Visiting the churches of Venice
15
February
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The huge artistic heritage of Venice includes also the churches that rise in all the quarters of the city, churches that are attended by believers as they are places of worship, but that also have a great historic, artistic and cultural value, and for this reason they are an important tourist attraction.

The churches of Venice are a great heritage of the city, and to protect and preserve these buildings since 1998 there is Chorus, the association for the churches of the patriarchate of Venice, which has worked to make churches more accessible to tourists (always respecting the believers that go to the church to pray or to take part in religious ceremonies), and to protect and to make the most of this heritage. Chorus is a non-profit association, and its original members were the priests and rectors of 13 churches. Nowadays the network of Chorus includes 16 of the main monumental churches of the city, where you can find outstanding works of art and which can certainly be considered as real museums. Thanks to the efforts that have been recently made to make the most of this important heritage, tourists, scholars and art and architecture lovers can enjoy the wonders that are kept in the churches and the churches themselves. A few years ago, indeed, tourists were not allowed into the churches of Venice for the most part of the day, some of the churches that were open had no attendant, and in some cases a restoration was needed; now it is getting better, and today more than ever churches, at least the most important and famous ones, should be included in the travel plan of all the visitors of the lagoon city.

Redentore

The churches that are part of Chorus are: Santa Maria del Giglio, Santo Stefano, Santa Maria Formosa, Santa Maria dei Miracoli, San Giovanni Elemosinario, San Polo, San Giacomo dall’Orio, San Stae, Sant’Alvise, Madonna dell’Orto, San Pietro di Castello, Santissimo Redentore, Santa Maria del Rosario, San Sebastiano, San Giobbe and the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. Frari, in particular, is probably the most famous church of Venice after San Marco, and it houses some unmissable masterpieces, like the altarpiece of the Assumption and the Pesaro Madonna by Tiziano, Madonna and Child with SS Nicholas of Bari, Peter, Mark and Benedict by Giovanni Bellini, Antonio Canova’s funerary monument and the wooden statue of St John the Baptist by Donatello.

Tiziano

However, all the churches listed above preserve many masterpieces that deserve to be discovered: just to make few examples, in Santa Maria del Giglio there is the only work by Peter Paul Rubens that can be found in Venice (Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist), in San Sebastiano there is the great painting cycle that was realised by Paolo Veronese between 1555 and 1570, and many other artists have left their mark in the churches of Venice, like Jacopo Tintoretto (Santa Maria del Giglio, San Stefano, San Polo, Madonna dell’Orto, Santissimo Redentore, Santa Maria del Rosario) and Giambattista Tiepolo (Santa Maria Formosa, San Polo, San Stae, Sant’Alvise, Santa Maria del Rosario).

Rubens

In conclusion, here are some curiosities about some of the above-mentioned churches: San Giacomo dall’Orio is one of the most ancient churches of Venice (it was built in the 9th century), and houses some masterpieces of the Renaissance, like The Virgin and Saints by Lorenzo Lotto; the Santissimo Redentore Church is the heart of the celebrations for the Redentore, one of the most keenly felt events in Venice, while the Madonna with Child, a work by Zanino di Pietro set on the altar of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, is believed to be miraculous.

Santa Maria dei Miracoli

Category: Art cities, Old Venice, Venetian Arts, Venice Holidays  Leave a Comment
The fights between Castellani and Nicolotti in Venice
10
February
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The history of many Italian cities has been characterised by fights between opposing families and factions, as happened with Visconti and Della Torre in Milan and Colonna and Orsini in Rome. Some of these rivalries are still very famous not only because they had consequences on the history of the city, but also because they have been mentioned by poets, writers and men of letters. This is the case, for example, of the rivalry between Montagues and Capulets in Verona, made famous by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet, and the one between Guelphs and Ghibellines in Florence, which Dante refers to in the Divine Comedy.

Venice

Also Venice, like all these and other Italian cities, was animated, so to speak, through fights and rivalries between two factions, Castellani and Nicolotti. These were neither struggles between families, like Montagues and Capulets, nor fights between different political factions, like Guelphs and Ghibellines. It was more like a geographical division: on the one hand the Castellani, who lived in the eastern part of the city (in the zone of Saint Mark, part of Dorsoduro and Cannaregio, Lido and Castello, hence the name Castellani), on the other hand the Nicolotti, who lived in the western part of Venice (in the zone of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli – hence the name Nicolotti – which includes Santa Croce, San Polo and part of Dorsoduro and Cannaregio).

