Venice: Another Name for Romance

We’d arrived in Venice complete with a list of places to visit and sights to see. We’d even chalked out an itinerary of sorts to cover the two days we’d spend in the Queen of the Adriatic. Her Majesty, alas, had other plans for us.

Venice, I realised, is not a city you can plan for. It is a city that must be savoured, a city made for serendipity. You aren’t supposed to go from point A to point B and studiously see only point B. You must stop off midway at point C and D and maybe even E- to photograph a pretty balcony, explore a half-forgotten church, maybe buy a gelato. You’ll find highlights everywhere. Ours included a lovely canalside building covered with stunning mosaics; a wonderful lunchtime performance by a young violinist near our café; and an equally soul-stirring tune sung in a deep baritone by a guitarist sitting in a gondola.

But yes, there are the must-sees. The Palazzo Ducale, that magnificent confection of arched doorways and windows, all in pink and white marble, is amongst the most well known buildings in the city. The Ponte Dei Sospiri, the Bridge of Sighs, next to it is equally famous, though perhaps just a tad too romanticised. Adjacent to the Palazzo Ducale are the striking Basilica di San Marco and the Piazza di San Marco, the latter an Italian version of Trafalgar Square, with its many pigeons.

The art heritage of Venice is reflected in the galleries and museums that dot the city. The renowned Galleria dell’ Accademia, full of works by Venetian artists such as Tintoretto, Titian, and Tiepolo, is probably the best known; but the Ca’ D’Oro has a fine collection too. The Ca’ Rezzonico and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection are also supposedly excellent, but we unfortunately could not get time for either of these.

Another museum being promoted pretty heavily while we were in Venice was the Museo D’Arte Erotica- the Museum of Erotic Art. In Casanova’s hometown, that’s hardly a surprise!

Quick Tips:

Compared to Rome, Venice is fairly safe; the chances of your pocket being picked are relatively fewer. The reason for this, as we were to discover, is that the Venetians take your money up front: this was easily the most expensive city we visited in our five-city tour of Europe. If you’re on a budget, here are a few pointers:

1. Stay in hotels on the outskirts of Venice. Since Venice is small and transport networks are good, getting to the city for sightseeing or shopping doesn’t take too long. Hotels can be researched and booked online through sites such as www.venicehotels.com or www.venicehotels-booking.com. Alternatively, you could use the Central Booking line by calling 800-546 788 (in Italy) or 0039-0415322837 (from overseas).
2. Buy a day travel pass if you plan to move around a lot during the day by bus (on land or water). If you prefer walking- and Venice is great explored on foot- it will probably be cheaper to buy tickets as you go, since one ride on a bus or a waterbus costs only €1.
3. Do not eat or shop bang next to a major sight like the Palazzo Ducale: everything’s more expensive. Walk just a couple of streets further away, and you’ll find lower prices for everything from Venetian masks to spaghetti al pesto.
4. If you’re going to be spending time in the city and want to visit a lot of museums and other sights, consider buying the Venice Card (see www.venicecard.it). It’s loaded with discounts.

Best Way To Get Around:

Venice is a maze of canals, and whatever’s not water is either a narrow street to a canal or a narrow street from a canal--or a piazza. All very confusing if you’re on foot, so if you’re planning on walking about, invest in a good map. And if you ask for directions, ask two or three people at various stages of your progress. We found ourselves making two complete circuits around the Accademia before we found the main door.

As you’d expect, the Venetians have made a fine art out of water transport. The canals function just like roads would in other cities: there are signals, parking lots (well, mooring posts!), even convex mirrors at "street corners." The cheapest of all water transport are the vaporetti, the water buses. These are large boats that chug along, often at a relaxed pace, and have loads of room for seating or standing. Among the most useful is vaporetto number 1, which goes all the way from Lido onwards, connecting to San Marco, Ca’ D’Oro, Ca’ Rezzonico, Salute, Accademia, and Ferrovia (the railway station). A day ticket costing €12 allows you unlimited travel on both vaporetti as well as land buses; get the ticket validated by inserting it in the stamping machine on the bus as you get in for your first ride.

