WHERE TO STAY IN VENICE

If you are interested in where to stay in Venice, you may also be interested in where to stay in Florence, where to stay in Milan and where to stay in Naples.

San Marco, the best area to stay in Venice

San Marco is a beautiful district with a slow pace and relaxing feel. These feelings are expressed very well in Caffe Baglioni. This is a great stop over on your sojourn through Piazza San Marco, here you will always find great coffee or wine and you will always here the pianist playing a wafting melody that puts you at ease. This café is also connected to a great hotel to stay at. The hotel, “Luna Balioni” is conveniently in the same exact spot, so this is a good place to set up shop for your trip.

A fantastic site just a few blocks away from this spot is that of, “Teatro La Fenice” this location is one of Italy’s oldest opera houses and has had many exciting premiers in its day. This place currently hosts a symphony, opera, and holds dance performances. This is a place of class and prestige and is well worth a look and listen.

Around the corner from the opera house is a classic little coffee and pastry shop that is a local treasure. The pastries are delicious and reasonably priced and the coffee is always hot and refreshing. This place is open every day to, so it would be the perfect place to visit on a Sunday when other places are closed.

Just a short trek from Rialto Bridge there is an excellent wine bar that has a great selection of vintage wine dating back to 1936. Called the, “Enoteca Al Volto”, this wine bar is very private with comfortable lighting and the walls and ceilings are decorated with wine labels giving the whole place a comfortable vintage vibe. There is also good food served daily at this location as well. The Enoteca Al Volto is just one of many great spots to unwind, and have some fun during your stay in Venice.

Murano, a different place to stay in Venice

After visiting Piazza San Marco another district that should be explored is that of Murano. This place has been known for hundreds of years for its glass makers and one of the first sites you will see visiting here is the site of, “Museo Del Vetro” or the, “Glass Museum”. This place documents the long rich history of Venetian glass makers from ages past to the present.

In the same vicinity of the glass museum are glass vendors where you can buy glass vases, jewelry, and other objects. Two of the most famous of these are the Glass Shops of Domus and Berengo Studio. And Berengo Studio actually gives out a tour of its Murano factory, which is a rare find and an exciting add in to your visit.

Just down the block from this museum is a place where you can get some great seafood. The, “Valmarana” is a town favorite for locals and tourists alike. This is an upscale restaurant situated in a palace and the extravagance can not be missed. It is built with stucco architecture and holds great glass chandeliers.

The atmosphere here is pleasant and very refined, with beautiful white cloth dinner tables and polite and friendly staff. The menu is a great seafood catch of items such as crab mixed with fresh herbs, baked sea scallops, or rich risotto alla pescatora, served as a fish platter. Weather permitting you can take your food outdoors and request to sit in the back garden or up on the terrace over the canal.

Another great nearby site that is just past the glass museum is that of the, Basilica Dei Santi Maria E Donato”, that’s a long name for a place with a long history. This basilica is among the first churches founded by the original inhabitants. Surrounding the church the mosaic pavement has elaborate inscriptions including the date 1140 with was the date of  its foundation. This building is a marvelous gem with stunning Veneto-Byzantine styile columns that transport you to another time and place.

Around the corner from Santa Maria E Donato is a delicious restaurant loaded with traditional Italian cuisine. Here you will find the, “La Perla-Al Bisatei”. This restaurant specializes in standard Venetian good. Featuring in abundance spaghetti alle vongole, spaghetti with onions served with fresh fish that is either fried or grilled. This is a great place to come in groups, as the tables are very accommodating. Just keep in mind that this restaurant closes shortly after midday, so it is a good place to come to earlier in the afternoon.

Murano has a very pleasant over all vibe and is a nice place to visit that is a little more off the beaten path of other well trodden tourist areas. After seeing some of the other main sites in other districts, a quick excursion in Murano would be a great way to have a day of free spirited fun and exploration and is highly recommended.