Nicolotti

Most members of the Castellani faction were “arsenalotti”, meaning that they worked in the Venice Arsenal, while most Nicolotti were fishermen. The origin of the rivalry between the factions is not very clear, but it is supposed to come back to a very ancient time, before the Serenissima Repubblica, when there were rivalries between the towns of Jesolo and Eraclea. These rivalries are supposed to have been “imported” to Venice when the inhabitants of both cities moved to the lagoon city to escape external invasions.

What we know for sure is that the factions used to differentiate from each other wearing bands and caps of different colours (black for the Nicolotti, red for the Castellani), and that they used to challenge each other very often. The fights between Nicolotti and Castellani were held on bridges, and in the beginning they used canes and sticks, but then they began to organise fist fights. The aim of the fight was making the opponent fall from the bridge (almost no bridge in Venice had a parapet), while fighters were encouraged by the rest of the population. There were various kinds of fights: “Mostra”, i.e. a match between two opponents, who were usually chosen among the strongest members of the factions, “Frota”, a fight between many members of Castellani and Nicolotti, and “Guerra Ordinata”, the aim of which was conquering the bridge. Many bridges were chosen to host the fights: Ponte della Guerra, Ponte di Santa Fosca, Ponte dei Carmini and Ponte dei Pugni (literally the Bridge of Fists), which derives its name from these fights.

Frota

In 1705 the fight degenerated resulting in many wounded, and fights were prohibited and replaced by other competitions (like “Forze d’Ercole”, i.e. human pyramids), but some traces of the fist fights can still be found in Venice: on Ponte Diedo and Ponte dei Pugni, for example, you can still see the “sampe”, i.e. the footprints which used to mark the starting position of fighters.

Sampe

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Venetian Recipes: “risi e bisi” (rice and peas)
03
February
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First courses are the strength of Italian cuisine, and in the North risotto and soups play a main role. This “rule” is followed also by Venice, and more in general by the region Veneto: one of the most representative dishes of the region, indeed, is “risi e bisi”.

Anyone visiting Venice, as well as Vicenza and all the other cities of the region Veneto, should try “risi e bisi” (rice and peas), a dish that is halfway between risotto and soup, and that has a unique and intense taste, although it is prepared with few ingredients. It is not a proper risotto, as its consistence is more liquid, but it is definitely too thick to be classified as a soup. However, there is no need for asking too many questions to understand to which family this dish belongs, you just need to know that it is a very tasty and filling first course, which can be eaten in all the restaurants that offer typical recipes of the Venetian cuisine, and that everybody can cook it in their own kitchen.

Ingredients_Risi_Bisi

A guarantee of the tastiness of risi e bisi is given by the long tradition of this dish, which has gone through the centuries remaining one of the best specialities of the Venetian cuisine. An ancient dish (many people assert that it was a Byzantine dish, which was then imported by Venetians), it was offered to the Doge during the celebrations for the patron of the city, Saint Mark, which took place on the 25th of April. If you wish to feel like a Doge, these are the ingredients (for four people) that you need to cook risi e bisi according to the Venetian recipe: 300 g rice, 300 g peas (if it is possible, fresh peas with pods), 50 g bacon, 1 onion, 50 g butter, 1 spoon oil, 1 l stock, Parmesan, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

Dish_Risi_Bisi

Have you noticed that only a few ingredients are required? Although it was the dish of the Doge, indeed, it is basically a poor dish, within everybody’s reach. First of all shell the peas and wash the pods. Pour the pods into the stock and make them boil for about 60 minutes, then pass the stock through a sieve. Chop the onion and let it fry in another pot with oil and a half of the butter, cut the bacon into small cubes and make it brown together with the onion. Now you can add the peas and some stock; stir for some minutes with a wooden spoon. Now you can pour the remaining of the stock into the pot and make it boil. Add salt and pepper at will. Pour also the rice into the pot and cook it, stirring often. In order to obtain a good result remember that rice must be slightly underdone, and its consistency must be that of a very thick soup, not of a risotto. If you notice that the rice is too thick, while you are cooking it you can add other stock or some water. When cooked, turn off the burner, add the parsley, the Parmesan and the butter and blend everything: your dish is ready and you can serve it!

Risi_e_bisi

If you do not have enough time, or if it is not pea season, you can use dried or frozen peas. In some variations on the recipes, moreover, bacon is not included: you can leave it aside if you wish to cook a vegetarian or simply a lighter dish. In any case, your dish will be successful!