Motor taxis are also available, and can be hired as you’d hire a cab elsewhere: the fare will depend upon how far you’re going. Motor taxis are small and swift, so if you want to go fast, or if you want to go deep into the canals that crisscross the city, opt for one of these.

The most expensive of all are the gondolas. They’re thoroughly romantic, but no; they don’t come for a song. Average prices are around €80 for an hour’s ride. The gondola accommodates six people, and whether your group consists of six people or just the two of you, the gondolier gets his €80. Note that gondola rates rise with the setting sun: a ride after 8pm can cost as much as €100.

Some of the other islands (most notably the resort isle of Lido) are great on a bicycle. Bring your own, or hire one from a rental agency. Some hotels- like the one we stayed at, the Villa Beatrice- offer free bicycles for guests.

When we booked a double room at the Villa Beatrice, what we expected was something rather fancy. Maybe an old-fashioned, medieval villa with chandeliers and high ceilings and whatnot. What we got was different—very pleasantly different.

The Villa Beatrice lies on the island of Venezia Lido and although it’s not exactly next door to all the top sights in town, it’s comfortable enough to make up for it. And getting to town isn’t too difficult, anyway: the nearest bus stop is just about 5 minutes from the villa. Take the A or the B bus, ride till the Lido- Santa Maria Elisabetta stop, and then take vaporetto number 1, 82, or 52 to get to town.

All our bookings (and subsequent changes) had been done either on the Net or by telephone with the lady who owns the hotel.Il patrona- as she was referred to by the maid- turned out to be a charming and helpful blonde who apologised for the fact that the room we’d booked wasn’t empty when we arrived, but ensured that our luggage was kept safely while we went off to explore Venice. Getting back in the evening, we saw our room for the first time- a comfortable place, with table, chairs, bedside tables, luggage rack, large wardrobe, TV, and minibar. The bathroom was small, but actually so well organised that you didn’t really feel the lack of space. Everything, down to the prettily embroidered white curtain at the bathroom window, was spotless. And yes- the walls were hung with large framed maps of Venice, all old and delicately etched.

A night’s stay cost us €90, and was inclusive of breakfast. The buffet breakfast, laid out on the bar counter, was a little more substantial than the usual coffee and rolls you’ll find in a lot of European hotels. In addition to our café con latte, there were two types of cereal; juice; prosciutto; salami; and fruit yoghurt. All of which we had sitting out on the verandah that abuts the lovely garden in front, with its urns full of pansies and its trees laden with fruit. The garden, in fact, was so alluring that we wished we had the luxury of spending some more time in it, probably in the hammock, with a good book and a long cool drink.

All in all, a very comfortable, quiet and pretty hotel. The atmosphere’s informal- we were given a key for the front gate, so that we could let ourselves when we returned. And the local cat, if you make sufficiently pleasing sounds to it, may just condescend to pose for a photograph.

Would we have eaten at a place that is, for all practical purposes, almost next door to a major sight (Ca’D’Oro)? Knowing how notorious Venice is for ripping off poverty-stricken tourists from the Third World? Well aware that we might end up sinking close to half of our daily budget on a meal?

Ah, well. Maybe we wouldn’t have. But then there were lots of factors: aching feet, an urge to sit down, and sheer hunger. We’d just completed a day of much walking around, and a good dinner seemed in order.

So we seated ourselves at this pretty café, with its tables covered with snowy white tablecloths, and asked for a closer look at the menu (I’m saying `closer’, because, like most other cafés and restaurants in Europe, Trattoria di Gianni also had its menu up on a board at one end of the mass of tables). The trattoria’s specialty is- and not surprisingly, considering the city’s proximity to the sea- seafood. Fish, shellfish, octopus, squid: it’s all here, in glorious abundance. Unfortunately, all the seafood dishes were priced at a somewhat exorbitant (for us) €25 and above. So we decided to opt for cheaper alternatives- and still made a good meal.

