There is something Venetians love to do at the end of a working day: the happy hour.
As you may know the most famous aperitif in Venice is Spritz, a wine-based cocktail corrected with some Aperol.
If you want to eat like a local in Venice and taste a bit of its wine without spending a fortune, you have to go to a “bacaro”.
Bacaro is the world that Venetians use to identify those little bars in Venice, where you can have some typical “cicchetti” (tastings) and a glass of wine for a couple of euros. We would like to suggest you a sort of cicchetti pub crawl, a bacaro tour idea that you can use during your stay to experience the real and local side of Venice.
Not far from our hotel there is a place where you can find a lot of these bars, and it’s called Fondamenta della Misericordia. You get there in less than 5 minutes on foot.

Al timon
This is one of the most famous bacari in this area, mostly because is the only one that have a boat where you can sit on, right in front of its entrance.

Birreria Zanon
Not far from the Al Timon bar there is the Birreria Zanon. It looks like a pub, but you can tell that is a real bacaro from the delicacies on the counter.

La Vecia Papussa
Following the Fondamenta you will find La Vecia Papussa, a new bar but with typical dishes as well. Every thursday you can enjoy some live music too.

Il Paradiso Perduto
Along the Fondamenta there is another famous bar in Venice, always full of people, where you can order a plate of baccalà mantecato or some polenta with black squids and a glass of white wine.

Vino vero
Last but not least, the Vino Vero bar, a recent acquisition for the Fondamenta della Misericordia. If you are looking for something unusual and refined, but still typical, this is the right place.
Don’t be worried if you cannot find a place where to sit during your bacaro your, usually during the happy hour Venetians stand with a spritz on a hand and a yummy cichetto on the other.
These are the bacari you can find on Fondamenta della Misericordia, but if you want to go a little bit far from our hotel, you can find some of the best bars in Venice near Rialto and on the other side of the bridge.

Everyone in the world knows that Venice is the city with no car, where you have to walk or take a boat. But there’s another way to see Venice under a new and original point of view: renting a kayak.
Try to think about how Venice used to be. A city where the main transportations were gondolas and rowing boats. Life was lived mostly on the water and kayaking in Venice can be a good way to get yourself into a world that now you can partially see.
We would like to suggest you an experience that you won’t forget, something suitable for everyone, even the non-sports ones.

Kayaking in Venice: a new way of seeing the city
Most of the time, streets in Venice are crowded, but canals don’t. You can easily go around with a rented kayak, exploring the most hidden and impressive Venetian canals and spots.
Seeing Venice from a kayak is completely different from seeing it from the bridges and streets.
What you are going to see is the authentic Venice. You will see the original facade of the palace, the one facing the canal, where the main door used to be. You will see romantic spots and peaceful corners, where the only sounds you could hear are the oar of a gondola, dipping the water and its gondoliere saying “Ohé” to make you aware of his presence.
If you are lucky and there is no high tide, you can even go literally under a church and discover its base.
You can also watch the sunset and see the sun touching the lagoon, from some unusual points.

Where to find a kayak rental in Venice
We know that it could be your first time on a kayak, but you don’t have to worry about it.
If you are not able to paddle there will be a guide who can teach you how to do it and stay with you for the entire tour.
Moreover, tour guides know Venice and its history very well. They will bring you to those places tourists usually don’t go, since they are reachable by kayaks only.
There are 4 places in Venice where you can rent a kayak, two of them are close to our hotel.  
Real Venetian Kayak and BV Kayak in Venice are located in the same district of Hotel Arcadia, Venice by Water has its headquarter near Rialto Bridge and Venice Kayak has its own on Certosa Island.
All of the organize different kinds of tours, that you can check and book directly on their websites.

We have already suggest you an idea for visiting Venice in one day, but we thought that you might want to experience the city with a self guided walking tour. The main purpose of this article is giving you a self guided walking tour in Cannaregio, departing from our hotel. Since St. Mark’s Square and the other most known attractions of Venice are located in the center of Venice, the area of Cannaregio is often put aside. But it has a lot of interesting things to visit and we will discover them with this self guided walking tour.