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Venice in Movies and Literature
28
January
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Venice is an open air museum, a beautiful and mysterious city, in which each view, each “calle” and each palace seems to come out of a picture, and where there is an almost unreal atmosphere. No wonder that Venice has been chosen as the setting for many movies and literary works, attracting writers, artists and directors from all over the world. In the novels and movies that are set in the lagoon city Venice is not only the scene where characters act, it is itself a character, and sometimes the main character.

If you wish to visit Venice following a special route, different from the usual tourist routes, you can put some books or DVDs in your suitcase and try to follow in the steps of the characters of famous Italian and international works. An original idea not only for movies and literature lovers, but also for all those who love Venice, and who never get tired of discovering new aspects of this amazing city.

Death_in_Venice

Many literary works and movies that have been set in Venice overlap: this is the case of the movies that have been taken from famous literary works, like Death in Venice. Both the novella written by Thomas Mann and the movie directed by Luchino Visconti have come down in literature and film history, and convey a decadent image of the lagoon city. In order to find the places of the movie and the book you need to go to the Lido, the beach, not far from Venice, where there is the Hotel des Bains. This is where Gustav von Aschenbach, the main character of Death in Venice, stays. Another very famous work set in Venice is The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, which has inspired the homonymous movie starring Al Pacino. In this case the work is set in the ghetto, once separated from the rest of the city with gates that prevented Jews from going out at night. Thankfully the ghetto no longer has a segregation function, and taking a walk in this zone might be very interesting.

Merchant_of_Venice

One of the most representative Venetian inhabitants was Giacomo Casanova, who is the main character of many movies taken from his autobiographical work. Reading those pages or watching those movies (the one shot by Lasse Hallström in 2005, for example), means to immerse yourself in the Venetian atmosphere.

Venice has hosted many other sets of both Italian movies and international productions. Among the Italian works there is another movie by Luchino Visconti, Senso, (a scene is set in the beautiful theatre La Fenice, which was destroyed by a fire in 1996 and was inaugurated again few years ago), and Bread and Tulips by Silvio Soldini.

Senso

In this movie Venice is one of the main characters, and like the other characters it appears unique, different and special. Among the international productions there are many successful movies, like two episodes of 007 (Moonraker by Lewis Gilbert and From Russia with Love by Terence Young), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade by Steven Spielberg, Everyone says I Love You by Woody Allen and The Italian Job by Gary Gray.

Moonraker

As for books, besides the ones that have been mentioned above, a special mention is due to Venice is a fish, published by Venetian writer Tiziano Scarpa in 2000. This is not a novel, but a special city guide written by one of the most popular Italian writers, who has just been awarded the Strega Prize. He does not only describe the usual tourist routes, but makes a real portrait of the city. An unusual guide to look at Venice from a new point of view.

Category: Art cities, Contemporary art, Old Venice, Venetian Arts, Venice Holidays  2 Comments
Venice Carnival: Instructions for Use
22
January
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Carnival is one of the most important and famous events of Venice: every year a number of tourists gather in the lagoon city to watch various kinds of shows that take place in all the sestieri (quarters) of the city and to admire the beautiful and mysterious masks that go down through the streets impassive, hiding the face of the people that wear them.

The tradition of celebrating carnival in Venice is very ancient, and some documents show that it already existed in 1094. After having reached its climax in the 18th century, when Venice Carnival was well-known also in the surroundings, this great Venetian event was discontinued after the French occupation by Napoleon, and was then held again starting from 1979. In these last decades Venice Carnival is returned to former glory, and visiting the city in the days that precede Lent is certainly an once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, if you visit Venice for the first time just at carnival, you might feel bewildered in a city that is different from any other city in the world and busier than ever, and you might find it difficult to completely enjoy this spectacular event. Here are some hints to “do the right things” and to be able to say, back from your stay in the lagoon city, to have really experienced Venice Carnival.

Venice_masks

First of all, if you do not want to be a bare external spectator, and you wish to take part in the feast, you need to wear a mask: without masks, which in the past were widespread in Venice not only at carnival, you would feel like a round peg in a square hole. If you have neither time nor money to have a showy costume done, still you can rent one or hide at least your face with various kinds of cheap or expensive masks: there are many shops selling handmade masks (it is no coincidence that Kubrick purchased the masks for his last masterwork, “Eyes Wide Shut”, in a Venetian shop), and some shops realise custom-made masks with the cast of the face, but if you want to spare money you can have your face coloured in Saint-Mark’s Square or in other zones of the city. Alternatively children can have fun cutting out and colouring masks with their own hands: an activity that stimulates their imagination and makes them feel protagonists of the feast.

