Mosaics And Flamingos On Torcello

The 11th century Church of Santa Fosca on Torcello Island. The Islands of Torcello in the northern area of the Venetian Lagoon have a history older than Venice herself. This group of islands, was the first area to be inhabited by the fleeing Veneti after the fall of the Western Roman Empire when the Barbarians, led by Attila the Hun invaded Northern Italy in the … Continue reading Mosaics And Flamingos On Torcello

Surviving Acqua Alta in Venice

When we were first searching for a property in Venice, we saw some beautiful apartments on the ground floor with little courtyards and gondolas slipping past. But the thought of owning a ground floor apartment and acqua alta happening when we were home in New Zealand filled us with horror! So we purchased Ca’Grisostomo on the first floor with a little balcony over the canal.However, … Continue reading Surviving Acqua Alta in Venice

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The Saddest Lion in the World

It really is devastating to stand in front of this hopelessly sad, magnificently carved Winged Lion in the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice. This monument is dedicated to the great sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822) and houses just his heart. The Lion’s book is closed, a symbol of the wisdom of the artist that has been carried away, his tail wrapped around his body, his eyes … Continue reading The Saddest Lion in the World

Venice Backstage

Venice isn’t just a stage set, It’s also a city with a resident population, which has productive activities, transportation and services. But how does the “Venice system” work? How do the tides in the lagoon behave? How are the canals formed? And the embankments? What’s under the buildings? This rather hilarious but very informative video explains Venice’s fascinating workings very clearly. Directed by Nicolò Scibilia … Continue reading Venice Backstage

Spritz and Cicchetti

Throughout Venice it’s easy to find traditional wine and food in the small wine bars called bacari that serve cicchetti (pronounced chikhetteh) which are sort of like tapas – Venetian style – small nibbles of seasonal bite-sized tastes. Some of the best local food.Bacari are usually pretty small establishments with only a couple of seats so the idea is to buy yourself an ombra (glass … Continue reading Spritz and Cicchetti