1. Venice Casino and the Wagner’s house
   Starting from our hotel, the Venice is Casino  is just a few steps away. We are not inviting you to play at the casino, if you don’t wish so, but rather to visit the Wagner’s apartment. The apartment is open on Tuesdays and Sundays morning and on thursday afternoon. Remember to book your visit at least a day in advance.
2. Ca’ d’Oro Palace
   Our next stop, during this self guided walking tour in Cannaregio, is Ca’ d’Oro Palace. Its name, which means “Golden palace”, gives testimony of the original appearance of the palace. Its facade was probably decorated with gold.
   The ticket costs 8,50 euros per person and you can pre-book it online through the official website.
3. Madonna dell’Orto Church
   Leaving Ca’ d’Oro Palace behind you, you have to turn left and then right, to reach our third attraction: Madonna dell’Orto Church.
   This beautiful church is located in Fondamenta Contarini and it was erected in the mid-14th century. Its name is related to a legend, which tells the story of a the sculptor Giovanni De Santi and his miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary.
4. Fondamenta della Misericordia
   Taking Calle Loredan and then Calle del Forno, you reach Fondamenta della Misericordia. This is the perfect place to drink a spritz and eat a typical Venetian “cicchetto”.
5. The Jewish Ghetto
   The last stop of this self guided walking tour in Venice is the Jewish Ghetto. The ghetto of Venice was the first one to be established in all Europe. It’s divided in Ghetto Nuovo and Ghetto Vecchio and there are three synagogues you can visit.

This self guided walking tour in Cannaregio we created for you takes about 30 minutes, without considering the time you will spend at every attractions. Walking in Venice is the best way to discover its most hidden and beautiful places. Don’t prevent yourself to get lost and try to consider this itinerary as a flexible guide. We are sure you will enjoy it!

 

If you want to see the sunrise, the perfect place to see it is in St. Mark’s Square. But if you want to watch the sunset in Venice, there are a lot of places where you should go. Even if this city is astonishing and fascinating at every corner, here’s a list of the best places to watch the sunset in Venice.

Accademia Bridge

Millions of tourists every year take – at least – a photo to the splendid Madonna della Salute church, from this wooden bridge. And not only because it’s a great spot itself, but mostly because the sunset here is something you won’t see anywhere else.

By the way, you should consider that it’s one of the most known attractions in Venice and it can be packed at sunset, taking away all the romanticism.

Watching sunset here is unique, but if you are willing to propose to your partner, probably you would like some more privacy. That’s why we wrote an article about the most romantic places to propose, in Venice.

Fondamenta delle Zattere

Less frequented, Fondamenta delle Zattere is a long promenade, facing Giudecca island and the picturesque Mulino Stucky.

From here you have a 180-degree view: St. Mark’s Basin on a side and a slice of the Venetian lagoon, on the other.

Embrace your partner tenderly and watch the sunset coming up and coloring Venice.

Giudecca Island

Another point of view. Crossing the Giudecca Canal, with a vaporetto departing from Fondamenta delle Zattere, you get to Giudecca Island.

Here you have the most incredible view of the Venetian Lagoon. On your right side, you have the magnificent St Mark’s Square and on the other the color of the sun reflecting on the water.

Rialto bridge

The symbol of Venice, Rialto Bridge. Here, thousands of tourists go up and down its stairs, taking photos on each side, every day. But, at sunset, you can have the most beautiful view of Venice’s Grand Canal. Check the clock and get there in time, to take your place and watch the show.

Murano island

Murano is one of the three main islands of Venice, famous for its centenary glass art. This island is perfectly located and its position makes Murano one of the best places to watch the sunset in Venice.

You can easily reach it taking a vaporetto and if you haven’t your ticket yet, you can buy it at the reception.

You’re a traveler who wants to see and discover the secret gems of Venice. Visiting the classical and most famous attractions only is not your cup of tea. You are looking for all those quirky things to do and hidden places find out, this is your way to know and experience a city, and Venice is definitely a reality where you can satisfy this deep curiosity.

If you’ve already read our article about why staying in Cannaregio district, you probably know it’s one of the quietest sestieri in Venice and it’s also full of things to see and do.

