italia guide to venice 2015

VENICE ITALIA! GUIDE 2015

Venice, the Veneto & Beyond 2015 7.99

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Italia! Guide to Venice 2015

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ITALIA! GUIDE: VENICE AND THE VENETO 2015 3

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ITALIA! VENICE & THE VENETO

Venice is one of Italys most beguiling cities. I once met a British artist who was hosting a party celebrating her work in a hotel in Venice. I asked her how long shed lived there. I came here for a fortnight, she replied, Though that was 30 years ago. Spend any time

in the Floating City and its easy to see how you can become enchanted by the place. And this, the latest Italia! Guide is a celebration of what Venice has to offer. Whether you are a newcomer to the city or a seasoned veteran, youll find plenty within these 132 pages to bring Venice to life when you next land at Marco Polo airport and treat yourself to a water taxi to the city (expect to negotiate!).

Venice is, of course, more than just a city unto itself. It is the capital of Veneto, a region that has plenty else to offer in terms of sights to see, places to visit, and food and drink to enjoy. This Guide brings the entire region to you in all its glory. We explore the mountains on bike, skis and foot; we take you to the magical city of Verona; we wine and dine like the Italians always in style! Enjoy it with us.

Paul Pettengale Editor

4 ITALIA! GUIDE: VENICE AND THE VENETO 2015

8 THE VENETIAN VIEW OF CARNEVALE Iain Reid and Sara Scarpa invite us back stage at the citys great party.

14 48 HOURS IN VENICE Marina Spironetti spends a weekend discovering La Serenissima.

20 LIDO DI VENEZIA Adrian Mourby escapes the tourists for a more relaxing way of life.

29 VENICE FOR KIDS Liz Harper find plenty for eight-year-old Molly to enjoy in Venice.

36 HOTEL LUNA Sally FitzGerald indulges herself in the citys oldest hotel.

38 PHOTOGRAPHING VENICE Its back to work as Sally FitzGerald is sent on a photography course.

43 HIDDEN VENICE Sara Scarpa takes us on a backstreet tour of the city she calls home.

49 VENICE BY BIKE AND BOAT Adrian Mourby goes in search of a new perspective on Venice.

64 48 HOURS IN VERONA Lorenza Bacino discovers one of the best sightseeing cities in Italy.

70 FRESH MOUNTAIN AIRS Chris Allsop attends the Sound of the Dolomites music festival

76 VIEWPOINT The Giardino Botanico Litoraneo di Porto Caleri at Rosolina

79 TEN BEST SKI RESORTS Fleur Kinson skis through Italia!s favourites, in Veneto and beyond.

87 ALL QUIET ON THE EASTERN FRONT Mark Nicholls discovers a forgotten aspect of World War One history.

92 VIEWPOINT The Sacca di Scardovari, a nature lovers dream on the Po Delta.

94 PEDALLING IN THE DOLOMITES Amy Lucinda Jones sees Trentino Alto Adige from the saddle.

98 PAST ITALIA! The Military Memorial Monument on Monte Grappa.

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FOOD & DRINK

54 PAST ITALIA! The Palazzo Ducale is the quintessential symbol of Venice.

56 PROPERTY FOCUS Find out how you can own your share of the Venetian dream.

59 SECRET VENICE How many of these street scenes and sights can you identify?

102 VENICE CULT RECIPES Laura Zavan draws inspiration from Venetian friends and restaurateurs.

107 DRINK ITALIA! Valpolicella, Prosecco (p.120), Pinot Grigio (p.123) and Soave (p.128).

110 NOTES FROM CORTINA Sophie Dingle on summer salads, and their rarity in the mountains.

112 EAT LIKE A LOCAL Iain Reid and Sara Scarpa share recommendations for eating out.

126 CHEFS NOTES Sophie Dingle cooks spaghetti carbonara two ways.

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On all our restaurant reviews the following symbols indicate the price range of dishes per person:

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A city quite unlike any other, la Serenissima has been capturing the hearts and souls of visitors since the founding of

the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto in AD 421

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The Venetian view of Carnevale

Visitors flock to Carnevale, but what does it mean to a native Venetian? Iain Reid took his camera and his girlfriend, Sara Scarpa, whose family lives in the city, for a taste of Carnival from the Venetian perspective

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D I S C O V E R I TA L I A !

The painter had planned his fake death and resurrection. Obituaries were put up around the city and his body was taken to Piazza San Marco

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Last night at my parents house the phone rang. It was a family friend asking me if Ludovico De Luigi, the famous Venetian painter, and a close friend of my father, had died. My dad overheard the conversation, and my shock, and loudly exclaimed, No, of course he is not dead! Of course he wasnt. I should have known better. This was just another of Ludovicos provocations, in the atmosphere of Carnevale. A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale at Carnival any joke works well runs a well known Venetian saying, and the rule is breaking any rule and any convention.

The painter had planned his fake death and resurrection. Obituaries had been put up around the city to announce his death, and his body was taken to Piazza San Marco, accompanied by fake nuns, a fake priest and the figure of Death.

Carnevale is all about breaking the rules: it is about freedom, enjoyment and fantasy. Its origins go back a long way to the end of the 11th century. In centuries gone by, the celebration used to last for many months. Thanks to the mask that everybody (apart from armed people and prostitutes) was allowed to wear, anyone could hide their identity, gender and social class, and behave in complete freedom, criticising nobility and government without worrying about the consequences. Carnevale represented a clever way for the Serenissima to prevent social tensions from arising.

Today the carnival is well known all over the world. Around one million visitors come every year to the party that nowadays runs for 11 days. This year, despite the bad weather and the high water, the calli, campi and bridges of Venice were invaded by many thousands of people so many that once again the street police


The painter had planned his fake death and resurrection. Obituaries were put up around the city and his body was taken to Piazza San Marco

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still had to direct the traffic, even though there are no cars in town!

The city is a magical place in any season but it is even more so in this period of Carnevale, when everything is possible and tradition and frivolity coexist. Getting lost among the calli, you will be drawn into scenarios of wonder and dreams with fantastic creatures at every turn.

The procession of the Marie opens officially Carnevale the twelve most beautiful girls in town are lifted on the shoulders of the gondoliers and taken all the way from San Pietro di Castello to Piazza San Marco. On Sunday, the Flight of the Angel (the descent of a beautiful girl from the campanile to the stage in San Marco square) is always one of the main events.

Carnevale is enriched with many events in different sestieri of Venice, and on the islands. In the Sestiere di Cannaregio, for example, there were food stalls offering galani e frittelle typical Venetian patisseries for the Carnival and a spectacular regatta of typical Venetian boats with rowers in masks and costumes took place on the Grand Canal, allowing whoever missed the Regata Storica to enjoy some of the atmosphere, and of that great eternal union between the city and its sea.

Colourful confetti and whirls, and charming masks would make anyone stop in wonder. This year, the theme was wonder and fantastic nature and the scenarios of dreams and fantastic creatures populated the city, making it more alive just like in one of Ludovico De Luigis surreal paintings. n!

The city is even more magical in this period of Carnevale when everything is possible and tradition and frivolity coexist

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The city is even more magical in this period of Carnevale when everything is possible and tradition and frivolity coexist

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Clockwise from top left: Most people arrive during Carnival season or in the summer; your preconceptions about what Venice is will be realised; but the Grand Canal is not always so busy; sunset over Venice; gondolas sans tourists; back street; lantern

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We all seem to have some idea of Venice in our mind even before visiting. Once you arrive, you are able to find what you thought would be there the streets are indeed full of water and the gondolas float elegantly along the canals. She is little changed from the times when Goethe called her the market-place of the Morning and the Evening lands and, should Marco Polo come back from his journeys today, he would be surprised only by the motor boats and a few other signs of modernity.

