Venice archivos - Page 6 of 8 - VOLARE MAGAZINE

Seeing Venice from above is always spectacular. The eye skims over the city’s rooftops, each different from the other, while the steeples of the city’s many churches also rise right up, soaring skywards.

It’s a vision that also fascinates Venetians. They don’t often get to see their town from this point of view, which you get by climbing the bell tower of San Marco or the one on the island of San Giorgio.

Two other viewpoints for seeing the city from on high have opened recently.

One is from the top of the so-called “Scala del Bovolo” in the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, which is a a few steps from Campo San Luca.

The other is from the beautiful terrace of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, next to the Rialto Bridge. After a long restoration project, this has been transformed into a shopping centre with a variety of luxury boutiques, which Venetians have mixed opinions on it as always.

From here, you can enjoy an incredible view of the Grand Canal.

But what is striking, beyond the asymmetry of the roofs and solitary steeples that shoot up, are the many “altane” or classic raised-up terraces on many Venetian houses.

They are strictly built of wood and thus, need frequent and expensive maintenance due to constant exposure to the elements and the action of the humid, salty air. They rise above the roofs, standing on two or four pillars. In summer, they are a place to sunbathe during the day while after sunset, you can enjoy the cold of the evening there.

Some are small in size and some are bigger. It’s not uncommon to use them during the summer, especially in the evening, as a place to dine with friends.

La Giudecca, an area of Venice divided by the canal of the same name, is accessible only by water and is made up of several islands connected by bridges.

You wind along the canal which the cruise ships take to reach the passenger terminal situated where the commercial port once was. In fact, all merchant ships passed through La Giudecca at one time to get to the docks of the old commercial sea port. However, this was moved to Porto Marghera in the first half of the 1900s.

Until the 1960s, La Giudecca was a common working class area with industries, shipyards and factories.

Now, it is a quiet popular zone with an extensive and enjoyable walking area. From here, you can admire St. Mark’s Square and take in Venice from another perspective while having dinner in a traditional trattoria or sitting down for a coffee or an aperitif in one of the many cafés along the way.

In addition to the Chiesa delle Zitelle (the Spinster’s Church), there is also San Eufemia, one of Venice’s oldest churches. You’ll then come to the imposing building of La Chiesa del Redentore or the Church of the Redeemer, famous for the Venetian feast of the same name held the third Sunday in July. The night before, Venetians dine by boat or along the banks of the canal, waiting for the “foghi” or firework spectacle that lights up the whole basin of San Marco.

Another interesting building is the one known as “La Casa dei Tre Oci” (the House of the Three Eyes) because of its three large windows overlooking the lagoon. It houses a foundation where interesting shows and exhibitions worth visiting take place. It’s also worth seeing the interior of the house. From its windows, you can enjoy an incredible panorama of Saint Mark’s and overlook the Basilica della Salute.

La Giudecca still remains a very Venetian area, although it’s being more and more discovered by tourists, especially younger ones since it’s home to the only youth hostel. But, you can come here in search of less frequented and more traditional and unique spots where you can still meet the inhabitants of the city as they go about their peaceful life.

Winding your way along one of the streets leading to the other side of La Giudecca, you can admire the panorama of the South Lagoon with its islands, the coast of the Lido on the left, and the mainland with the cranes of the commercial port on the right.

At the end, stands the imposing grindstone of what was once the Stucky Mill. The architecture here is reminiscent of the old docks of the Port of Hamburg. This former depot and grain warehouse has been recently transformed into a luxurious hotel.

Around the end of January and the beginning of February the city is awaking from its winter hibernation.

For the streets and squares it’s a lively, colourful, noisy awakening, attracting a diverse crowd of people.

It’s the Carnival of Venice.

An event which attracts brings visitors from around the world to the city year after year.

Walking around you meet people with the most strange and amazing masks, all brought together in a blaze of extravagance and rich colour, with a bit of harmless exhibitionism and a great desire to have fun; entertainment for big kids and little ones alike.