Venice_Mask

At this point you are ready and you can join the fray. If you wish to take part in all those events that have made the Venice carnival’s history, you must go to St Mark’s Square (we suggest that you do not take the vaporetto boat, it is very expensive for tourists and in festivities it is always full of people: it is much better to walk, also to enjoy the events that take place in all the sestieri): although the carnival celebrations reach their climax on Mardi Gras, the last day of Carnival, also in the first days St Mark’s Square hosts two traditional events: the “Volo dell’Angelo” (angel’s flight) or “Volo della Colombina (Columbine’s flight), and the “Festa delle Marie” (Marias’ fiest). If you prefer to avoid the crowd of St Mark’s Square, all around Venice there are events and shows that convey the cheerful carnival atmosphere.

Angel’s_Flight

Last but not least, carnival is not carnival without the typical Venetian cakes: enter a confectioner’s shop or a bakery (but avoid the ones near St Mark’s Square if you do not want to spend too much money) and buy some “fritoe” or “galani”: in this way you can have a real taste of Venice Carnival!

Galani

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Venetian Recipes: “fritoe”
20
January
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Carnival is certainly one of the most famous events in Venice, and this feast is so appreciated by children and adults, by Venetian people and tourists not only for the spectacular and mysterious masks or for the wonderful setting of a timeless city, but also for the typical cakes and dishes that are prepared in this period. The carnival cakes par excellence are the “fritoe”.

Fritoe

During carnival both confectioners and housewives roll up their sleeves, start to knead and heat oil to prepare fritoe. You do not need too many ingredients to cook this cake, which is a poor dish, although it was considered as the national cake of the Serenissima Republic. At that time only the corporation of the “fritoeri” was allowed to prepare this cake, but nowadays everybody, following some suggestions, can recreate the atmosphere of the Serenissima and of the Venetian Carnival cooking his/her own supply of fritoe in his/her own kitchen.

Here are the ingredients for 4 people: 12 g of yeast, 200 grams of flour, 40 g of raisins, 40 g of pine nuts, 40 g of candied cedar, 350 g of seed oil, 40 g of sugar, 16 g of icing sugar and 0,5 cl of grappa or rum. It is not difficult to find these ingredients. And now put on your apron, take a bowl and a spoon and get ready to become a real Venetian cook!

First of all dissolve the yeast in the bowl with a little warm water and sugar. Add the rum or the grappa (certainly the grappa is a more typical Venetian liquor…), the flour and, if it is necessary, some water. Mix everything well, then cover with a cloth and let the dough rest for about an hour, until it rises to twice the volume it had before. Do you think that the preparation of this cake is taking too long? Just wait until you taste the fritoe, and you will realise that it was worth waiting for!

After an hour has passed we can go on by adding also the raisins, the pea nuts and the cedar to the dough. Most of it is done. Now you only have to form and fry the fritoe: pour the oil into a not very large but quite tall pan and heat it, then take a spoon, wet it and take a spoonful of dough. Pour the contents of the spoon directly into the hot oil helping yourselves with your finger or another spoon: you will see that an irregularly shaped ball will form. Do this again and again until the dough is over. Let the fritoe fry until they get brown (be careful not to burn them!), then take them out of the oil and put them on some blotting paper. Just a suggestion: do not pour too many fritoe into the oil all together, in this way they fry better and there is enough space to turn them if you notice that they are not frying in a uniform way.

Fried_Fritoe

What do you think? It has not been too difficult, has it? Now you only need to put a finishing touch, to serve your “work” to your guests in a way which suits the age-old tradition of this dish: just sprinkle the fritoe with icing sugar and serve.

With few and simple steps we have explained the recipe of a tasty and simple carnival cake that you can cook at your place whenever you want, both to remind you of that patisserie that conquered you during your holiday in Venice, and to celebrate carnival just as they do in the lagoon city.

Fritoe_pronte

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Venetian Masks
04
January
admin

Venetian artistic masks are an essential feature of Venice Carnival and more in general of the history and traditions of the city.