Still, it can sometimes seem as if the place exists only for tourists, offering very little of that authenticity that can be sampled in other Italian cities. When one is pushed bemused into gondolas and launched directly into the Grand Canal together with thousands of other visitors, one almost feels like the unaware figurant of an enormous theatre performance. Still, the real city is there, beneath the surface, and its well worth seeking out.

A QUESTION OF PERSPECTIVESFirst of all, make sure you choose wisely when to go. Most people show up either during Carnival or in the summer, but Venice is one of those places that is best to be discovered in winter. It has fewer tourists and that melancholic atmosphere that has enchanted poets and artists. It is a seasonal city, and in the coldest months she lays bare, without her make-up on.

Follow Marina Spironetti as she heads off to the Venetian Lagoon and discovers some of the authentic pleasures of Italys

most fairy-tale city

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CAFF FLORIANThe legendary Caff Florian, in Piazza San Marco, is Venices most famous, and oldest, caf. First opening its doors in 1720 and once the haunt of Lord Byron, it never fails to attract a crowd. Do go inside to see the opulent interior.

DONT MISS

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

The most evocative way to get into the city is by train: when the uninspiring flatland of the Pianura Padana suddenly gives way to water, you know you are in for something absolutely unique. Water on both sides; water everywhere. You are crossing the bridge that links Venice to the mainland 3,000 yards long and supported upon 222 arches. Once you arrive at Santa Lucia station, you must proceed by water or by foot.

If you are a first-time visitor, youll probably head to San Marco first. Napoleon called it Europes finest drawing room, and rightly so. The Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale are at the eastern end

of the square, while the campanile, the citys tallest building, stands in the centre of the piazza.

Make sure you go all the way to the top of the bell tower its probably the nicest way to understand the modern topography of the city.

Up there, far away from the hordes of photographers and all the souvenir sellers, you will be able to see just how compact the shape of Venice is. To the north of you is the majestic backdrop of the Alps, right beyond the Treviso plain; down to the south is the Adriatic Sea; all around you is the Venetian lagoon, sprinkled with little islands.

By an interesting paradox of perspectives, you wont be able to spot a single canal from the campanile only a horizon of red-tiled rooftops, chimneys, towers, TV aerials, roof gardens It is not a large city. You can see it all easily, from one end to the other. From up there, all the

overwhelming grandeur is gone. What is left is rather a sense of medieval intimacy.

AWAKEN THE SENSESAs touristy as it might be, a trip to the Canal Grande, Venices central

BEST COFFEE IN TOWN 1Torrefazione Marchi, Rio Tera San Leonardo 1337 % +39 041 716371 www.torrefazionemarchi.itOne of two coffee roasters left in town (and the only one that still sells directly to the public). Real coffee lovers should try the caff della sposa, made with eight Arabica blends, or the Veneziano (made with coffee, cocoa and milk foam). Also at Caf della Sposa, Fondamenta Ormesini.

PRECIOUS VENETIAN FABRICS 2Antica Tessitura Bevilacqua Santa Croce 1320% +39 041 721566 www.luigi-bevilacqua.comIn the times when the city called herself the Most Serene Republic and ruled over a quarter and a half of the ancient Roman Empire, this was also the place where the Orient began a land of silk, brocades, exotic spices and scents. To catch a glimpse of those long-gone times, marvel at the workshop of the Antica Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, where gorgeous brocades, velvets and damasks are still handmade on original 17th century looms. The tools and the techniques have been handed down from one generation to the other for 300 years and the quality is still the same as was required by the Doges. So close is the similarity to the past that it is very difficult to tell a modern product from one made centuries ago.

SHOP FOR UNIQUE SOUVENIRS 3Franco Furlanetto Remi e Forcole San Polo 2768/B % +39 041 520 9544 www.ffurlanetto.com Oars and oar-rests for the traditional Venetian boats, as well as scale models to bring back home. Take a walk to San Polo to see how Signor Franco Furlanetto creates these very special objects. He is one of few remer left skilled craftsmen specialised in oars and oar-rests a profession unique to Venice.

ALL THE WORLDS A STAGE 4Tragicomica San Polo 2800% +39 041 721102 www.tragicomica.itVenice is the city of Carnival. Regardless of what time of the year you come to visit, you can still bring a piece of this magic event back home. Tragicomica is one of the citys bigger mask and costume merchants. Faces stare at you from all directions as you enter the shop and the feeling is almost overwhelming. All the masks are painted by an artist trained at the local Accademia di Belle Arti.

By an interesting paradox of perspectives, you wont spot a single canal from the campanile

The view across the lagoon


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GILBERTO PENZOThis is your chance to pick up that miniature gondola youve always wanted. Gilberto Penzo is a maker and restorer of wooden model boats. Youll find him hard at work at Calle Seconda dei Saoneri. www.veniceboats.com

DONT MISSartery, is something you cannot omit. Most of the gorgeous palazzi facing the canal were built between the 12th and the 18th centuries. You can either do it on a gondola (as long as you realize its going to be budget-breaking), or on a vaporetto,

a rounded 230-passenger boat, which in a place like Venice is the equivalent of a public bus.

From the moment you board, you realize how the senses seem to be much more alert in this city the sense of touch, in particular. Few other cities in the world can offer you the same tactile experience. You instinctively hold onto those mushroom-shaped metal things on the boats side to balance when the boat abruptly draws alongside the quay. You lean on its bridges, you stroke them. The marble of the bridge of Rialto has been polished by centuries of hands. You have to bend in order to walk through a

sottoportico (an alley that passes under a building), you stretch your arms and you can touch both sides of a calle (a Venetian street). Robert Browning was delighted to find one so narrow that he could not open his umbrella. The tiniest is supposed to be the Calle

Stretta, behind Campo San Polo, which, as its name (Narrow Street) implies, is only 65cm wide.

And then, again: you grab the gondoliers arm, you clutch the bricole, the wooden poles the gondolas are moored to. Your fingers stroke the beautifully sculpted forcole, the oar-rests, similar to works of art. They have to be sharpened according to the gondoliers height and weight and also by taking into account the way he rows. Being in Venice is a constant tactile experience.

SCENT OF A CITYLike the tide six hours up and six hours down is how a Venetian

Few other cities in the world can offer you the same tactile experience as Venice

A fish market

Discover some secrets

WHERE TO STAYCIPRIANI 5 Giudecca 10 Fondamenta San Giovanni % +39 041 520 7744 [email protected] www.hotelcipriani.com On the tip of the Giudecca island, the Cipriani is the address to go to do Venice in style: a harbour for your yacht, a private boat, a swimming pool and a personal trainer at your disposal are just a few of the facilities available. Needless to say, this is where you have a higher-than-average chance of rubbing shoulders with a film star, especially during the film festival.

PALAZZO ABADESSA 6 Calle Priuli Cannaregio 4011 % +39 041 241 3784 [email protected] www.abadessa.com Another luxurious address in a historical palazzo in one of the most charming districts of Venice. 12 impressive rooms, some of which are extremely spacious. Perfect for a romantic getaway.

BOSCOLO BELLINI 7 Lista di Spagna 116 % +39 041 524 2488 [email protected] www.boscolobellini.hotelinvenice.com Just a stones throw from the Santa Lucia train station, this elegant hotel is ideally located for your Venetian stay and it wont break the bank. Recently renovated, it offers classical Venetian-style rooms with a very welcome modern twist. The extremely friendly and helpful staff is the icing on the cake.

HOTEL MORESCO 8 Sestriere Dorsoduro % +39 041 244 0202 [email protected] www.hotelmorescovenice.com Just a short walk from the train station, it offers a quiet but central location. Rooms are well equipped and beautifully decorated. Excellent breakfast.