Tarun ordered a breaded veal cutlet with a side of fries, while I asked for a Venetian specialty, a fegato alla Veneziana- liver cooked with onions and parsley. Both dishes were good- the veal cutlet deliciously crisp on the outside and tender on the inside; the fegato alla Veneziana, with its mashed potatoes on the side, done just right. The one fault we could see was in that the liver was extremely low on salt (and here I must say that I am accustomed to low salt food; so this was really low). Otherwise, good.

We skipped dessert, since we’d already decided on treating ourselves to gelati at a nearby gelateria, and asked for the bill instead- which came to a fairly shocking €34. Considering the fact that we didn’t have any wine- in fact, the only thing we had other than our main courses was bread (which, in Italy, is put on the table without your asking for it, but is almost always charged to your bill), this was pretty steep.

All in all, I’d label this a good place, but not top of the pops. And definitely not one you should consider if you happen to be on a shoestring budget. The service is good, the ambiance is relaxed, but the dishes seem to be overpriced.

The main door of the Ca’D’Oro door can be a little difficult to find if you don’t keep your eyes peeled. Since we arrived at a time when the stunning façade of the building was swathed in tarpaulin for renovations, we missed seeing the palace in all its glory- and had a bit of trouble finding the entrance to it. The way to get to it is to walk slowly down the narrow corridor-like lane that leads from the Ca’ D’Oro vaporetto dock, and to keep an eye on your left as you walk along. The plaque with the words `Galleria Franchetti’ is beside an unobtrusive door about halfway down this lane.

We visited the Ca’D’Oro on a warm afternoon, and what struck us immediately was the quiet coolness of the building: very welcome after the crowds that swarm around the Palazzo Ducale. And the fact that the Galleria’s collection, though small, is good, made it a worthwhile visit.

The Ca’D’Oro- Golden House- draws its name from its original décor, which included gilt. The building, a Gothic palace officially known as Palazzo Santa Sofia, was built in 1434 by a certain Marino Contarini for his wife. Later still, in the 19th century, a Russian prince gifted the palace to a dancer called Maria Taglioni, who was busy building up a collection of palaces along the Grand Canal. It was only in 1922 that Ca’D’Oro was handed over to the City of Venice.

Today the Ca’D’Oro has a formidable collection of art, in which local talent, including famous names like Titian, Bellini and Tintoretto, features prominently. That doesn’t mean there is only Venetian work here- you’ll also see paintings, sculpture and other art by masters from all across Europe, such as Anton van Dyck and Jan van Eyck. Among the best-known paintings here are Gentile Bellini’s famous Procession in St Mark’s Square, Andrea Mantegna’s Saint Sebastian, Titian’s Venus, and Vittore Carpaccio’s Annunciation, in which the Angel Gabriel is depicted with an unusual set of wings- with green and red stripes.

But paintings are not all there is to see at Ca’D’Oro. There are other equally interesting works of art: a gorgeously carved 15th century wooden staircase, plenty of 15th century furniture, and marble figures dating back to the heyday of the Byzantine empire. There are figures crafted from metal- among these some amazing pieces by Padovana- and a variety of ceramics, which include brightly coloured and carefully painted maiolica.

Entry to Ca’D’Oro is €5 per person. The museum is open the same hours as the Accademia: 8.15 till 2 on Monday, and till 7.15 the rest of the week.

The best known sight in Venice, the 15th-century Doge’s (or Ducal) Palace, or the Palazzo Ducale (as the locals know it), is an impressive building in pink and white marble. Arched colonnades, prettily rounded windows, and abundant carving decorate the palace, which was once the stronghold of not just the Doge (who had anyway become a mere figurehead in later centuries), but of the oligarchic Council of Ten.

We bought our entry tickets (€12 per person, less if you’re a student, a senior citizen, or part of a group) and entered the massive courtyard at the centre of the palace. Here, the major sight is the Giant Staircase, a structure named for the two massive marble figures that stand atop it on either side. The staircase was used exclusively for the Doge’s inaugurations.

We then made our way to the starting point of the Palazzo Ducale tour, the Golden Staircase. Vividly decorated in gilt and stucco, the staircase led us up to a corridor overlooking the courtyard. Studded in the wall of this corridor is the infamous Bocca dei Leoni (`Lion’s Mouth’), in which Venetians could drop anonymous letters denouncing fellow citizens. The Lion’s Mouth was once symbolic of the intrigue that was so much a part of Venice; today it’s blocked up with a piece of metal.

