 5 minutes from Rialto Bridge and 10 minutes walk to the shuttle to work. It gets quite busy around us, especially at weekends but we are happy with our location and are learning how this city works a little more every day.
Venetian things to do
a:Venezia
r:Venice
There are many things that are typical for Venice. Being on a boat, for example, is something I do every day. I am on the shuttle to work every day but there is also the Vaporetto service that works like a bus in cities with streets and cars. In Venice, there are many Vaporetto routes that take you around the city, either to get from A to B or just to see the city from a different perspective. Just make sure you have tickets and know which way you are going. Once you figured it out it is a great way to get around, get to the beach and get to the airport for example. And then there is the Aperitivo and Cicchetti culture. Every afternoon you find people gathering in bars and cafes all over town for a Spritz, a Prosecco or glass of wine and a Cicchetti which usually is a piece of baguette bread with something delicious made from fish, meat or vegetables. You can do this before dinner to get a taste or make a divers meal of it and go on a little Cicchetti crawl around the city! Love it!!
My Venice for you
a:Venezia
r:Venice
We lived in the fabulously unique city of Venice for the past nine months and I am now sharing some of my very personal recommendations with you here. I had the opportunity to work and live in this fantastic city and experienced Venice during different seasons and challenging times. We arrived in the middle of summer with crazy humidity and heat, enjoyed warm autumn until the high waters (acqua alta) arrived in November. Once this was over, winter was there and it turned out to be a dry and lovely one indeed. And just before we left, it was Carnival in Venice and I can wholeheartedly recommend visiting Venice during this time to see the costumes and dance on Piazza San Marco and many other squares in the city. Then the virus stopped all activities in Venice and it coincided with the end of my posting in Venice and our move to Vienna. And so I would like to leave you my recommendations for La Serenissima. Do read on for what to do, what to see, where to eat, what to drink and besides the obvious sights what you can come to the city for. I hope you like it and if you have questions or comments, please do get in touch at any time.
When to go to Venice
a:Venezia
r:Venice
Venice is beautiful during any season and definitely has its pros and cons, it all depends on what you come to the city for. We experienced a very mild, very sunny winter and this has to be my personal favourite season in Venice. Fewer tourists and no crowds, sunny weather and always a seat in our favourite restaurants and bars. You could sit outside when it was warm as all restaurants had their chairs and tables out. The lines to get in the sights were much shorter and it was okay to just stand and watch without someone running into you. But also autumn and spring were really nice times to go, just with more people around. If you do travel to Venice in the summer, it is beautiful too but please do pick a hotel with a swimming pool because this will make all the difference and will really brighten up your Venice experience. That way it feels even more like a holiday, not only a city trip, so in summer pick a hotel with a swimming pool.
What to do in Venice
a:Piazza San Marco
r:Venice
Besides visiting the classic sites of the fabulous city of Venice like Piazza San Marco, the Doge´s Palace, the Guggenheim Museum, Rialto Bridge, and many more and I am happy to recommend a few activities and things to do as well. While at Piazza San Marco, do join the ques and go up on top of the Campanile Tower for a breathtaking 360-degree view of Venice. This is the highest building in Venice (98.6m) and it gives you a view of the city like no other. If you like to see places from high above, do also visit the cities most famous department store, "Fondaco dei Tedeschi" and go to the top floor to have a fabulous view of Rialto Bridge and Rialto Market from above.
What to do II
a:Piazza San Marco
r:Venice
While you are on your tour around Venice, do hire a photographer to follow you around. If you are alone, with your partner or in a group of friends, this will create the perfect lasting memory from your holiday. Venice has a great list of great photographers and they can be part of your group while you explore. It is fun, to pose for someone else for a change, you don´t feel shame because everybody is posing for someones camera in Venice, and every picture looks pretty because Venice is beautiful wherever you turn. If you want pictures of yourself only in some places you either need to get up really early or you have to travel in winter :) You can find photographers via AirBnB www.airbnb.com or https://www.flytographer.com/
Where to drink in Venice
a:Venezia
r:Venice
Venice is famous for Spritz and Chicetti all over the world. In some cities, Aperol Spritz is even called a "Venetian". There are countless bars and restaurants all over Venice that serve the traditional Venetian aperitivo and here are a few of my favourites. "Vino Vero" in Canareggio along the canal and basically every bar on that street are a great place to wind down after a day of sightseeing. Lots of students and locals go here but more and more tourists too. There is a choice of rooftop bars around and I really liked the rooftop bar of the "Bauer Hotel" with fantastic views of Venice and the lagoon. Then I really like Campo Santa Margherita for its local scene and a great choice of bars and restaurants. And when you are in the "Zattere" area, do go to "Osteria Al Squero" opposite the old gondola shipyard. This place is very popular but very classical Venetian too. And last but not least the bar of the restaurant "La Porta d\'Acqua". They have a little bench outside their garden bar and they serve a great Spritz and you have a fabulous view of Canale Grande, the Gondolas, and life in Venice.
Where to eat in Venice
a:Venezia
r:Venice
And now, some restaurant recommendations: "(link: https://www.venissa.it/en/ text: Venissa)" for the experience - located on the island of Mazzorbo with its own vineyard. This was by far the best food, wine, day trip excursion combination in Venice. Take the Vaporetto to Mazzorbo, walk the island and vineyard and have lunch at Venissa. Loved the beauty of the place, the service was excellent, and the food delicious. My personal favourite - their Tiramisu! "Rossopomodoro" for the best and most tasty pizza even if it is a chain restaurant! The "Novecento Jazz Club" for the best local Venetian pizza experience. "Trattoria Alla Madonna" for the hands-down best fish and seafood experience in all of Venice! You will love it http://www.ristoranteallamadonna.com/en/ Campo Santa Margherita for the best square with many great restaurant choices and as many locals as there are tourists. In my opinion, your best bet is to stay off the crazy tourist track and find the little hidden spots for some tourists and locals... you will not be disappointed.
The Venetian Islands
a:Venezia
r:Venice
If you are in Venice for more than 2 days I highly recommend getting off the main island and explore some of the other islands which are part of the (link: https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/italy/venice/experiences/news/10-islands-to-explore-in-the-venice-lagoon text: Venetian lagoon). The Venetian Lagoon rests on 118 islands, some are natural features and others have been created by engineers who have been dredging the lagoon for years. Murano is famous for a glass making industry that dates back to the 13th century. Although glass was originally produced in Venice during the days of the Venetian Republic, the fear of a fire burning down the city’s wooden buildings had the furnaces relocated to Murano and a visit to this islands shows the glass artisans at work and gives the opportunity to buy a great souvenir along the way. Burano is re-known for it´s colourful houses which apparently helped their fishermen navigate through the fog back in the days. Do also walk across the bridge to Mazzorbo once you are in Burano! There is a big selection of islands to choose from and do include them in your Venice trip.
Carnival in Venice
a:Venezia
r:Venice
The "(link: https://www.carnevale.venezia.it/en/ text: Carnevale di Venezia)" is one of the most famous carnivals around the world and a great characteristic of the city. I really enjoyed the three weeks carnival experience, seeing people in costumes and masks all over the city posing for photographers (professional and amateur photographers alike). There is an extensive program organised in different parts of the city and you can pick and choose where you would like to participate and watch. You can also just enjoy the party side of the Carnival as many bars and open spaces have DJ´s, music, and drinks in the streets. There is a lot of dancing and partying around and it was great fun being part of this experience. Visit Venice during Carnival!
