How Venice Invented the World
Many of the conventions that we accept as “normal” today were originally invented in Venice. A new book takes us on a journey through Venetian thought and innovation.
Prato della Valle, Padua: Italy’s Largest Piazza
Prato della Valle measures 90,000 sq meters, making it not only the largest square in Italy but one of the largest in Europe.
For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, the Facade of St. Mark’s Basilica is Scaffold-Free
With so many ancient structures in need of constant upkeep, Italy is no stranger to scaffolding. Venice’s St. Mark’s Basilica, in particular, is known for constantly being under repair.
How to Avoid Tourists in Venice
It’s the conundrum that many travelers to Venice face: how to be a tourist but avoid other tourists.
Visions of Veronese Green in Venice
Veronese Green is named after Verona-born painter Paolo Caliari, also known as Veronese. I used the color to guide me on my travels in Venice.
Veneto Spa Hotel Has the World’s Deepest Thermal Pool
About half an hour by train from Venice and even closer to Padua is Hotel Millepini Terme, a spa hotel that has the Guinness World Record for the world’s deepest thermal pool. The Y-40 The Deep Joy is 137-feet deep (40 meters) at its deepest, with four underwater grottos along the way. There’s a viewing tunnel at…
Venice Hosts Biggest Leonardo da Vinci Show in 30 years
The exhibit “Leonardo da Vinci, The Universal Man” will be at Venice’s Accademia, which owns 30 Leonardo works. It will bring together 27 other Leonardo masterpieces from various European museums such as the Uffizi, the National Gallery of Parma, the British Museum, and the Louvre. The iconic “Vetruvian Man” will be one of many highlights….
Rooted in Italy: The World’s First Botanical Gardens
It has been said (too many times) that all roads lead to Rome. But did you know that you could trace botanical medicine and even the environmental movement to 16th century Italy? It was here in the city of Pisa (1544) then Padua (1545) that the world’s first botanical gardens were set up. This month’s…
On Being Lost in Italy
The footsteps behind us were worrisome. With each step that landed on the worn, slightly slick cobblestones, an equal but louder pair of footsteps resonated behind my husband and me as we tried to find our way back to our Venice hotel on a frigid November night. Not too far away, the warm, convivial sounds…
How Does Venice Work?
Although Venice has been sinking into the Adriatic sea for centuries, visitors, as well as many residents, pay little mind to this fact other than keeping close watch on the acqua alta forecasts. Few of the millions of people that tread on Venice’s cobblestones and stroll over its storied canals know how the city manages to…
Venice’s Elite Beaches No Longer Off Limits
As of today, the Lido di Venezia, the summer playground of the Lion City’s elite since the 1900s, will be open to all who wish to visit its shores. In what is being called a “mini-revolution,” Venice’s Mayor Giorgio Orsoni has signed an ordinance that requires that the exclusive, cabana-lined beaches of the Lido be…
How to Eat Fish in Venice
Eat fish in Venice…but don’t touch that lemon!
Happy Birthday, Venice!
I just learned that today is Venice’s 1,588th birthday, according to blogger and Venice Kayak businessman René Seindal. Here’s a nice, brief history lesson: Dear Venice, happy 1588th birthday – René Seindal.
Saving Money — and Time — with Combined Tickets
A lot of touristy, and even not-so-touristy, cities in Italy offer combined tickets. These tickets include admission to several related attractions at a price lower than each individual ticket combined. Rome and Vatican City For instance, Rome has the Roma Pass. This combined ticket gives users free entry to one or two museums, reduced entry…
Regata delle Befane, Venice
Venice commemorates the last day of the Christmas season – Epiphany – with the Regata delle Befana, a boat race through the lagoon.