From the magnificent masks of ladies and knights from 1700s Venice, rich and elaborate with satin, velvet and lace, transporting you back through the centuries; to the classic masks of the Italian commedia dell’arte; to more original masks, born from the imaginations of the creators who wear them.

Finally, the easiest attire for this festive period: a simple mask over the eyes, hiding the face.

At the Carnival is there are nearly as many photographers as there are masks; armed with all their equipment, they wander the city to find the perfect angle for a shot that frames the most beautiful or unusual masks, who are in turn ready to strike a pose.

Alongside the professionals is a large group of amateurs or simple tourists, brandishing their cameras to take home some memories of this incredible Venetian event.

The preferred stage is, of course, Piazza San Marco, where it’s almost impossible to walk due to the amount of people, especially on weekends.

It’s a fun crowd, and there’s no use hurrying to get anywhere; just dive in and get carried away, like floating in the waves, with your camera or phone to snap those essential photos.

The square is also one of the main places where some of the events organised by the municipal city administration are held.

One of the best known is the so-called “flight of the angel/flight of the dove” in which a young girl, with a suitably sturdy harness, is lowered on a strong rope from St Mark’s Campanile down to a stage set up in the square, while a crowd of masks watches on with their noses in the air.

Many other varied events take place around the city during the carnival, with an extensive calendar available on the internet.

This is an unconventional opportunity to explore the city in a whole new way, either as a spectator or as an actor, whether you wear just a simple mask on your face or rent rich costumes and immerse yourself completely in the charm of a city that, once again, manages to surprise visitors with new perspectives.

Is there anything more romantic than losing yourself in Venice? The world’s most magical city is a tangle of quiet streets, each instincts guide through the calli and the campi, over the city’s bridges and into its breathtaking churches. And seeing the view of the lagoon at with a story and a treasure to be discovered. The best means of transportation is your feet, so wear comfortable shoes and let your sunset is an unforgettable experience. Summer is a great time to visit, but it does get hot, but to take a break from the heat and refresh yourself, there’s always the Lido beach, one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Italy.

St Mark’s Square, known as “the drawing room” of Venice, is undoubtedly the main attraction for any tourist coming to the city.

Even for a native like me, who has spent over half a century living in Venice, the square still has the power to enchant each time that you walk across it, offering an ever-changing spectacle of light, colour and human life, depending on the season and the time of day.

Early in the morning, when it is almost deserted, Venetians walk briskly across on their way to work while fitness fans, often from other countries, pass quickly through, determined to fit in an hour of jogging through the narrow streets and bridges.

Later, the tourists arrive, taking photographs and being photographed in every last corner; hordes of waving arms, clutching the essential smartphone as they move around the square. And immediately, hundreds of photos and video clips are uploaded onto the net and social media, showing where they are to friends, acquaintances and… followers.

A photo with the pigeons is a must, and it’s fun to watch parents trying to persuade their scared and reluctant offspring to hold a pigeon for the classic photo shot.

Poses and behaviour go from funny to stiffly reserved, with everything in between: from essential “selfies” to fun group photos of students on trips or of Japanese youngsters in creative poses, immortalised in front of the basilica or the Doge’s Palace.

But for the tourists, most fun is to be had in those rare moments during the summer when the piazza is suddenly flooded by an unexpected “acqua alta” (high water). Faced with this unusual phenomenon, outsiders can witness the most bizarre scenes, such as people paddling across St Mark’s Square with their shoes in their hands as though they were on the beach, while others recline in the sun.

Amidst the colourful crowd filling the square, you can often pick out a pair of newly-weds who have chosen the most romantic city in the world for their wedding and honeymoon. They struggle to find a less crowded spot for their wedding photos while hordes of tourists follow them round, desperate to get their own shots of the happy couple.

Meanwhile, in the quietest and most solitary corner of the square, a painter patiently puts onto canvas the image of floating gondolas set against the backdrop of the Basin of San Marco and Santa Maria della Salute church.