Besides the most known attractions, such as Ca’ d’Oro Palace or the Venice Casino – you can visit by following our self-guided tour – there are 4 secrets gems we would like you to see with your own eyes.

Scuola Grande della Misericordia

This is a huge building, hidden behind Strada Nuova, on the well-known Fondamenta della Misericordia. Scuola Grande della Misericordia used to be a “school”, a place where charitable and religious organizations for the laity used to stay.

Nowadays, it hosts several exhibitions along the year.

The Bridge with no parapet

No far from the majestic Scuola Grande della Misericordia, there’s a curious thing you should see: a bridge with no parapet.

Back in Serenissima’s time, all bridges were without a parapet, but then they were all added because of security reasons. Today, there are just a couple of examples around the city and one of them is Ponte de Chiodo, in Fondamenta San Felice.

Campo dei Mori (Square of the Moors)

Another secret gem of Venice is a small square, which history is related to a legend. It’s said that three brothers, silk and spice merchants, were turned to stone on account of their greed. In fact, they tried to cheat an old woman who wanted to buy some prestigious fabrics for her new shop, offering her some poor-quality clothes, instead. When the three brothers touched the money she gave them, they immediately became statues, those ones you can see in the Campo.

The Red Bench in the Ghetto of Venice

The last quirky thing, you must see in Venice, is located in the Venice Jewish Ghetto, right behind our hotel.

According to the collective imagination, Jews are usually seen as money-lenders or skillful merchants, William Shakespeare himself wrote a play with a Jewish character respecting these features: The Merchant of Venice.

In Campo del Ghetto Nuovo you can still admire the sign of the Red Bank, Banco Rosso, where you could bind an object in exchange for a cash loan. It has recently opened to the public, so you can stop by for a quick visit.

Mask, glass artworks, refined fabrics… this list might go on forever. Venice has still several artisans boutiques you should pay a visit to during your stay, which remind of its previous commercial power.

We would like to show and suggest you some of the most iconic and beautiful boutiques in Venice, that will make you lose in a world most of the people ignore.

Bottega del Tintoretto

You certainly have heard about one of the greatest Venetian artists, Jacopo Robusti, called Tintoretto. He was born in Venice, in Cannaregio, right behind the Fondamenta della Misericordia. His palace is now the headquarters of Bottega del Tintoretto, a graphic studio where you can learn the traditional techniques of paintings and lithography.

Design and painting courses are organized every year.

Address: Cannaregio, 3400, 30121 Venezia

Riccardo Guaraldi Liutaio Venezia

Have you ever listened to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons? The red priest, as he used to be called for his red hair, used to play violin in theaters and churches, in fact, Venice was pretty famous in the industry of instruments at the time.

Riccardo Guaraldi is a talented lutist who’s bringing on the ancient art of making string instruments. It’s boutique is located near the Basilica of San Giovanni e Paolo, not far from our hotel.

Address: Castello, 6282, Corte Botera, 30122 Venezia

Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua

Venice wasn’t the capital of fashion during the Serenissima Republic, but it had a point about refined fabrics. At Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, a Venetian fabrics manufacturer, you can see 18th-century looms with you own eyes and learn more about about the traditional and centenary techniques, which made Venice famous for its fabrics around the world.

You can reach it in only 12 minutes from our hotel.

Address: S. Croce, 1320, 30135 Venezia

Mauro Vianello

We have already suggested you to visit a furnace in Murano to appreciate the difficult art of blowing glass, but if you don’t have enough time for a boat tour to the main Venetian islands, you can step by Mauro Vianello’s boutique.

Mauro is an artist who learnt how to create glass masterpieces when he was just a boy. His boutique is located in the Sestiere of Santa Croce and you can walk in to observe him while he’s creating one of this fascinating artworks.

Address: Santa Croce 2251, Calle dei Morti

Ca’ del Sol

Another artisans boutique in Venice you should step by is Ca’ del Sol, where you can see how the famous Venetian masks are created. In this small workshop, a group of artisans make new masks everyday. You can find the well-known bauta, the real Venetian mask or those of Arlecchino, Pulcinella and many more.