LA VILLEGGIATURA 9 Calle dei Botteri San Polo 1569 % +39 041 524 4673 [email protected] www.lavilleggiatura.it A private house turned into an elegant maison de charme. Six rooms individually furnished with precious textiles and vintage furniture. The rooms on the third floor are pleasantly spacious a bonus in a city where extra space is a luxury. The two attic-rooms are cosier and perfect for a romantic getaway.

Always take time to look up


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SKYLINE BARIf you are looking to splurge on an aperitivo in the city that made elegance an art form, head over to the Skyline Bar in the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, at Giudecca 810. The feel is casual, the dcor stylish, and the view from the ninth floor terrace, overlooking the Grand Canal all the way to Piazza San Marco, is far from ordinary.

DONT MISS saying describes the allegedly volatile personality of its people. The fluctuations of the tide dramatically change the aspect of the city from the acqua alta (high water) when a couple of inches of water laps into the lowest parts of the city for a few hours, to the pitiless low tide, revealing all the green, slimy secrets of the canals. For the 1997 Venice Biennale American artist Mark Dion looked into the canals of the city and catalogued his finds, finding anything from light bulbs and used appliances to historically significant fragments of stoneware with Islamic designs.

Low tide is occasionally associated with that infamous smell. It might worry the queasy tourist, but it gives the Venetian amateur a sort of reluctant pleasure. Locals have never been particularly bothered. Back in the days of the Republic, they used to burn incense sticks to take away the whiff, but up until the early 1900s even the well-to-do families were reported to regularly bathe in the Canal Grande.

VENETIAN-STYLE TAPASAfter getting lost in the filigree of the

citys small canals, look out for one of those yellow signs pointing you to Rialto and head to the food market there ideally from Campo San Giacometo to Campiello de le Becarie. The mercato has been a permanent feature since the 11th century. Head there early in the morning, observe the hustle and bustle of vendors and locals, stare at the fishermen running around in their Wellington boots. Start with the vegetables, fruit and herbs stalls, and end with the buzzing fish section.

When it comes to food, Venice stands out from the rest of the country with a cuisine that is essentially unique. Together with polenta and rice, fish is one of the basic ingredients of the Venetian diet - particularly baccal (stockfish) and sarde (sardines). Other local delicacies include oca in onto (goose in its own fat), raw seafood and polpette (meatballs).

The different flavours of the city can be sampled in a bacaro, Venices answer to a tapas bar. Very few are left most of those that remain are in the Rialto area. They offer an array of cicchetti, small bites,

WHERE TO EAT

AL VECIO FRITOLIN 10Calle della Regina, Santa Croce 2262% +39 041 522 2881www.veciofritolin.it It used to be an ancient fritolini, a sort of Venetian-style fish and chips place where people could buy a portion of fried fish. Even nowadays the spotlight is on fish which comes fresh every day from the Rialto market. Price range

CASA BONITA 11Cannaregio 492% +39 041 524 6164This family-run, no-frills place is filled with Venetians on any given day of the week. The perfect address to sample some of the best specialities of the Lagoon. Another excellent place for fish lovers. Price range

OSTERIA BANCOGIRO 12Campo San Giacometto, San Polo 122% +39 041 523 2061 www.osteriabancogiro.it Perfect to drink an ombra at very fair prices. You can stay longer for dinner; the menu changes regularly, according to the season and the freshest ingredients available try bigoli local fat spaghetti with calamari, cardoons and dry tuna eggs or the very traditional fegato alla veneziana Venetian-style liver with onions. Price range

TAVERNA DEL CAMPIELLO REMER 13Campiello del Remer, Cannaregio 5701% +39 041 522 8789 www.alremer.comThis one is little complicated to find you have to locate the Church of San Grisostomo first, then take the little alley almost opposite it, which will lead you to the hidden square right where the Canal Grande bends. The atmosphere is pleasantly old-style with vintage chandeliers, musical instruments hung on the brick walls and old copper pots hanging down from the wooden beams. Between 5.30 and 7.30pm if you buy a glass of wine you can help yourself to the free buffet as well (anything from bruschetta to big bowls of pasta and risotto). After happy hour, an excellent a la carte restaurant with live music. Price range

PIZZERIA AI BARI 14Santa Croce 1175% +39 041 718900A place that will not leave you disappointed. Perfect to have a tasty, inexpensive pizza or to sample some of the Venetian specialities. Very friendly service. Price range

Always agree a price before embarking The gateway to the Orient



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THE CAMPANILENo trip to Venice is complete without an elevator ride to the top of the San Marco bell tower the mighty campanile. At just under 100 metres high, on a clear day its majestic position offers breathtaking views of the city and lagoon.

DONT MISS

BY PLANEMarco Polo airport is 13km from the city. EasyJet flies there from Gatwick, Luton, Southend and Manchester. From there you can either take a motoscafo (expensive: calculate some 100) or a shuttle bus to Piazzale Roma, which takes about 30 minutes. Alternatively, fly to Treviso with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), which is 30km away. There is a regular bus service linking the airport to Venice. Buses from Marco Polo and from Treviso are operated by ATVO downloadable timetables at www.atvo.it

GETTING THERE


Laundry hanging between houses

KEY TO RESTAURANT PRICES (full meal per person, not including wine) Up to 25 26-50 More than 50

usually displayed on the counter in a tempting way. They can consist of just about anything: boiled eggs, anchovy rolls, crab claws, grilled vegetables, sundried tomatoes, squares of fried polenta and the unmissable sarde in saor (sweet and sour sardines in marinated onions, garnished with pine nuts and raisins). Wine usually comes by the glass Venetians call it unombra a shadow. Drinking places come in all shapes and sizes, from holes in the wall with standing room only to the new and trendier lounge bars. The wine-growing area that stretches from Veneto to Friuli is after Piedmont and Tuscany one of Italys strongest, with good whites like Tocai and Soave backed up by solid reds such as Valpolicella. Even in the humbler establishments, the house wine is often surprisingly refined and the Venetians have the reputation of being among the heaviest drinkers of the country!

Once your stomach is full, treat yourself to a night-time walk, for thats the best time of the day to discover Venice. The day-trippers have all left and you will have the city to yourself. n!

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTPublic transport in the city means by water, by the canal-cutting vaporetto. The only canals served by this waterbus are the Canal Grande, the Rio Nuovo and the Canale di Cannaregio for everything else you will have to walk. Gondolas were once used by everybody now they operate for tourists (and weddings). Before getting on board make sure you agree with the gondolier on where you want to go and how long you expect it to take, in order to avoid arguments at the end of your ride. Official rates start at 80 for a daytime 40-minute tour.

GETTING AROUND

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20 ITALIA! September 201420 ITALIA! GUIDE: VENICE AND THE VENETO 2015


Lido di Venezia

While the crowds flock to Venice, Adrian Mourby finds a much more relaxing way of life on the Lido, where tourists of the past would stay and spend much

of their time, away from the stifling air of the city

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Lido di Venezia

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You can hear the silence of the Adriatic from up here. It doesnt so much lap the shores of Lido di Venezia as kiss the sand and withdraw. This morning I woke up very, very early in the Excelsior Hotel. Id flown in from Boston last night and at 6am Im aware that my bodyclock is still on Massachusetts time. Unable to sleep, I open the shutters on a scene of almost complete silence. The Adriatic is hardly moving in the grey light of dawn while five floors below six men in shorts are silently raking the beach.

Lido is an odd place, an Art Nouveau (or Liberty-style) island that guards the lagoon on which Venice sits. In the 19th century visitors would stay here, where there was sea-bathing and a complete lack of pestilence. They might visit Venice in the afternoon for the churches or in the evening for the casino, but their days, and their nights, were spent on the calm, affluent shores of Lido.



