A Weekend in Venice
Photo Flikr annia316
Nicola Kettell avoids the happy-snappy, touchy-feely, namby-pambies (tourists) to experience the post-card perfect city of Venice.
Venezia is a picturesque and utterly unique town in Northern Italy that is a tourist’s dream. However, seen from a local perspective it becomes much, much more. Of course there are the Japanese tourists taking photographs of dustbins, and the sickening couples on their romantic mini-breaks of love, all clamouring to feed the pigeons in St. Mark’s Square, stroll over the Rialto Bridge and cuddle up in a Gondola, but behind all these, admittedly wonderful sites, there is so much going on.
The Doge’s Palace is enormous, and for a bargainous student ticket, one can gain entry, a ticket which includes entry to at least four other places besides. The palace is stuffed with paintings, frescoes, sculpture and tapestry, by a huge range of great artists - there is almost too much to take in, but do pause in the map room, and marvel at the amazing cartographical wall paintings. It has to be said, however, that the Bridge of Sighs is far more impressive from the outside.
Across the piazza from here is the Museo Archaeologico, housing ancient artefacts and sculpture excavated in and around Venice. This Museo also incorporates the Library Room, which makes a visit here a must, even for those with absolutely no interest in archaeology. The Biennale and the Arsenale have ever changing art exhibitions which are worth a visit, as does the Ca’Rezzonico, that is, if your afternoon nap allows you to reach it before closing time.
Eating and drinking being such an intrinsic part of Italian culture, a brunch of ‘cichetti’ is essential, and I was taken to a marvellous bar next to the Campo Santa Margarita, one of the main student hang outs, and spent a great morning people-watching. The typically Venetian ‘Sprtiz’ cocktail is the perfect way to start the evening...or even the afternoon, and they taste even better made with prosecco. Another fantastic bar I was taken to, this time in Rialto, has a free buffet between 5.30 – 8 pm, so for the meagre cost of a spritz or a prosecco, you can help yourself to the spread, with everything from bruschetta, to pasta and risotto – perfect for students on a budget, but with food that good I would wholly recommend it to everyone!
There are countless bars for nights out, and there is a choice of two discoteca’s, although I would recommend the one in Rialto above the supermarket. Do be warned though, Italians tend to be quite casual at night, so expect to attract attention in your sequinned blazer and heels, though this is not necessarily bad.
The shopping is reasonable, although it is more difficult to find the happy medium between the Prada and the tat. Look out for the numerous shops stocked with traditional northern Italian leather bound books and paper goods – initialled notelets are très chic.
So, despite having to contend with the happy snapping tourists, Venice is full of hidden treasures (such as the stunning mediaeval staircase we stumbled upon at 4.30 am), and it is well worth the trouble, particularly as during the winter months with the less reliable weather and the frequent high water alarms, wellies might be necessary, but tourists are considerably thinner on the ground. It always helps to have a local (or conveniently placed exchange student) to show you around, but there is so much to be found if you just throw away the map and wander around this beautiful, cultural city.
Venezia is a picturesque and utterly unique town in Northern Italy that is a tourist’s dream. However, seen from a local perspective it becomes much, much more. Of course there are the Japanese tourists taking photographs of dustbins, and the sickening couples on their romantic mini-breaks of love, all clamouring to feed the pigeons in St. Mark’s Square, stroll over the Rialto Bridge and cuddle up in a Gondola, but behind all these, admittedly wonderful sites, there is so much going on.
The Doge’s Palace is enormous, and for a bargainous student ticket, one can gain entry, a ticket which includes entry to at least four other places besides. The palace is stuffed with paintings, frescoes, sculpture and tapestry, by a huge range of great artists - there is almost too much to take in, but do pause in the map room, and marvel at the amazing cartographical wall paintings. It has to be said, however, that the Bridge of Sighs is far more impressive from the outside.
Across the piazza from here is the Museo Archaeologico, housing ancient artefacts and sculpture excavated in and around Venice. This Museo also incorporates the Library Room, which makes a visit here a must, even for those with absolutely no interest in archaeology. The Biennale and the Arsenale have ever changing art exhibitions which are worth a visit, as does the Ca’Rezzonico, that is, if your afternoon nap allows you to reach it before closing time.
Eating and drinking being such an intrinsic part of Italian culture, a brunch of ‘cichetti’ is essential, and I was taken to a marvellous bar next to the Campo Santa Margarita, one of the main student hang outs, and spent a great morning people-watching. The typically Venetian ‘Sprtiz’ cocktail is the perfect way to start the evening...or even the afternoon, and they taste even better made with prosecco. Another fantastic bar I was taken to, this time in Rialto, has a free buffet between 5.30 – 8 pm, so for the meagre cost of a spritz or a prosecco, you can help yourself to the spread, with everything from bruschetta, to pasta and risotto – perfect for students on a budget, but with food that good I would wholly recommend it to everyone!
There are countless bars for nights out, and there is a choice of two discoteca’s, although I would recommend the one in Rialto above the supermarket. Do be warned though, Italians tend to be quite casual at night, so expect to attract attention in your sequinned blazer and heels, though this is not necessarily bad.
The shopping is reasonable, although it is more difficult to find the happy medium between the Prada and the tat. Look out for the numerous shops stocked with traditional northern Italian leather bound books and paper goods – initialled notelets are très chic.
So, despite having to contend with the happy snapping tourists, Venice is full of hidden treasures (such as the stunning mediaeval staircase we stumbled upon at 4.30 am), and it is well worth the trouble, particularly as during the winter months with the less reliable weather and the frequent high water alarms, wellies might be necessary, but tourists are considerably thinner on the ground. It always helps to have a local (or conveniently placed exchange student) to show you around, but there is so much to be found if you just throw away the map and wander around this beautiful, cultural city.