My perfect day in Venice

Caigo, garbage boats, a very long lunch + midnight bells

Perfect is a word/idea/aspiration much like the qualifier Best. Don’t take my proclamation too seriously but rather use this Venice itinerary as a starting place to create your own perfect day.

My perfect day in Venice would be in January in those quiet short days in between Befana and Carnevale. There would be lots of walking with stops for museums, a church, and of course spritzes, cichetti and the longest lunch possible.

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Morning: Mystical start in Castello

The day would start with fog, in Venetian fog is called caigo, that shrouds my view of the Salute and San Giorgio and the Paron, the bell tower of San Marco.

Mid-morning: Piazza San Marco, pastries and Rialto market

I would take a long walk from my house in Castello through an empty San Marco with a slight detour through the Bacino Orseolo, a great spot to see a lot of gondolas. I would climb over the Rialto bridge to San Polo where I would have a macchiatone and a cream filled krapfen at Pasticceria Rizzardini. Crossing back over the bridge I would swing through the Rialto market. Of course I would stop at the garbage barge depot viewing spot.

The Rialto Market is actually three separate markets: Pescheria (fish), Erbaria (fruit/vegetables), and Beccaria (meat)

Late morning: Canal crossing and museum visits

I would go to a museum, probably the Museo Fortuny or maybe I would go see the Tiepolo ceilings at Ca’Rezzonica. I do also love the Museo di Palazzo Grimani.

Afternoon: Sunlit Water and Relaxed Indulgence

Now the sun has come out and burned off the fog. It has turned into one of those sparkly winter afternoons that Italians call i giorni di Merlo. It’s warm enough to sit outside and have a spritz bianco at Gelati Nico on the Zattere at a table next to the water with a view across to the Giudecca.

Late Afternoon: Culinary Delights and Sacred Spaces

I love a late long fancy lunch so I would meet a pal somewhere cozy like Ristorante Al Covo if I felt like fish or Trattoria del Local if I wanted pasta. There would be a bottle of Fillipi Soave.

Evening: Sunset and Magical Light

There would be another walk along the Rive (Riva degli

> Riva Ca’di Dio>Riva San Biasio> Riva dei Sette Martiri.) If I didn’t stay too long at lunch I would stop at the Chiesa di San Zaccaria to see the sunken crypt. But I don’t want to miss the sunset. It would be one of those magical evenings where everything turns pink and the water is an iridescent teal.

Night: Moonlit strolls and midnight bells

Maybe we would turn around and go to Harry’s for a perfect icy cold dirty gin martini and a toast or more likely we would get the little table in the corner at Salvmeria and have a glass of Soave and few pieces of cichetti before we go around the corner, home. In time to hear the La Maragona bells toll at midnight from our window.

What would your perfect day in Venice look like? Need help? I can create one for you too. Send me an email for more details. gillianknowsbest@gmail.com

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