Above: Cabanas lined up outside the Excelsior

Here: Lazzaretto Vecchio, the hospital island turned Austro-Hungarian fortress

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View of the beach from the Excelsior

The waterside at Alberoni

The cabana with its deckchairs and tables and waiter service across the hot afternoon sand was an essential accessory for a holiday in Venice right up until the 1930s. Down below I can see the staff of the Excelsior opening up the scores of cabanas for which guests will pay a daily rental of 90 to 120 depending on proximity to the hotel and the quality of sea view.

My journey from Boston yesterday was nightmarish. Changing planes at Heathrow I found there was an air traffic controllers strike that held me up several hours and in Milan where I was supposed to board a train to Venice, there was a taxi strike. But somehow I made it to Piazza San Marco five minutes before the last hotel shuttle left. The voyage across the lagoon was serene and at the Excelsiors jetty, at the end of a long leafy canal, I was assured that they had already prepared room service. I had texted ahead and asked for what I genuinely believe to be

the best seafood carpaccio in Italy. It didnt disappoint.

And now I have a day on Lido before I get to check of progress with the hotels new Presidential Suite. Anyone who knows the extraordinary profile of the Excelsior will be familiar with its magnificent dome, which has been a hollow, theatrical shell since the great Giovanni Sardi designed the hotel in 1908. This year and last a new duplex presidential suite has been under construction within that dome, the biggest suite in Venice. It will be reserved every year reserved for the top stars of Venices film festival, an event that started at the Excelsior and still occurs every September on Lido.

Ive come here to see how work is progressing but that wont be until this afternoon at the earliest, so I have a long morning to fill.

I have a pre-breakfast swim, if you can call it that. The beach slopes

which guests pay a daily rental depending on their view of the seaBelow I can see the staff of the Excelsior opening up the scores of cabanas for Ph

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down so gracefully that you need a lot of patience to walk out far enough to get even your knees wet. Now, as in the 1920s, Lido is more about cutting a bella figura on the beach than watersports. The Excelsior has an outdoor pool for those who really want to swim rather than just have a paddle and a pose.

My breakfast is conducted surrounded by waiters. Afterwards I borrow a hotel bike to explore the island. Lido is rather neglected these days, like some great-aunt our parents used to visit. We know she is there but the photo-ops of San Marco are more alluring. Time to get properly acquainted.

I head north past the convention centre which every September becomes Palazzo del Cinema for the Venice Film Festival. It was built for the fifth festival in 1937 and has a modernist Mussolini touch. The

first festivals were actually held in the Excelsiors 600-seat cinema but the Palazzo can offer three venues, including a 1,100-seat main cinema from 1953 and, of course, a red carpet. As, Federico Fellini once remarked, For a film director, entering the Palazzo del Cinema at the Venice Film Festival is like passing a final exam.

Sooner than I expect in fact only 500 metres north along Lungomare Marconi I come upon Hotel des Bains where that quintessential Lido film, Death in Venice, was set, written, and partially filmed. What a shame its all boarded up at the moment. I hadnt realised that you have to cross the road to get to the hotels beach. When Dirk Bogarde as Von Aschenbach looks wistfully out of his window towards the beach, Lungomare Marconi is just below him, out of shot.

I find myself in a Liberty-style suburb full of tall old houses and slim hotels where I come across the glorious Grande Albergo Ausonia & Hungaria

WHERE TO STAY

HOTEL EXCELSIOR VENICELungomare G. Marconi, 41% +39 041 526 0201hotelexcelsiorvenezia.comLocated right on Venice Lido beach, the Hotel Excelsior is a masterpiece of Venetian architecture dating back to the early 1900s. An exclusive 5-star Deluxe Resort of Moorish style and recalling a fabulous Venetian Renaissance palace, it is ideal for family holidays, romantic getaways, conferences or special events in Venice.

GRANDE ALBERGO AUSONIA & HUNGARIAGran Viale San Maria Elisabetta, 28% +39 041 242 0060www.hungaria.itA historic residence with a one-of-a-kind atmosphere with a Thai Spa and wellness center, the Grande Albergo Ausonia and Hungaria is one of the most prestigious 4-star hotels in Lido di Venezia, overlooking the Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta, just a few minutes from the dock where the ferries leave for historic downtown Venice.

CA DEL BORGOPiazza dellErbe, 8 Malamocco% +39 041 770749www.cadelborgo.comCa del Borgo is a splendid bed and breakfast inside of a 15th century palace, located in the wonderful Venice Lido. It was the residence of Venetian nobles who enjoyed the beautiful location and its mild winter and cool summer climate.

Man with dog at Malamocco

The Grande Albergo Ausonia and Hungaria

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Turning inland, I find myself in a Liberty-style suburb full of tall old houses and slim hotels. At Caff Tila I stop for a great espresso served by a lovely 85-year-old Venetian lady called Cina. The coffee is perfect and the small garden comfortable but whats remarkable is the photograph on display of her famous father in the cafe from the 1930s. Behind him is a picture of Mussolini. When she catches me checking this out, Cina explains, In those days you had to.

Buzzed up on caffeine Im keen to start pedalling properly. In 2009 cyclists competing in the Giro dItalia charged down Via Sandro Gallo at speeds of 60 kmh three times what Im clocking up so far. But before I get to that long road that gazes back over the lagoon to Venice, I come across the glorious Grande Albergo Ausonia & Hungaria. This hotel is the absolute of Liberty-style Its huge multi-coloured facade is a mosaic masterpiece and the biggest in Italy, if not Europe. It was created

for the newly-opened Hungaria over three years (1913-1916) by the famous ceramicist and sculptor, Luigi Fabris from Bassano del Grappa. This hotel is proof of the affluence of Lido at the beginning of the 20th century. The owners also commissioned the celebrated Milan designer, Eugenio Quarti for its furniture, which was shown at the Salone dellArte in Paris before being shipped to Venice. Closed during the First World War, the Hungaria reopened in 1920 and its nightclub, Follies Dancing, became a focal point of the Lidos racy, golden age.

Putting my camera away, I aim for a sprint down the gracious tree-lined sweep of Lidos Art Nouveaus avenues. I bomb down Via Sandro Gallo and then Via Malamocca with the lagoon flashing by on my right, ineffably calm. Today its like a large piece of a grey-green glass, dotted with little brick hospital islands that used to serve as artillery platforms in the days when the Austro-Hungarian

Empire owned Venice. Just a lone dredger on its way to work breaks the calm of the water.

At Malamocco I turn to the left and enter a small medieval town square. After all that Liberty style this is a complete surprise. Malamocco is where the Venice we know and love began during the reign of Theodatus, the second doge (742-755 AD). Theodatus it was who moved the ducal seat from Eraclea to this low spit of land now known as Lido. Its remarkable to think that the nascent Venetian empire was run from this little moated city facing into the lagoon until 812, when it decamped to Rialto.

Theres a parish church here dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta that dates from the 12th century, and a 15th-century Palazzo del Podest that displays the Lion of St Mark.

I check out the inevitable plaques to Garibaldi and Vittorio Emanuele II and say hello to a small dog whose owner is sitting out on the tiniest

A dredger traverses the lagoon

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Piazza Maggiore I have ever seen, then its on to Porto degli Alberoni, the actual entrance to the lagoon, four kilometres south.

The village of Alberoni was named after its alberi, trees that local fishermen could see from the Adriatic and so know their way home. They used them to navigate themselves back towards the lagoon. Alberoni has a few cafs and a ferry terminal if you want to island-hop your way to the mainland.

Now I turn round and cycle up the Adriatic side of Lido, alongside a crudely-hewn sea wall. Its clear from the big white rocks piled on this side of the island what a job Lido does in keeping rough seas out of the lagoon. There are little beaches scattered here and there between the rocks with informal shelters made out of driftwood. They get more salubrious the further north you head, but its clear this is where the locals swim for free while were paying 120 a day for a cabana

on the Excelsiors perfect beach. This is not bella figura territory.

