How is Venice changing after a rather difficult year 2019, and what is important to know for visitors now? While outwardly, the city is beautiful as always, there are a few things you need to take into account to prepare your visit in 2020 ff. In this post, we share our favorite resources (books, travel
Read more "30 Resources for You to Explore Venice in 2020"
Si ricomincia .. This is a special blog entry – after all, you don’t witness the beginning of a new decade every year. Did you know that on 25 March 2020, Venice will be officially 1599 years old? Which is a legend of course, but a day of reference, nevertheless. Many of you know that
Read more "Dawning of A New Decade: Venice in 2020, and a Breakfast Walk"
This week, we’re celebrating a special birthday here at La Venessiana: Nonna Lina, heart and soul of the blog and our culinary project Roses and Spices, is celebrating her 97th birthday! It doesn’t happen often that her birthday starts with sunshine, as 23 December in Venice is usually wet and feels really cold. This is
Read more "Celebrating a Winter Birthday in Venice"
Since times immemorial, the Feast of Santa Lucia marks the start of winter in Venice: It’s the day when we “finally recall it’s really getting so festive in town”, as we approach solstizio d’inverno, winter solstice on 22-23 December. During this quiet time, candles are lit at home and a break is taken for a
Read more "Winter Solstice Stories and Traditions"
Christmas in Venice used to start a little earlier each year. I recall that in the 1990s, there were no luminarie (as the Christmas lights were called in Venice) until a few days before Christmas. And when they finally appeared like overnight, we woke up to simple decorations made from red ribbons and emerald-green firs
Read more "My Christmas Gift Guide: 2019"
During the weeks before Christmas, Venetians have got all the time to treat visitors as VIP. You will certainly feel like a special guest in a city no longer besieged by tourists. But then, this year, Christmas starts a little bit earlier. In 2019, the Albaro de Nadal – the Christmas tree on Piazza San
Read more "Nine Ideas to Spend an Advent Day in Venice"
Dear readers, In Venice, everyone could tell you about the flood of 4 November 1966, when the water level reached 194 cm on Piazza San Marco. My generation knows this event only from hearsay and until two weeks ago, it seemed unlikely that we would ever witness a similar one. After all, they used to
Read more "Interview: My Hope for Venice. The City After the Floods."
Until the last minute, it wasn’t sure at all if the ponte votivo – the votive bridge, built for the Venetians to reach their Basilica every year on 21 November, would be ready and waiting for the Venetians in 2019: Venice had suffered three devastating floods within a week, the first reaching level 187 cm,
Read more "Grateful for Venice."
Bad weather causes floods (acqua alta) in Venice during November every year, Venetians have learnt to live with it. We did had an uncanny feeling about last night, but it was a surprise when the sirens sounded four times, annoucing acqua granda > 170 cm. People rushed and tried to save as many belongings as
Read more "A Disastrous Flood. 12-17 November 2019."This is our second post in the series “Visit Venice responsibly”, month after month.
Read more "November Guide: What to See, Do and Eat in Venice"
While you could start your day like I do on weekends, with a cup of bergamot and calendula tea at Serra dei Giardini, there are many specialties you shouldn’t miss in the pastry stores! This is how Venice really TASTES. So let’s take a look where you could go and enjoy seasonal breakfast treats!
Read more "Four Beautiful Cafes in Venice"
The market is getting so colorful, and all the ingredients for the famous Venetian soul food dishes are now in season! This post shows you what the market has to offer, a few days before Halloween and the beginning of the Agricultural Year in the Veneto, on 1 November. The soul food soups are back
Read more "The Rialto Market in October"
This is our first post in the series “Visit Venice responsibly – month by month”: In 12 episodes, we’ll show you what Venice looks like during the year. You will see how colors change, taste seasonal food and get more tips to explore and learn about Venice. And we hope that these blog posts will
Read more "October Guide: What To See, Do And Eat In Venice"
Here in Venice, the whole month of September is considered summer with a bonus: It’s harvest time (la vendemmia!) and the flowers and vegetables in the Lagoon enjoy a “second spring”. This means they look so lush again after the hottest months of the year have passed, and the wine harvest, la vendemmia, is taking place.
Read more "Late Summer in the Lagoon, and a visit to the vineyards"
It happens over night, so to say. First, the thunderstorms in the second half of August announce that summer is merging into late summer. The fifth season, as Nonna Lina calls the last week of August and the whole month of September. Weatherwise, you get two possibilities: you might either enjoy blessed days full of
Read more "The September Guide to the Rialto Market"
We are so happy to present to you what we’ve been working on in August: Free City Guide 2020 + Roadmap to Venice We show you the neighborhood where Marco Polo lived, and introduce the green Venice, the secret gardens of our city. Many of them are located in Castello, not far from where we
Read more "Download the free Venice Guide 2020"
Venice, 27 August 2012. I will always recall this day, because it was the first time I ventured out, new camera hiding in my bag, to take pictures for my new blog on Venice! Because there were no other blogs on Venice written in English by a Venetian, I took the plunge and started A
Read more "Summer Morning in A Green Courtyard: San Giorgio dei Greci"
Did you know? Our Rialto Market here in Venice is the oldest market in Europe still located where it was founded. According to legend, on 25 March 421. A market that is paradise, I was told a couple of years ago. But isn’t it dying, I was asked a few days ago. True, during the
Read more "The August Guide to the Rialto Market"
It’s that time of the year again. July, the most busy and at the same time, most quiet month of the year, depending on where you are in Venice, and what you are doing. For our grandmother Lina, summer has always been her favorite season: She’s now spending hours on end in the garden, picking
Read more "Interview: How Do We Live with Overtourism in Venice?"Click here to read the English version Dopo l’incidente a Venezia lo scorso 2 giugno quando una nave da crociera si è schiantata contro un battello turistico e la banchina nel Canale della Giudecca, si sono scatenate le discussioni sul futuro della città di Venezia e lo spostamento del porto turistico. Prima di discutere, bisogna
Read more "Sei termini raccontano i segreti della Laguna di Venezia"
Click here to read the Italian version Following the cruise ship accident of 2 June 2019, discussions were sparked on the future of Venice and a possible referendum on the new location of the port of Venice. Six terms explain what works and what doesn’t for the Lagoon and Venice. There is no Venice without
Read more "How the Lagoon of Venice Works, Explained in Six Terms"
On 2 June 2019, a cruise ship accident happened in Venice: MSC Opera, paralized by a motor defect just after passing Piazza San Marco, was drifting helplessly for 500 meters, past the major symbol of our city, Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute. Two tug boats were able to delay the accident, pulling the 65-ton
Read more "How Ships Damage the Lagoon: Expert Opinions"
On 2 June, a cruise ship accident happened in Venice. Immediately afterwards, the debate on the future of these giants ploughing the Lagoon was opened. In this post, we summarize what happened, share the suggestions discussed and the solution proposed by the major expert in the field of Lagoon engineering and hydraulics, Professor Luigi d’Alpaos
Read more "Cruise Ship Accident in Venice: What Happened on 02 June 2019"
It’s that time of the year again! La Biennale di Venezia 2019 opened on 14 May, and from this event comes to our idea to take you around the exposition area, beyond the main venues (Padiglione Centrale (Giardini) and Arsenale (Gaggiandre, Giardino delle Vergini, Lorenzo Quinn – Building Bridges) where the Biennale takes place in
Read more "A Walk around the Biennale Area + Food Guide"