Address: Castello, 4964, 30100 Venezia

Organizing a perfect holiday in Venice is not hard if you have the right information, if you know where to stay and how to go around. We perfectly know that Venice is as beautiful as complicated, with all its labirythinc streets, but you don’t have to worry. Take a piece of paper and a pen and let’s start taking some notes.

How to choose the perfect area to stay
Venice is divided in six districts, called “sestieri”, depending on which you choose you will be closer or farther to the main attractions of the city.  The six districts are: Cannaregio, San Marco, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce and Castello.
Cannaregio, where our hotel is situated, is very close to the train Station and to the heart of the city. This area is well-known for its typical “bacari” (typical Venetians bar) and for the Jewish Ghetto. 

How not to get lost in Venice
We are always happy to help you understand the intricate net of street in Venice, but you can also make your life easier using Google Maps. There are a lot of direction signs almost everywhere, but it could happen that you take a wrong street once, just because you got attracted to a nice corner. Google maps can really help you find the right way back.
By the way, Venetians get lost in their city too. It simply happens, it’s Venice.

Sneakers are better than hills
Venice has no cars but a lot of bridges, wearing hill, unfortunately, is not the better choice you can make. Unless you only want to visit Venice on a boat or a kayak (link) – but it would be a pity – you should take a pair of comfortable shoes with you.

What is the best period to come
Organizing a perfect holiday in Venice means also considering the season when to come. As in winter as in summer, Venice is beautiful and surprising, but there are moments when living the city is harder than others.
From November to January, you could find the high tide. It’s a fascinating event, no doubt on it and we hope you could see it at least once in your life, but visiting the city could not be that easy.
If experiencing the high tide in Venice is one of the things you want to do, here’s all you need to know about.

Where to eat and what to visit in Venice
If you want to know what to eat in Venice, you can ask us and we will be happy to give you some pieces of advices.
Same if you need some suggestions about where to taste our cuisine and the main attractions in Venice.
In the maintime, you can have a look at this article we wrote.

Visiting Venice means also considering the idea of visiting its most known islands: Burano, Murano and Torcello. These three islands are not that far from Venice and are easily reachable by boat.

How to organize a day trip to Burano, Murano and Torcello
You have two ways to visit these three islands: enjoying a guided tour or going by yourself.
There a lot of guided tour that can take you to the islands, but most of them have a duration of 4 hours more or less. They are perfect if you are staying in Venice for just a weekend, but If you have more time and you don’t want to miss a thing, you should take advantage of the Venezia Unica City Pass.
Venezia Unica city Pass is a all-in-one pass that you can use for transportations and attractions. You can personalize your card, according to your plans, including a day-ticket to the islands.

What to see on Burano Island
Burano is, probably, the most famous Venetian Island. Its laces and its colorful houses are known all over the world.
Burano is a little treasure in the Venetian lagoon and the laces you can buy here are true pieces of art that you won’t find anywhere else.
Don’t miss to visit the Lace Museum, take a picture to the pending belltower and try a typical “Bussolà” (Burano’s cookie).

What to see on Murano Island
Murano is the island of the glass art, you have probably heard about the well-known Murano Glass already.
On this island you can visit the Glass Museum and see with your own eyes Glass Masters at work. They can model glass as if it was clay, it is really astonishing.
You can also step by the Church of Santa Maria e San Donato and the Church of St. Peter Martyr.

What to see on Torcello Island
According to the origin of Venice, Torcello island was the first place where Venetians, escaping from the barbarian invasions, settled down.
For centuries, Torcello island was the center of all commercial activities. Without Torcello, Venice would not have existed.
Devil’s Bridge is definitely a thing you cannot miss on the island. This bridge is related to several legends, all of them tell about a deal with the Devil in exchange of something.
The main attractions on the island are two old churches: the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the Church of Santa Fosca. The Cathedral shows the signs of the passing time, but it still beautiful and decorated with nice mosaics.
There is also the Museum of Torcello which preserves medieval and modern works of art and archaeological finds, taken from the surrounding region.
Last but not least, the so-called Throne of Attila, an ancient stone chair that actually has nothing to do with the king of the Huns, since it was placed there 100 years after his death.