The Grand Canal winds through Venice like a long snake, dividing the city into two parts. This separation poses a problem for those who are on foot and need to get from one part to another.

The need to feel one might always be able to get across the Canal led to the building of three bridges.

The oldest and most well known is the Rialto Bridge. It sits in the middle of the city’s main waterway. At the two far reaches of the canal, there are two more bridges, the Scalzi Bridge and the wooden bridge of the Accademia.

With much debate, a new one, Il Ponte della Costituzione (the Constitution Bridge), was added a few years ago. For Venetians, this bridge is known as Il Ponte di Calatrava, after the architect who designed it.

Having only these few options of getting across the Canal means that travellers often have to go a bit out of their way to get from one bank to another. Today, just as in the past, one can use the “traghetti” (gondola ferries) to avoid that. It’s a no-frill gondola service, without seats or other refinements, which gets you from one part of the Canal to the other.

Today, only a pair of these traghetti still exist, the San Tomà and the Santa Sofia. The first one is widely used, especially by those coming from Piazzale Roma or those who want to go from the train station to the area of Piazza San Marco. The Santa Sofia connects the “Strada Nova” with the Rialto market. Until a few decades ago, there were others, but they’ve disappeared due to low use.

In the past, there must have been many of them, as the numerous streets in Venice with “traghetto” in their name suggest. Today, these names remind us of this old custom and a profession that’s almost disappeared.

For little more than a Euro, you can experience a traghetto. It’s a bit of a strange sensation for someone who’s not accustomed to balancing and standing on a gondola while it glides over the water.

You board it with the help of a gondolier. To feel the boat swaying under your feet is really something to experience. The natives and habitual users get on and off the gondola with no difficulty and remain calmly on their feet during the short crossing. They stand out in a flash.

Meanwhile, first-timers move about trying to steady themselves on their legs, feeling their feet below without solid ground. They grab the gondolier’s hand getting in and out or rush to take the only seat in the boat, a bare wooden plank in the front. Or, they get to the side of the boat where, towards the front, there’s a big chest with all types of coins for giving change to the passengers. As the people gradually get off the gondola, the changing weight makes it rock. This frightens the occasional traveller who may let out a little cry, half in wonder, half with fear. This happens with tourists of all ages the first time they try a traghetto.

Each season in Venice offers surprises. Some you can encounter whilst wandering through the “calli” (Venetian alleys) and discovering unusual places, others are, so to speak, under the surface of the city and, sometimes, rather peculiar.

When it comes to sounds, this city is definitely unusual. In the absence of road traffic, there remains just the sound of boat engines cutting through the canals and of the means of transport that make their own characteristic noises. It’s hard to understand that “something” is missing, until you realize that what’s absent is the noise of road traffic; of buses, cars, scooters whirring and the hooting of horns.

Traffic in Venice is less agitated; it has a more fluid and rhythmic sound, diluting into the canal waters and gradually fading in the evening, when the boats transporting goods and those for other activities are no longer operating.

Mixed with these sounds is the swishing of the oars of the gondolas, which appear from small canals into the main street of the city, the Grand Canal, accompanied by the chattering of the gondoliers as they row and the typical shout as they approach a crossroad of canals.

In winter the city has moments of incomparable charm, with the sun, but also with the fog, which envelopes everything with a muffled blanket and absorbs the sounds that seem to come from all directions, whilst the colors of day dissolve in a game of hide and seek, making houses, palazzi and churches spontaneously disappear and reappear.

But also on those rare sunny winter days, particularly clear after a storm, the city appears adorned with the colors of Tintoretto’s paintings, with skies of every tone of blue. And if you observe it from Piazzale S. Maria Elisabetta del Lido, you will see the city surrounded by a ribbon of snowy mountains, with the sun reflecting off their peaks.

Winter sunsets offer spectacular scenes, with the burning sun tinging the sky and the lagoon with every shade of red, as it disappears behind the Salute church. The sky turns from red to blue before giving way to the color of the approaching night.

