A PERFECT DAY IN VENICE 

By Peggy Karas

It had been 35 years since our last trip to Venice (as poor students) and my husband and I were looking forward to renewing our acquaintance with a city which had thoroughly charmed us the first time around. Unfortunately we made the mistake on relying on our GPS system to guide us in our rental car to the closest location to catch the ferry to our hotel.  For some reason the system took us around the mainland to a ferry dock with limited service which brought us to the far side of the island away from Piazza San Marco.  We would have been much better off to follow the highway signs which would have taken us directly to the large parking garages in Piazzale Roma  adjacent to the vaporetto docks.  Since no cars are allowed on the island we left our car in a garage and took the vaporetto (or water bus) to the main island.

Once on the island we learned the truth of the guide books claim that getting around Venice is difficult and even the locals have trouble providing you with directions because the streets are so narrow and the numbering system seemingly so hap-hazard.  Fortunately a local resident advised us that like city blocks the sections are divided into 1,000’s.  So that if you are looking for a number such as 4571 you need to find the 4,000 section and then look for 571.  However, the numbers do not follow numerical order and you can easily cross a canal from the 3,000 section to the 5,000 section with no 4,000 section anywhere nearby.  In addition just because you find 4569 doesn’t mean that 4571 will be close by.  Using a map and constantly checking your location at each turn was the only way I was able to navigate my way around.  Even the locals often would direct us only to the next turn and then advise us to ask again.  One well-spoken police constable was especially frustrated as she gave us very specific directions and then called out to us as we were about to make a wrong turn at the very first corner!  Of course part of the charm is wandering through the streets exploring the many twists and turns with no idea of where you are going and where you will end up. The major attractions such as Piazza San Marco and L’Academia are fortunately well marked.   

We decided to forgo the long lineups for the Ducal Palace and Bridge of Sighs and instead headed to the Academy Gallery.  The Gallery has wonderful Venetian art and is organized chronologically from the 13^th to the 18^th centuries.  This provides a wonderful opportunity to view Venice through the ages and reveals to some extent how little it has changed over time.  I especially liked Tintoretto’s “St. Mark Freeing a Slave” and the works by Canaletto showing views of Venice in the 18^th century in Room XVII. 

After a couple of hours in the Gallery it was time for lunch.  While it is delightful to enjoy refreshments in Piazza San Marco the cover charges there are exorbitant (you are paying for the location and the musicians).  So we headed to Campo San Stefano which is located just across the canal from the Academy and has decidedly more realistic prices.  The square was once the site of bull fights (the last one occurred in 1802) and is a large open space with the Church of San Stefano in one corner.  Our interest however was in the several outdoor cafes on the square.  We chose one in the shade and on the advice of the waiter selected an antipasto platter which included a selection of cold meats and cheeses accompanied by bread and cold beer.  Perfect for lunch on a hot day!

After lunch we opted for a vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal.  We took the no. 1 vaporetto from Piazza San Marco and managed to get one of the outdoor seats.  As the vaportto travelled along the Grand Canal from one end of Venice to the other we had marvellous views of all the palazzi along the water front and imagined what it must have been like to live in here in Venice’s heyday as one of the leading merchant cities in the 16^th and 17^th centuries.  After this it was time to follow the Italian custom of a “siesta” so it was back to our hotel for a nap.

After our nap it was off to “La Fenice”, the famous opera house of Venice which has only recently re-opened after being destroyed by fire several years ago. Tellingly, there were several fire-fighters visible in the theatre before and after the performance.  They have chosen to re-build the theatre in its style dating from the 19^th century and it is an elaborately decorated and beautiful theatre.  The performance we enjoyed was a concert version of Wagner’s  Das Rheingold.  Unfortunately neither the ushers nor the program warned that it would be a 2 and ½ hour performance with no intermission.  We were fine, but I noticed several of my fellow patrons leaving before the end.  The performance itself was well done and in spite of being a concert version, several of the vocalists acted out parts of the opera. 

From the opera, it was time for dinner (following Italian custom) and we set off to find my favorite restaurant in Venice.  It is Ristorante da Raffaele located near the Ponte dele Ostreghe.  I especially like its setting.  It is located along one of the smaller canals near a gondolier station so it is quiet, but there is an excellent view of the gondolas travelling along the canal.  I ordered a mixed salad, tortellini  with ham & peas and my husband enjoyed spaghetti with olive oil and garlic all accompanied by a bottle of red wine.  For dessert we had fresh strawberries with cream and American style coffee.  While the food and drink were excellent the best part was rating the “RQ” (Romance Quotient”) of the passing gondolas. We eliminated all family groups with children and even couples sharing the ride (too crowded for true romance).  Ultimately the winners were a gay couple sharing a bottle of champagne and appetizers while a vocalist accompanied by an accordion sang to them.  A pleasant stroll through the narrow streets back to our hotel and thus ended a Perfect Day in Venice.

IF YOU GO:

Academy Gallery(Galleria dell Academia) Dorsoduro, at foot of Academia Bridge (vaporetto stop: Academia), Tel:  041-520-0345, open Mon. 8:15am – 2pm, Tues. – Sun. 8:15 am – 7:15 pm.  Call ahead and for 1 euro extra you can reserve a ticket and avoid the long line ups at busy times.

Ristorante da Raffaele, S. Marco 2347 – Ponte delle Ostreghe – 30124 Venezia, Tel: 041 52.32.317, www.ristorantedaraffaele.com  

View of Ristorante da Raffaele from the bridge over the canal. Me checking out the “RQ” Romance Quotient of the passing gondolas from Ristorante da Raffaele

Written by :

Peggy Karas