At the time of the Republic Venetians used to dress up to hide their identity not only during the carnival, but also in many other occasions. In Venice the tradition of wearing masks is very ancient, as in 1271 there was a school of mask-makers, who realised papier-mâché masks out of a plaster cast made from a clay model. Starting from the 15th century the “mascarieri” (this is how mask-makers were called) were consociated in the Arte dei Mascherieri, an evidence of the importance of this special, typical category of artisans.

Bauta Venetian Mask

Masks were used to hide and consequently to be able to perform licentious actions, remaining anonymous and without worrying about being discovered. Thus masks were used for gambling, not to be recognized by creditors, or to go to the brothel (but prostitutes too used to wear masks). However, masks were also seen as means of embellishment, and for this reason they were often used by women. In some cases, for example to go to the theatre, women were obliged to wear masks to safeguard their honour.

Certainly the hiding function of masks was very consistent with the carnival philosophy, which gave everyone the possibility to behave in a different, freer way than all the other days. Moreover, during the carnival all class, age and sex differences were levelled, and this was also possible through the use of masks, which hid the identity of the participants in celebrations. Carnival was declared a public festivity in Venice in 1296, and soon many masks and costumes shops began to open, and masks shops are still a typical feature of Venice that attracts many tourists.

Venetian Mask

The excessive use of masks by Venetians, with the dangers that might derive from that, caused many prohibitions: from 1339 masks were not allowed to walk in the city by night, while from 1458 people wearing masks were not permitted in churches, convents and sacred places (many men used to dress up to enter the convents and do licentious deeds also with nuns). Neither prostitutes were allowed to wear masks, as there were some limits in the frequentation of prostitutes, and the use of masks could serve to avoid these limits; furthermore from 1703 masks were prohibited also inside the gambling houses.

Typical Venetian Mask

In spite of all these prohibitions, masks have always been inextricably linked to the history and tradition of the city, and some kinds of masks are still well-known all over the world. This is the case of the “bauta”, a unisex costume including a black tabard, a three-cornered hat and a white mask that covers the whole face and modifies also the tone of voice, the “moreta”, an oval, black mask which is particularly appreciated by women and which has to be held with the mouth, so that the people who wear it cannot speak, the “gnaga”, a woman costume which is worn also by men and which includes a little mask that hides only the top of the face, and “Pantalone”, a mask that is well-known because it is one of the main characters of the “Commedia dell’Arte”, together with Harlequin, Columbine and many others.

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St Mark’s Square
23
December
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St Mark’s Square in not only one of the largest and most famous Italian squares, it is also a symbol of Venice, and its grandiosity and the elegance of the buildings that surround it made it earn a reputation as “the most beautiful living-room in Europe”.

The only space of the city to be called “piazza” (i.e. “square”, all the other are called “campi” or “campielli”), St Mark’s Square has always been the core of the city life. Although the square as appears now is characterised by a strong Renaissance taste, this area has begun to take shape in the Middle Ages, and throughout the centuries it has undergone several reconstructions and changes. St Mark’s area began to become the monumental core of the city in 828, when St Mark’s relics were brought to Venice, but at that time the square was very different from how it appears now: the square, indeed, was bounded by Rio Batario, a canal that was buried in 1156, and by a basin in front of the Ducal Palace, which was buried too. Throughout the centuries the square has been enlarged with new buildings and enriched also through the materials and the works of art which were brought from the East after the conquest of Constantinople in 1204. From the 15th century to the 19th century the square began to take the present appearance, with the renovation of Ducal Palace and the building of the Procuratie Vecchie, of St Mark’s Clocktower, of the Library, of the Procuratie Nuove and of the Ala Napoleonica.

Saint Mark's Square

Nowadays St Mark’s Square is a fixed destination for all the tourists that visit the city, who go there to experience the emotion of walking in one of the most beautiful squares in the world, but also to admire and visit the buildings that rise in this area and that make up the monumental core of the city. Among the most famous buildings in the Square, and in Venice in general, we cannot but speak about St Mark’s Basilica and Campanile (bell tower). The Basilica, renewed and restored through the centuries, is characterised by a Byzantine, Venetian and Roman architecture (the façade decorated with golden mosaics is unmistakable) and hosts St Mark’s relics. The tower bell rises near the Basilica: once used as a lighthouse for boats, now it is one of the symbols of the city.

In this area we also find the Ducal Palace, another symbol of the city. Built in the 9th century, its present look comes from the works that took place between the 14th and the 16th century, and the monumentality and richness of both its interior and exterior were aimed at making everybody aware of the power and greatness of the Serenissima. A Venetian Gothic masterpiece, the Ducal Palace was in the past residence of the Doge, seat of the government and courthouse, and nowadays is a museum.