And so the silhouette of the city stands out on this night sky, illuminated by the street lamps, and the lights of shop and house windows.

And in this enchanted setting, only a few faint and faraway sounds can be heard, almost as if to softly lull us to sleep.

I have walked along “Riva del Vin” (Wine Street) without getting drunk and on “Rio Terà degli Assassini” (the assassin’s street) without being afraid. I’ve also gone on “Ponte dei Pugni” (the Bridge of Fists) without having to be on guard or along the “Calle del Vento” (Windy Street) without being cold.

What do these incomprehensible statements mean? Is there a message in secret code within them? Nothing of the sort. They’re only the names of some of the streets and places you will find walking around Venice. They’re the odd names of real places in the city. Unusual place names are nothing exceptional in Venice.

Starting with Piazza San Marco. Piazza San Marco is the only real “piazza” in the city. All the other squares are called “campi” or “campielli” if they are small. You reach the Rialto from Piazza San Marco by going in the direction of the “Mercerie dell’Orologio” (the little watch shop). Then you turn towards the “Campo della Guerra” (the Square of War) and cross the bridge of the same name to get to the “Calle delle Bande” (the Street of the Gangs) and the “Salizada di San Lio” ( Saint Lio street). You then follow the “Ponte di San Antonio” (Saint Anthony’s Bridge) which meets up with the “Calle della Bissa.” This street ends up in “Campo San Bortolomi” (Saint Bartholomew Square) and at the foot of the Rialto Bridge.

In Venice, there are many ways to say ‘street.’ A stone paved street is called either a “calle,” “ruga” or “salizada.” “Rio terà” refers to a street over an old canal and a “sottoportego” is a street that goes under a house. The streets get their names not only from their characteristics but also from where they are. The names of many streets are tied to the history of a famous family that lived in the area or the saint a nearby church is named after. It often also happens that a street takes its name from the type of crafts that were practiced there in the past.

The names of Venetian streets are inscribed on limestone plaques above street level that look like small bed sheets. For this reason, these plaques are called ‘nizioleti’ which means ‘small sheets.’

The street names are curious, often funny and sometimes incomprehensible. It’s fun to read them as they follow one after another trying to understand them. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes you give up because the name is the result of the old Venetian habit of changing the spelling, blending words together and adapting them to daily language.

In that way, Saint Ermagora’s Church is known rather as Saint “Marquola” Church and Saint Eustachio as Saint “Stae.” Similarly, Saint Maria “Formosa” derives from the Venetian version of the Spanish word for beautiful or “hermosa.”.

Many streets in Venice have the same name. For example, there is more than one “calle del Forno” or “del Forner” (the baker’s street), “del Maragon” or ” del Magazen” (the warehouse street), or “del Tragheto” (the ferry street). The only way to tell them apart is to refer to area of the city they are in or the nearest church.

Recently, a heated debate arose when the city administration corrected the “nizioleti” plaques by adding missing double letters –which don’t exist in the Venetian dialect. The changes divided the city between those who were in favour and against. Among the latter, some took it upon themselves to cross out the new double letters on the street plaques using a pen or black paint.

You can follow the strange street and place names of Venice to get to any of the famous or lesser known sights. Or you can just let yourself get lost in the city by following this trail of extravagant names. On a gorgeous day when Venetians hang out their laundry, let these odd names lead you to a scenic street where you will find yourself amidst a rainbow of coloured clothes waving as they dry in the breeze.

In Venice you walk a lot. But in order to cross the Grand Canal, you sometimes use the “vaporetto” (water bus) or the gondola ferry available at several points around the city.

Going on foot, one has the chance to run into people, friends and acquaintances. After saying hello, you go to a local spot for a drink together, continuing to discuss all the latest about yourself or mutual friends.

Stopping at the café in the morning, one usually has a coffee. But in the middle of the day or in the evening, you go and have an “ombra,” as Venetians call a glass of wine. You could also have a “spritz.” This is a classic Venetian aperitif made of white wine with Aperol or bitters and mineral water, garnished with an olive and a slice of lemon or orange. There’s variations on this as well that include other typical Italian liqueurs.