By lunchtime Im back at the Excelsior and wander into the hotel bar with its photos of movie stars who attended the film festival in the

British Airways (0844 493 0758; www.ba.com) flies twice daily from London Heathrow to Venice and from Gatwick from 91 return.

easyJet (0330 365 5000; www.easyjet.com) offers lights to Venice Marco Polo from London Gatwick, Luton & Southend from 61.98 return (based on two people travelling on the same booking).

Voyages SNCF (0844 848 5 848; www.voyages-sncf.com) offer return rail fares from London to Venice from 216 standard class; price includes the overnight train from Paris to Venice.

GETTING THERE

www.venice-tourism.com

INFORMATION



The stillness of the lagoon contrasts with the busyness of Venice itself

The Excelsiors restaurant

Kirk Douglas in a photo at the Excelsior

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1950s. Theres Kirk Douglas with his Van Gogh beard, theres Ingrid Bergman with Roberto Rossellini, and a moustachioed Orson Welles photographed while pretending to write something. Theres also a jolly snap of early paparazzi (from the days before the term was coined). They are sitting on deckchairs in their suits with big happy smiles.

Head barman Antonio Micelotta is setting up the bar in his white jacket and happy to talk. Hes been in the business for 30 years now and tells me that drinking trends have changed a lot in Venice. Who has drinks before lunch these days? How did a simple drink like Prosecco become so popular around the world? Who has been his favourite customer?, I ask. Antonio is too tactful to tell me but he does relate the time that Al Pacino came in and ordered a San Pellegrino.

He went outside to sit on the terrace by himself. The look in his eyes it goes right inside you. Ive

served Robert de Niro and Robert Redford here but with Al Pacino there is this vibration.

I wish Id been there.I go to check to see if the new

Presidential Suite is ready to be viewed but the answer is still, Not yet and so I go back to my room to take in the sea view again. There are quite a few people on the beach now but its still very quiet down there. Lido di Venezia is a curious place, the relict of a previous golden age but a place where Al Pacino drinks San Pellegrino in the night, a Liberty-style suburb of Venice that has a medieval city hidden away at its core. And its certainly a very relaxing place to cool your heels.

I could take the hotels shuttle over to San Marco this afternoon but its bound to be crowded and to be honest, I quite fancy another seafood carpaccio. Maybe Ill ask to eat in on the beach.

the island what a job Lido does in keeping the sea out of the lagoonOn the Adriatic side its clear from the big white rocks piled on this side of


Makeshift beach huts on the Adriatic side of the Lido

A plaque honouring Garibaldi at Malamocco

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Wow mum, look at that! my daughter giggled, pointing at a large wooden boat that had arrived alongside our kayak on the Grand Canal. A well-dressed couple, sipping espressos, were perched elegantly on their sofa, amid an eclectic range of furniture and dozens of cardboard boxes. They raised their cups in polite greeting as they passed. Well, how else do you move house in a city where the streets are full of water?

Id last visited in winter, when temperatures were low and tourists few, but as we stepped off our water bus at St Marks Square, it was a completely different experience. This was summer. It was a humid 31 degrees, and a barricade of people and suitcases stood between us and the strip of dodgy souvenir stalls in front

of the Palazzo Reale. It took nearly 10 minutes to move the 150 yards to the launch pier for the hotels water taxi service. I was starting to have doubts over whether a city break to Venice at the height of summer with my eight-year-old in tow was such a great idea after all.

Arriving at the Cipriani, just minutes later, any reservations Id had instantly disappeared. Located on Giudecca Island, opposite San Giorgio Island, the hotel is just a five minute boat ride from St Marks Square, and yet sits in a tranquil spot amid beautiful gardens, seemingly worlds away from the tourist throngs.

Having done all the tourist hotspots on previous visits and given myself blisters in the process! this trip was about giving daughter Molly a flavour of this unique city, rather than a complete immersion: a little culture and a lot of fun.

Liz Harper takes her eight-year-old daughter to Venice for her first experience of the Serenissima and finds plenty for kids to enjoy in the city

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Clockwise from this image: Molly tries on a carnival mask; master glass-maker Stefano Serto; Mols confidently takes the helm


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This trip was about giving daughter Molly a flavour of this stunningly unique city, rather than a complete immersion a little culture and a lot of fun


On our first evening, when the temperature had dropped and the tourists had thinned out, we took a boat back across to St Marks Square. Its top of every tourists must-visit list, a meeting place for locals, and a design showcase for Venetian architecture and aristocracy alike. For us, it was also a place to stop for a drink and watch the world go by.

After a quick bite in Aciugheta, a highly recommended pizzeria, we headed back towards the waterfront. The pink marble Gothic structure of Palzzo Ducale was spectacularly lit up at night: the stone loggias and arches elevating this former home of Venetian rulers quite spectacular.

TOURING BY KAYAKThe next morning, it was time for an altogether different tour of Venice: a three-hour kayak ride. With my daughter taking the front seat, I settled in behind her, and we headed off alongside guide, Rene. Heading round Giudecca Island, Mols and I

worked on coordinating our paddling (a challenge in itself at times!) before cutting through the Rio del Ponte Lungo towards the main Giudecca Canal, which separates Giudecca from Venice. This 320 metre wide canal is a pretty busy thoroughfare and I wasnt sure how I rated our chances against the cruise liners, passenger boats and freight vessels.

What we lacked in size however, we more than made up for in momentum its amazing what fear will do for you! and it wasnt long before we were ducking under the first of many bridges of the day and paddling down Rio della Fornasa towards Venices most famous waterway, the Grand Canal.

Its many years since I did a gondola ride, but I remember being very disappointed by the whole experience. I know its a must do on a trip to Venice but I found it all a little lacking (you pay for a boat ride, not a guided tour) and, er, well, a bit embarrassing if Im brutally honest.


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Clockwise from above right: Obligatory canal shot; glass vases made by Stefano Serto; getting craft-tastic and The Smile Club; swimming at Baccan; arriving at Cipriani, away from the crowds; kayaking as an alternative to the gondola


This trip was about giving daughter Molly a flavour of this stunningly unique city, rather than a complete immersion a little culture and a lot of fun

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I also found that the other 499 gondolas touring the same patch devalued the experience a little. Maybe thats just me. The kayaks, on the other hand, were a whole different ball game.

As we criss-crossed the Grand Canal, taking in all the sights along the way including the beautifully ornate palaces and the Rialto Bridge it was intriguing to see the same traffic

issues as at home, despite lack of roads. Water buses and taxis, delivery boats, water ambulances and removal companies, all vying for position alongside the gondolas and private boats going about their business. Luckily, despite having got ourselves into a pretty impressive paddling groove, we fell way under the 7km per hour speed limit and werent pulled over by the police unlike the water taxi in front of us!

VENETIAN MASKSThat afternoon Molly joined Verena and Amanda in the Smile Club of the hotel and spent the afternoon getting craft-tastic and of course theres only one thing to make in Venice: a Venetian mask. Two hours, a lot of giggling, and one paint, feathers, stickers, glitter and pen explosion later, and Molly had her very own custom-made mask (see the image above!). She was pretty impressed with her creation, until we ventured out later that night and checked out the shops around St Marks Square: her mask definitely had a minimalist look to it in comparison to the extravagant and ornate models on show in town.

HOTEL CIPRIANI Prices start from 705 per night, including taxes, based on two people sharing a double garden-view room with balcony. Price includes breakfast. For further information or to book visit www.hotelcipriani.com or call the Orient-Express Hotels Ltd reservations department on % 0845 077 2222.

