VENICE: THE CITY OF ART
Venice
is an art city rich of history. We want to propose an "off the beaten path" itinerary
through the beauty and the history of Venice.
1st
day: the New Ghetto
The Venetian palace, church and monument remember clearly all the intense
traffic and Orient cultural link of the Serenissima. Walking these streets you
can recover the past history and events of different communities living here.
Interesting Hebrew Ghetto, founded in Cannaregio where you can see Hebrew
and Italian languages signs It is typical in Venice from initial times, when for three
centuries the zone was closed to the remainder of the town. Today instead it is
part integrating of the city. Going to the Ghetto Nuovo field you can visit the
Hebrew Art Museum and the Synagogue. Going to
the Castello, Greek Balkan founding, you find Greek Albanian, Dalmatian and Serbia
communities. Here, the Greek influence is very strong, mainly in language and
dishes. Going to northbound, you find the Madonna dell'Orto field, where you
can visit the homonymous church, with the miracle image of the Madonna col
Bambino.
2nd day: the influence
from Byzantine art
Visit the Miracoli
Church, located in a
little street, with its Renaissance facade, semicircular rose front mixing the
Gothic style of relevant Byzantine influence. Inside, the
miracle Madonna col Bambino, and exterior gracious field. The next
church to visit is the SS. Giovanni e Paolo, in Gothic Venetian style,
considered the city Pantheon, due famous people sepulchered there. At its place, the Generale Colleoni statue. Go to the San
Giorgio dei Greci Church, testimony of Greek community in Venice since 500 years, with Renaissance
style facade and Byzantine preference, whose best example is the San Marco
Basilica. Inside, a suggestive style, with low light spread from the lamps
hanging and candelabra and liturgics music with Byzantine touch.
In the evening you can searching an adequate location to go with
literary evocation, you have to go to Harry's Bar, one of the most well known
Venetian restaurants, favorite place for Hemingway, with international jet set
visits today. Willing to continue the ideal itinerary tracking the Serenissima
community, the right place would be the Schiavoni river,
where you find the well known Sospiri
Bridge, relevant commerce
place for Greek and Slavic populations every year.
3rd
day: Murano island
Leaving Venetia island,
you can enjoy the open surrounding lands. The destination, in northbound of the
Serenissima, is Murano, where you arrive in streamer ship. The island that we
sight immediately is San Michele, cemetery of the town, where had burial some
great personalities like Stravinskij or Diaghilev, the choreography author of the "Russian Ballet". Between the green cypresses you can
admire the white facade of the San Michele Church, whose classic shapes
contrast with the curled style of its decorative
shells, symbol of the sea, the Murano symbol of the better tradition in glass
art, preserving original gestures and techniques, even if it is necessary to
admit that with the number of tourists invading the island, it is necessary to
pay attention to the offer. There you can find today, however, niches of
artisan quality, names of glass art like Barovier, with continued activity for
six hundred years.
4th day: S. Donato island
Going to San Donato island, you find its
basilica, which is like a small Venice,
with the Canal Grande crossing it. It is interesting to note that not the main
facade, but the side facing Murano canal, was mainly east oriented during the
construction of the church. Its effect is, however of
a certain impact, at side, you can find a semicircular portico, with niches
separated by white columns, alternating with red brickwork and Istria white. Inside, the Orante
Virgin, image of a Byzantine Madonna that shining over sparkling wall.
This island has other place to visit, the Glass Museum
with millenary memories from this ancient art, backing to the Roman period.
5th day: S. Erasmo island
At this island you can find a reality that seems distant from Venice, a life that it is
developed like a microcosm. There the sailing will be large going to Vignole,
the island of Seven Vineyards. Then you would be
entering to canal separating the Lazzaretto Nuovo from Sant'Erasmo. Arriving to
the island, you can rent a bike to visit it and perimeter traveling. Then, the
impressive hedges, the road open gardens, and groves, a more rural panorama, a
lot far away from the splendor and wonder of the Venetian county town. There,
the strong rose building, from XIX century, the Massimiliana
Tower, immersed on the artichoke
green, with the slit, the architrave, the spiral staircase in Istria
stone. Its strategic position helps the observation of the lagoon. Turning left , the coastal line, to breath the pure sea air; then,
go to island end, where you find a little inhabited center. Entering you can
see gardens, fruit trees and small colored houses, with very simple aspect,
different from remaining part of San Erasmo and country, whose fruit are sold
in Venetian markets. Coming back to Venice in
the evening, you could dine at Colombo,
and try one of its great lagoon fish dishes. After dinner, it is worth a walk
towards Piazza San Marco, where you will appreciate the warm, romantic
athmosfere of the open cafes and their live soft music.
6th day: Burano
Between the islands of Venetian crown one relevant island is the pizzas
and laces one: Burano, reachable in steamer ship. Once there, you will admire
the colors of the houses, true pride of the inhabitants, simple and harmonic
single houses Across the road, you can see gentlemen
seat before the door, probably doing laces. A quiet and simple island connected
by bridge to Mazzorbo, place with residences of noble and monasteries in past
time. Visit the fourteenth-century church
of Santa Caterina,
preceded from a small lobby, with fine campanile and cupola. Then, continue
towards the Merletti Museum, ancient insular art renowned and appreciated
over the world, museum that is accommodated in the Podestà Palace,
where precious tablecloths, three from ends of XIX century, excellent and
ancient copriletti are done according to ancient techniques. Remember that
between the more important island activities is the fishing and strolling
between calluses and canals; there is relevant men seeking to fix the nets of
their boats.chain in which each color clashes with the near one.
7th day: Torcello
The next island, Torcello, is the most ancient land in Venice, formerly sediment on lagoon, today
preserved as archeological testimony of prestigious past time. Near, you find
Borgognoni, in whose place you see the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, from the
VII century, keeping a precious mosaic of universal Giudizio, occupying a whole
wall. At side, the Battistero ruins, and Santa Fosca church, with Greek cross.
Exiting by campanile, you find the Cathedral, where, in past time, fishermen
and travelers had the reference point. From top you can see the Venezia palace.
Torcello offers a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, surrealistic, formerly very loved by Hemingway. During the short visit to this
island, you can visit the Estuary
Museum, at Torcello
place, with two different sections: the Palazzo del Consiglio, with Medieval
and Modern section, and the Palazzo dell'Archivio with archeological section.
Testimony of impressive past time, when there was the commercial route with
Orient Empire.
Entering again into Venetian streets and canals there would be
interesting going to Rialto
Bridge to admire the
Venetian night and breathe the active atmosphere from Canal Grande, at the time
when all rumors and noises are mixed with water sound.