Ducal Palace

Very interesting to visit is also the Correr Museum, which has its seat in the Ala Napoleonica, which was built in the 19th century. Born of a donation by Teodoro Correr (who died in 1830), with the passing of time the collection has enlarged and now includes several works of art, besides period costumes and objects. A donation, in this case by Giovanni Bessarione, gave birth to the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (National Library of St Mark’s) too: now it is one of the most important Italian libraries and has been visited, in the past and in the present, by important scholars.

Last but not least, among the monuments of St Mark’s Square we cannot forget St Mark’s Clocktower, a Renaissance building that was built at the end of the 15th century and that hosts the so-called “mori”, i.e. two bronze statues in the shape of two shepherds, who strike the hour on a bell.

St Mark's Clocktower

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Venice and its mysteries
21
December
admin

The charm of Venice comes also from its being mysterious: the narrow, dark calli that intersect creating a sort of labyrinth, the dark canals, the expressions of the masks, so detached and enigmatic, and the unreal silence that reigns in Venice, in opposition to the chaos of any other city, turn the lagoon city into an almost inscrutable city rich in mystery, and make you want to discover this wonderful city.

Calli

To make Venice even more mysterious, and to arouse the curiosity of the tourists that visit the lagoon city every year, there are many legends, rich in frightful and terrifying details, which colour the history of the city, of many of its buildings and of the people who lived there. Some palaces and other sites of the city are worth a visit non only for their artistic, architectural and historic value, but also because when visitors crosses the threshold of these buildings, which have been the scene of terrifying episodes, they might experience very strong emotions, and feel catapulted into sombre stories.

One of the most famous places for their mysterious story in Venice is Ca’ Dario, which is called “the killing house”. Projected by Giovanni Dario in 1487, Ca’ Dario is a building on the Grand Canal, characterised by an inclination on its right side, and its façade is decorated in Istrian stone and polychrome marbles. The nickname of the building comes from the fact that, throughout centuries, almost all of its owners have died in a violent way, either in an accident or committing suicide, while nothing has ever occurred to those who have entered the building just to visit it. The first “victim” of the house was Marietta, Giovanno Dario’s daughter, who lived there with her husband, Vincenzo Barbaro: he fell into ruin because of some businesses gone bad, and she died of a broken heart. A similar fate has befallen all the other inhabitants of the building until nowadays, as evidenced by the suicide of one of the last owners of Ca’ Dario, Raoul Gardini.

Ca' Dario

According to another Venetian legend, if you walk on campiello del Remer, not far from Rialto Bridge, the canal might bring to the surface Fosco Loredan’s corpse and his wife Elena’s head. The legend tells that Fosco, Elena’s husband, (she was the niece of Doge Marino Grimani), convinced of his wife’s infidelity, followed her armed with sword up to the above-mentioned campiello, where Grimani intervened. However, the Doge’s intervention was of no use, and Fosco beheaded his wife. Later, overcome by remorse, Fosco returned to the scene of the crime and committed suicide by jumping into the canal.

Ghosts are said to populate the Casino degli Spiriti, as the name of the building itself suggests, “spiriti” meaning ghosts.

Casino degli Spiriti

According to the legend, strange noises and lights come from the building in the night, and the presence of ghosts is explained by the history of the Casino, which is thought to have hosted séances and magical ceremonies. Other ghosts are said to have appeared in the Giardini zone, near a statue dedicated to Garibaldi, where some people claim they were assaulted by the ghost of a red shirt, who had sworn to defend his commander even after his death, and in the Gallerie dell’Accademia, where there are the ghosts of some of the friars who died during the fire of the building in the 17th century.

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The Regatta of the Befane in Venice
18
December
admin

Epiphany, which ends Christmas celebrations, is one of the most ancient and widespread feasts in Italy.

However, in Venice epiphany celebrations are different from any other Italian city, and stand out for originality and cheerfulness. Every year, indeed, the lagoon city hosts the “Regatta of the Befane”, the first regatta of the year in the city.

The Regatta of the Befane

Thus do not be surprised if you are in Venice on the 6th of January and you happen to see a boat race with big men dressed as old women along the Grand Canal (more precisely from San Tomà to Rialto Bridge): this is what usually happens during the Regatta of the Befane!

The Regatta of the Befane

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