The trail next led through a series of rooms: the Doge’s Apartments and the Institutional Chambers (used by the Council of ten for judicial and legislative purposes) came first. Each of these chambers is splendidly decorated, with intricately carved and gilded wooden ceilings, and loads of paintings by some of the most famous painters of Venice- Veronese, Bellini, Tintoretto, and Bassano among them. The pictures run the gamut of subjects: there are Biblical scenes, depictions of battle, scenes from mythology (The Rape of Europa by Veronese being one of the most famous) and, as you’d probably expect, plenty of portraits of the rich and famous of Venice. The Sala del Maggior Consiglio (Great Council Hall) has a continuous panel of paintings (by Tintoretto, whose Paradiso, probably the world’s largest oil painting, is also here) depicting each of the 76 Doges of Venice. Or all except one, whose painting was summarily blacked out after he was found guilty of treason.

Beyond these luxurious apartments and offices lies the Armoury. It’s crowded with swords, shields, pikes, muskets, pistols, helmets, armour and other weaponry, all well-polished and dangerous. From the Armoury, the route moves on, over the famous Ponte Dei Sospiri (The `Bridge of Sighs’), to the graffiti-covered cells of the Prison. The Prison’s interiors are very grim and bare, and one can well imagine the despair that gripped most inmates- including perhaps Casanova, who was one of the few who succeeded in escaping!

The route leads back, again over the Ponte Dei Sospiri, to the Palazzo Ducale, where it ends.

In the final analysis, I’d say the €12 is money well spent: the palace is spectacular, the history engrossing, and the art of the finest.

Our first impression of the Accademia wasn’t too great, and for no fault of this excellent collection of Venetian art. The fact is that the façade of the building was so shrouded in tarpaulin that we didn’t realise what lay behind- and as a result, walked around the entire neighbourhood before we were guided to the correct place. But once we’d got in and started exploring the gallery, we began feeling better.

The Accademmia, which is housed in a 15th century deconsecrated church, has the distinction of being home to the world’s largest collection of classic Venetian art. The gallery spreads out across a series of large halls, all suitably dimly lit so as to preserve the paintings hanging on the walls. All the famous masters that were born- or at least lived- in Venice up to the 18th century are represented here: Tiepolo, Tintoretto, the Venezianos (Paulo and Lorenzo), the Bellinis (Gentile and Giovanni), Veronese, Canaletto, Giorgionne, Vittore Carpaccio, Caravaggio, and others.

An entire section is devoted to still lifes- complex arrangements of ornate (and rather unrealistic, in most cases) flowers, fruit, and vegetables, with the ubiquitous dead rabbit or pheasant tucked away next to an equally ubiquitous jar or decanter. All right, perhaps, but not something I’m particularly keen on. What did interest me, however, was a series of miniature still lifes: approximately the same paintings, but executed within a canvas that’s only a couple of inches in diameter. About a dozen of these still lifes were mounted in a glass case, with a magnifying glass on top so that you could examine them closely. Very fine.

Also in abundance were examples of religious and mythological art. There were lots of allegories and scenes from Greek mythology, as also depictions of Biblical stories. In the latter category, the one I found most arresting was Caravaggio’s The Crucifixion of Peter. It’s an amazing painting, a poignant work showing the white-haired Peter’s feet being nailed to the cross as he lies upside-down on it.

Other famous paintings in the Accademia include Giorgionne’s The Tempest, Titian’s John the Baptist, and Tintoretto’s St Mark Saving a Saracen from Shipwreck. One room houses the nine large paintings that comprise Carpaccio’s St Ursula series- the engagement and wedding of Ursula, her dream, her martyrdom, and so on. Impressive.

The Accademia opens at 8.15 AM and closes at 2 PM on Monday, 7.15 PM the rest of the week. Tickets cost €6.50 each, and are worth every cent. Fortunately for people who can’t understand Italian, all the paintings are labelled in English, and there are more detailed notes on some of the more significant works of art, such as the St Ursula series.