FACT BOX


WHERE TO EAT

RISTORANTE PIZZERIA ALLE ZATTEREFondamenta delle Zattere Dorsoduro, 791/a www.allezattere.com% +39 041 520 4224With a great outdoor seating area on the Giudecca canal and a good selection of pizzas, pastas, salads, meat and fish dishes not to mention a pretty special tiramisu, a big favourite for relaxed family dining. Price range

CIPS CLUB, HOTEL CIPRIANIGiudecca, 10 www.hotelcipriani.com% +39 01 852 678451With views of St Marks Square from the water terrace and some of the best food in Venice, this is the place to come for a real treat. Non-alcoholic Bellinis for junior diners and exceptionally family friendly staff make this a dinner to remember for all the family. The price tag may be a little high but you certainly get what you pay for be sure to book. Price range

ACIUGHETACastello, 4357www.aciugheta-hotelrio.it% + 39 041 522 4292One of the best known pizzerias in town, Aciugheta also offers a great range of cicheti bite-sized snacks such as meatballs and mini stuffed peppers. Buzzy and friendly the kids will love it. Price range

OSTERIA OLIVANERACastello, 3417/18www.osteria-olivanera.com% +39 04 1522 2170Traditional Venetian recipes and a vibe thatll have you wanting to hang around long after your meal has finished. The house lasagne is a big favourite with kids, and a far cry from anything youve made at home. Popular, so book ahead if you can. Price range

KEY TO RESTAURANT PRICES (full meal per person, not including wine) Up to 25 26-50 More than 50


Clockwise from this image: Passing under the Rialto Bridge; Mollys mask; Mols by the pool at Cipriani; professionally-made carnival masks

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The next day the hotels local guide, Stefano, took us out on a beautiful wooden bragozzo boat. Venetian through and through, and one of ten children, Stefano entertained us with stories of life in Venice. The kids play ball games in the piazza or campi and its not uncommon to hear a shriek and splash as an enthusiastic football player chases the ball into the canal, he laughed. We keep an eye on the kids when they play. For a city with more than 170 canals, its surprising how many locals cant swim.

With first mate Molly at the helm, Stefano led us out towards SantErasmo, the largest island in the Venetian lagoon. Referred to as the Garden of Venice, SantErasmo is Venices agricultural heartland: sparsely populated but producing much of the citys fresh produce. We werent there to check out the islands fruit and veg output however: we were there to play, Venetian style. Mooring up in waters to the east of SantErasmo, Stefano explained: This is where we come at weekends, its a great spot to escape the tourists and the heat. Sometimes its hard to find a spot to moor up its so busy, but we love it out here. With relatively clear blue and shallow water it was clear to see why.

The locals call this area Baccan, said Stefano. We swim, play ball games, paddle board and chill out on the beach at SantErasmo. Not far from us a father and son were playing with bats and balls, seemingly walking on water. Its just a couple of inches deep there, Stefano said. Thats what makes it so safe for families: theres a massive area of shallow water. This was not a part of Venice Id experienced before, and it seemed a million miles from the sweltering crowds of the city. For an eight-year-old, it was pure heaven.

Later that day we had a tour of the glass workshop and Bisanzio Gallery on Murano. Glass master Stefano Serto talked us through the glass-making process, and then we witnessed a 1,100 degree raw material mix being transformed into an exquisite horse in less than five minutes in front of our eyes. Of course thats just to show you the process, Stefano advised. Its

Our last few hours were spent in the hotel pool

very rough, very poor. Molly thought it was beautiful and was mortified to learn that it would be scrapped. Glass masters will not let anything leave that isnt perfect, we were told. Their name sits on every piece and they will only sign perfection. It seems my daughters idea of perfection and that of a glass master varied considerably.

It takes 15-20 years to become a glass master, Stefano told us. But even then lots of people dont make it. Its not just time, there has to be some raw talent there to start with. There was little doubt of the talent on show at the Bisanzio Gallery; the pieces were stunningly beautiful. The price tags were also stunningly large and my daughter had a backpack on It was a nerve-wracking hour!

Our last few hours were spent in the hotel pool perhaps not the best use of time in a city wed barely scratched the surface of, but the perfect end to the day for Molly, made even more perfect by the complimentary delivery of little cups of sorbet brought to our lounger. The Cipriani Hotel is a timeless beauty in an age of contemporary and minimalist chic. It doesnt compare with the new kids on the block, and it doesnt try to. Id wondered whether it was a good choice of accommodation when travelling with a child, but actually we couldnt have picked better. I had concerns that it might be a bit stuffy and pretentious but it couldnt have been less so. Staff were friendly, helpful and engaging and have managed to create a fabulously laid-back feel it had one of the nicest vibes of any hotel Ive stayed in, and my daughter and I both loved every minute.

Asked about the highlights of her trip once back in the UK she said, Kayaking past the palaces and under the Rialto Bridge, driving the boat with Stefano and jumping off into the water, the big St Marks Square, my lovely room, making a mask and playing with Verena and Amanda in The Smile Club. Pasta Oh, and seeing that man and lady on their removal boat! Shes keen to go back. In my view, thats a successful trip! n!


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Leaning out over the padded velvet balcony, watching the sun set over the still waters of the lagoon, I think I may be as close to paradise as Im ever going to get. My taste buds still tingling from the flavour of the sweet strawberries enrobed in rich dark chocolate that caught my eye as soon as I entered the decadent room, my first impressions of Venices Luna Hotel Baglioni could not have got off to a better start.

Luna Hotel Baglioni is Venices oldest hotel, dating back to the 12th century and, even though it now contains all the mod cons you could possibly require, the beautiful traditional dcor makes it easy to imagine the likes of Casanova still dashing through its corridors. The hotel was rumoured to have given shelter to the Knights Templar in 1118, and has been known as Locanda della Luna since 1574. Now it has been taken over by The Leading

Hotels of the World chain Baglioni Hotels and retains all the glamour and indulgence of its former self.

Frescoes, antique furniture and crystal chandeliers line the corridors, while the hotels 104 rooms and suites all epitomise the height of luxury. In my particular room, a calming mint green brocade silk entices you to stroke the walls, while the queen size bed is so plumped up with pillows lying on it is like floating on clouds. Above the bed are two Venetian glass lamps made in a distinctly Moroccan style, illustrating both the ingenuity of Muranos glass making skills and the influence Venices former trade links had on the citys sense of style. A mirrored Art Deco mini bar and elegant wooden desk complete the room perfectly, while a beautifully white Italian marble bathroom makes for the ideal en suite.

And the impeccable attention to detail isnt reserved just for the rooms. The Caff Baglioni, hidden


LUNA HOTEL

For the ultimate in style and indulgence in Venice, you cant do much better than the Luna Hotel Baglioni. Sally FitzGerald

enjoys a weekend at La Serenissimas oldest hotel

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Luna Hotel, Baglioni

36 ITALIA! GUIDE: VENICE AND THE VENTEO 2015

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away off the hotels main entrance and overlooking the canal, offers snacks throughout the day, and in the evening transforms into a lovely bar where you can wile away a few hours with an Aperol Spritz listening to the dulcet tones of the hotel pianist.

Breakfast is an equally sumptuous occasion, both in the food and the location. With tradition steeped in every brick of the hotel, making your way to breakfast is like walking through an art gallery, following the aroma of freshly baked treats as you pursue the corridors decorated with beautiful works of art until you finally arrive at the main exhibition the Marco Polo Ballroom. Unlike anywhere you may have breakfasted before, the ballrooms ceiling showcases the hotels long running social standing with two frescoes painted by the pupils of 18th century Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Only Venices best palazzi would have been privy to this treatment. While you admire the fluffy Rococo style of the frescoes you can feast on a true banquet of fresh pineapple, mini mozzarella balls, smoked salmon and scrambled egg, individual vegetable quiches, pear and chocolate cake, prune cake, and a selection of light, fruit-filled pastries.