For Venetians, to go and drink an “ombra” or “spritz” is almost a daily routine. In the past, there were many local “osterie” or taverns in the city that sold wine along with some simple dishes. Even today, this tradition continues with many taverns still offering a wide assortment of “cicheti” which are quick snacks or small dishes you eat along with a good glass of wine.

There were many more places like this in the past. Some have now been turned into cafés which are a bit generic. They serve rolls and sandwiches to workers on their lunch break or tourists in a hurry.

Fortunately, some of the traditional “osterie” or taverns have survived and kept up tradition through time. New ones have also opened up in recent years where you can try classic “cicheti” which are a far cry from rolls and sandwiches.

The offerings of these taverns range from the classic half of a cooked egg topped with an anchovy fillet to boiled gristle or, depending on the season, potted artichoke. There’s also a variety of seasonal fried or roast fish (especially fried and breaded sardines), squid skewers, roast cuttlefish, and boiled octopus.

A few of the areas where you find locales serving this kind of food have become evening meeting places for Venetian teenagers. One of these areas is “Campo dell’Erbaria” which is just after you cross the Rialto Bridge near the market. Here you find many spots offering “cicheti.” In the morning and early afternoon, people working in the nearby market and area go to these places.

But if you enter the surrounding streets, you can find there many other taverns also offering a wide range of wines and “cicheti.”

Another well known area much frequented by younger people is that close to the University and Santa Margherita. This part of the city also has a multitude of taverns.

Wandering around Venice, you’ll find many of these “osterie.” For those who plan to visit the city by losing themselves in its streets, these taverns offer an alternative to a traditional lunch.

Venice, like all cities, has undergone many changes over the years. Old customs and crafts have disappeared. They are remembered only in old photographs or the stories of old people. Anyone over fifty can remember something that no longer exists.

Getting off the vaporetto at the “Giardini” or garden stop, you go down a long, tree-lined avenue, past the large basin with the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the hero of national independence. There, you enter the street named after him.

This part of Venice was, until a few decades ago, a popular and lively area. Every morning, except Sunday, the local street market was held here. There was a long row of fruit and vegetable stalls. At the bend in the road, another semicircle of stalls sold all varieties of fish, especially local ones. On hot summer nights, if you slept with the windows open, you could be woken up every morning at dawn up by the noise of the boats coming from the general market. While unloading crates of seasonal fruits and vegetables for sale in the stalls, the men made small talk, exchanged one-liners, or told jokes.

A large boat often came in summer loaded with watermelons. It stayed moored in the canal until all of them were sold. The owner lived aboard, where he cooked and slept, until he had sold all his cargo. Then he left, sometimes only to come back with a new load to sell. Some fisherman in small boats even stopped to sell fish by candlelight, enlivening the canal at dusk.

With the arrival of autumn, a little man in a white jacket always appeared. He walked up and down the street with a big wicker basket under his arm, covered by a large blanket. The blanket hid and kept warm the boiled beans in the basket which the man sprinkled with salt and sold in paper cones for a few lire.

Via Garibaldi was a very popular area, characterized by droves of noisy, multicoloured kids of all ages that ran around and played on the paths inside and outside the gardens. Today there are not so many children as before and only a few selling stalls remain. But one of the few that is still there is very special. It’s a floating fruit and vegetable seller. There’s a boat that is always moored in the channel, from which Luca and Massimo, the two owners, sell many local products from the region and the islands of the lagoon. Items especially come from Sant’Erasmo or St. Erasmus island which is famous for its artichokes and fresh produce. In the past, these were shipped from the island to Venice where they were sold off boats run by women. It’s an ancient tradition echoed in the all-women boat races held in our times.

Even today, at the Ponte dei Pugni near the Campo Santa Margherita, there is another “floating shop” selling fruits and vegetables. These shops represent two memories of the city that have continued through time and live on as a tradition.