But the luxury of the Luna Hotel Baglioni isnt its only major selling point: its location is unbeatable. Nestled just behind St Marks Square, and surrounded by high-end fashion

ITALIA! GUIDE: VENICE AND THE VENTEO 2015 37

The Leading Hotels of the World % 00800 2888 8882 (toll free) offers stays at Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice from 287 per room per night based on two people sharing including buffet breakfast and VAT. www.LHW.com/baglioni

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stores, you couldnt ask to be closer to Venices most loved attractions. Now and again you can even hear a peal of bells filtering from the clock tower into your bedroom.

In a city where its much easier to get lost than it is to find your way again and considering that every sign leads you back to St Marks having a hotel situated just a skip and a jump from the iconic square is a godsend. Particularly if, like me, your map reading skills are questionable. It also means that if you dont fancy dining at the hotels award-winning Canova restaurant one night, you can easily make your way to one of the citys many other nice restaurants (or even just pop next door to Harrys Bar for a Bellini before bed).

A night at the Luna Hotel Baglioni is far from a budget stay. But if you want to indulge yourself in the height of luxury and be within easy walking distance of the citys most appealing sights, few places have more to offer than La Serenissimas oldest hotel. And just the view from the balcony will be enough to make you want to return. n!

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VENICE THROUGH

A LENSSally FitzGerald goes on a week-long photography

tour of Venice with Learning Holidays in Italy

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When was the last time you did something for the first time? It is often said that you should try something new to challenge or push yourself every day, and as I was clinging to the walls of a speed boat careering up the Venetian lagoon one rainy October morning, I can safely say I was feeling a little apprehensive.

And it wasnt just the weather that had my stomach doing back flips although the boat ride that should have resembled a scene from a James Bond movie and was more like a clip from The Perfect Storm wasnt helping. It had more to do with the fact that I had just joined ten strangers to spend a week photographing one of the most beautiful cities in the world on a Learning Holidays in Italy residential photography getaway. Im no stranger to my Canon SLR camera, but would I really be able to capture the beauty of Venice accurately, particularly in such bad weather conditions? I wasnt too sure

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HIDDEN VENICEStep away from the tourist hubs and take time to explore the lesser known areas of the city such as the Arsenale and the Jewish Quarter. Youll be rewarded with getting to know the real Venice and less crowded streets mean you can take longer concentrating on getting the best photos. The Campanile is also a great place for some amazing views of the entire city. The queue to get to the top is worth it.

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the crowds and the duck boards which had already been set up in anticipation of the coming floods, and began to take our first photos of the city. The dreary, grey-hued results began to convince us that even the natural beauty of the city wouldnt save our photos we needed professional help.

LEARNING THE BASICSThe first half of the week-long course followed a similar pattern. While the painters set off early in the morning to get straight to work, the photographers enjoyed a slightly more leisurely breakfast, then met up in the hotel basement to spend the morning learning about our cameras basic settings and what to do with them. We were soon to discover that there is little more dangerous than an SLR camera in the hands of someone who has no idea of how to use it.So during the first few days Rob guided us through everything from the basics of composition (we could seldom take a photo

After lunch, most of the group decided to make use of our afternoons free time by heading away from our base at the Lido over to St Marks Square for our first taste of Venice. We were soon to learn that while our group leader, Rob, couldnt be rivalled as a photography tutor, his knowledge of the Venetian boat system was somewhat questionable. Setting out on the vaporetto line he had suggested (two wrong boats and an hour later) we finally completed the supposedly 15-minute trip to St Marks Square. Here we dodged

The week started as any good Italian holiday should with a relaxed Sunday lunch getting to know the rest of the group. With Learning Holidays In Italy there are often a couple of residential courses going on at the same time, so while the majority of the group would be joining me in my quest to take the perfect photo, the remaining members were primed to set off with their equipment of choice an easel, paper and watercolours.

As we made our way through plates of pizza topped with ripe red tomatoes and spaghetti covered in charcoal black squid ink, we began to discover everyones reasons for being on the trip. The group consisted of just two couples and the rest of us solo travellers, and peoples backgrounds ranged from former actresses now based in Greece to retired school teachers looking for new adventures. Yet despite the differences in our life experiences, our shared passion and excitement for what the week had in store for us had us chattering away non-stop.


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KNOW WHAT KIND OF PHOTOGRAPHER YOU ARETheres no point in getting to know every setting on your camera if youre just going to revert to automatic each time you go out. Its fine to use the automatic setting if youre a beginner, but if you want to get to know the camera a little more, experiment with the P (program) setting, which allows you to control the exposure of your pictures. If you want to really get to know your camera, you can then move onto manual (M), which allows you to control speed and aperture to get the best shots.

THINK ABOUT COMPOSITION There are various rules that might help you improve every shot you take, such as the rule of thirds and leading lines, but in general just spend a little time thinking about the scene, which elements are most important, and what is going to make the best shot. Try changing your angle for added interest and dont be afraid to get down on your knees (or even lie down!) to get the right perspective.

EXPERIMENT WITH WHITE BALANCEAs you get to know your camera better, experiment with the white balance setting. This will help with cloudy days, inside photography and more. Just remember to change the setting as the lighting changes!

PUT SETTINGS BACK TO NORMALIf youre playing around with your settings, put them back to normal when youve finished your session. That way you wont be shooting using your night settings in the middle of the day.

ORGANISE YOURSELFWhen trying out new techniques youll take a lot of photos, so make sure you organise them well when you download them onto your computer. Delete any that are out of focus, the wrong angle etc, then edit down to keep your favourites. This helps when showing your family your holiday snaps as it means they wont have to sit through all 1,000+ pics!

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR CAMERA

VENICE AT NIGHTFor me, Venice is at its most magical once the sun has set. Not only are there fewer people, but the abundance of beautiful lights provide the perfect photographic inspiration. Even if youre not staying in Venice itself, the vaporetto service runs quite late, making it convenient to get back to areas such as the Lido. Get yourself a tripod, wrap up warm and youll get some of your best shots.

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without Rob uttering the words think about the leading lines), to the use of aperture and speed, with even a quick lesson in Photoshop squeezed in for good measure. What Rob lacked in navigational skills, he made up for in his clear explanations of some quite complex photography terms, and wouldnt move on until everyone in the group understood exactly what he was talking about. As we had the entire week to learn everything, rather than just a half-day taster session, we could afford to take our time getting the basics right, and it really did pay off.

After a leisurely lunch, the afternoons were when we would try out the skills we had learnt that morning. As everyone had a different level of experience our group ranged from photography club members and motorsport photographers to a lovely lady who had only bought her camera two weeks previously we could all help each other out. Even if Rob was busy advising one person, the rest of us could usually join together to figure out the problem at that moment. It also meant that we all pushed each other to go to the next level and try a new setting that we had previously been too scared to.

The ultimate setting you want to be able to master as a photographer is the manual setting, which means you are fully in control of the camera, having to set both the aperture and the speed. We were all reluctant to make this leap



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until Jan, the most adventurous member of the group, switched over to it and forced the rest of us to follow.

Of course, we werent left to fend for ourselves, even on the field trips, as Rob was always on hand to give a helpful hint at what speed and f-stop we should be using for a certain weather conditions (sadly cloudy with light rain was standard for most of the week). His teaching methods werent always conventional though, as several members of the group experienced when they held their camera the wrong way and received a cautionary jab from the pointy end of his long umbrella! As it was done with an affectionate smile, it always seemed to get the required result.

The excursions were not only useful for practising different skills, but also provided a wonderful way to experience the off the beaten track Venice. While we all took the compulsory shots of St Marks Square, the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto bridge, we also got a glimpse of Venetian history

CHOOSE YOUR SEASONTheres no denying that Venice is wonderful at any time of the year, but depending on how experienced a photographer you are, you should choose your visiting time carefully. If you want to take your time getting good shots, go for the low season, from autumn through to winter. If you know how to use your camera and want to get the impact shots, go at Carnival time for a festival of colour!

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at the wonderfully peaceful and architecturally beautiful military area of the Arsenale.

Another day we experienced life as the true Venetians do, wandering around the backstreets of the Jewish Quarter and taking in the detail and buzz of the local market. Stalls packed with unusual local vegetables and baskets lined with green, red and orange chilli peppers stood facing shops displaying the vibrant blues, pinks, greens and blacks of the iconic Venetian

masks. And of course every street corner provided a new canal to view, gondoliers steering their passengers away from the crowded waterways to show them something a little more special.

One of our full-day trips took us to the glorious island of Burano. As well as being famed for its lace, the Venetian gem is also cherished for its multitude of coloured houses, each one a different shade to the last. A photographers paradise in short. As well as the houses we stumbled upon a beautiful marina where we spent time photographing the anchors, ropes and nets lying dormant in the boats. Such an important part of Venices history, it seemed apt that shots of these objects should be added to our holiday portfolio.

BECOMING A PHOTOGRAPHEROne of my favourite aspects of the holiday, and the one that made me most feel like I was starting to become a proper photographer, was the night photography sessions. I have always adored night photos the tourist-free streets and beautiful mood


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Sally travelled with Learning Holidays in Italy, which specialises in residential holidays in Italy covering subjects such as photography, painting, cookery and creative writing. Week-long breaks cost around 1,500 (no single supplement from 2014), and include accommodation, airport transfers, evening meals with wine, plus intensive tuition with a trained tutor. To see this years dates, visit www.paintinginitaly.com, email [email protected] or call them on % 0808 118 5729

CONTACTS

lighting feel like you are getting a glimpse of the secret side of a city. But have I ever had any idea how to take one of those photos myself? Of course not!

So with tripods in hand we set off two nights in a row, firstly to capture some of Venices iconic night scenes, and secondly to explore the canals to see what lesser photographed sights we could uncover. With Rob there to guide us, it was deceptively easy! It really is up to the camera and tripod to do the work for you once youve got your settings sorted. So a lot of the time we were just able to stand back and soak up the beauty of Venice at night. Without having to battle other tourists, the city really is magical, and I got some of my favourite shots in those moments.

By the end of the week my passion for photography had completely consumed me. Thanks to having been immersed in my favourite hobby almost 24/7, not only was I thinking in f-stops, but I was also swaying on dry land due to the number of boats we had taken to our wonderful living photo shoots. I had met some absolutely lovely people and now, with a little help from Photoshop, I have photos of Venice that I am proud to hang on my wall to remind me of the week I decided to step outside my comfort zone and learn some new skills while enjoying the holiday of a lifetime.

And those skills will now be with me on every trip I take for the rest of my life. Who could resist that? n!


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HIDDEN VENICE

Getting to know Venice is that much easier when your guide is a Venetian. Sara Scarpa takes us on a

tour of the city she calls home

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FIRST ITINERARY Main images from left: Dusk from the Rialto Bridge; the Arsenale Porta Magna. Inset left, top to bottom: The Doges Palace; view from the Campanile with St Marks Basilica and the Doges Palace. Inset right: evocations of the character of Castello

FIRST ITINERARY THE ARSENALOTTIS SECRETS AND THE MOST INTIMATE AREAS OF VENICEStart your journey from the Arsenale stop and walk towards the grand entrance of the Venetian shipyard. Dont worry about checking the map, from the Fondamenta you will immediately spot the high perimetric walls and the two iconic towers. The Porta Magna is guarded by four marble lions which were looted from Greece. The larger lion on the left was taken by Francesco Morosini from Piraeus, the ancient harbour of Athens, and if you look close enough you will discover on its body some runic characters in the shape of a lindworm.

If you look up high above the door you will notice another lion, this one winged, with a book open which is popularly believed to be a symbol of the time of peace for the Serenissima. Venice, as you have probably noticed, is full of lions, which are symbolic of Venices patron, St Mark the Evangelist, and therefore of Venice itself. Lion-spotting in Venice is a

favourite activity of children and also of mine!

Passing in front of these lions takes you back in time to the Serenissima. You can almost picture the thousands of arsenalotti (the Arsenale workmen) working and living in this area apart from the rest of the city, handing down very precious, almost secret, knowledge from generation to generation. Thanks to the efficiency of the shipbuilding activities, the sailing skills and the organisation of the trading companies Venice had the supremacy of the sea. Its importance was so great that at the beginning of the 14th century it inspired verses in Dantes Divina Commedia, and at the end of the 16th century it even involved Galileo as a consultant helping to solve shipbuilders problems.

After stopping here to sit and have a drink or eat a pizza in front of this grand entrance (Trattoria Pizzeria Da Paolo), cross the bridge again and walk back towards the Riva in the direction of Via Garibaldi. This is probably the most intimate residential part of Venice where you will find real

Most of my friends have already been to Venice at least once so when they come to visit me I show them the side of town that I got to know by growing up and living here throughout my childhood and right into my early adult life. I walk with them amongst those hidden alleys and courtyards that, in a frenzy to cover the postcard-stereotype-tourist-hotspots, most visitors miss out on...

Venice is a secret itself, right from its foundations. The surface hides millions of tree trunks under the water, which allow its existence. The city is rich with fascinating stories and legends. Venice, in its small, fish-shaped body swimming in water, has thousands of tiny calli and many other canals and bridges to discover. Set your map aside and get lost wandering through the tiny, dark and secret alleys, finding hidden campi, courtyards and gardens. Even now, even after so many years, even I sometimes discover some hidden gems that I have never seen before...

It doesnt matter how many times you go to Venice, you will always find something new

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Venetians. In terms of atmosphere, its London equivalent would probably be the feel of the East End. Here, you will find yourself away from the high traffic tourist areas and instead you will be attracted by the loud locals and their endless lines of laundry! Via Garibaldi is one of the few streets in Venice that is actually called Via (street). Before becoming the bustling local thoroughfare it is today, it was actually once a canal (as you can tell from the white stones that mark the borders). It takes its name from Giuseppe Garibaldi, who played a major role in the unification of Italy. This is quite rare in a city like Venice, where the public worship of famous personalities was generally banned and where most calli and squares take their names mainly from saints, professions, trades, or even just local people.

Walking here is just so relaxing. You should definitely stop at one of the bars for a spritz with a tramezzino (the English translation sandwich does not do it any justice!). Towards the end of Via Garibaldi on the right hand side you will notice a shady, wide, tree-lined

path with a monument to Garibaldi the subject of an intriguing legend. If you keep walking straight on you will pass a very characteristic boat-docked vegetable market. Almost in front of it you will find a typical Venetian wine shop bring your empty plastic bottles here and have them filled with wine for only a couple of euros!

Continuing in this direction, on your right you will notice a pretty capitello, a tiny shrine with the image of the Madonna that has a religious function for the locals and that my grandmother regularly embellishes with a freshly-washed drape. Cross the long wooden bridge and turn left in the direction of San Pietro di Castello, a small sleepy island linked by two bridges to the main body of Venice. Just before reaching the church, on your right hand side you might enter Corte dei Preti, a small, colourful, pretty courtyard. Next to the church you will notice a stunning cloister with a 16th century wellhead which used to be part of the Patriarchal building until it was converted into a military station and then eventually into flats.

Finally, next to the monumental, ill-fa

italia guide to venice 2015

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