Curator’s statement
Venice, Italy, has so much more to offer than canals, pigeons, and crowds if you know where to look. If you’ve already checked off St. Mark's Basilica, Rialto Bridge, The Doge Palace, and being sculled around in an over-priced gondola, then take advantage of all the art behind Venetian doors. And what makes Venice particularly distinctive is that art isn’t restricted to just museums—masterpieces are spread throughout churches, palaces, and civic buildings. The entire city feels like an open-air gallery that has existed for centuries. And after your eyes feast, it’s time for your stomach to take in the bountiful culinary arts in Venice.
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Things to do in Venice
Store cat at Libreria Acqua Alta
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection
One of Venice’s most significant modern art museums, The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is chock full of too many celebrated artists to list, from Picasso to Kandinsky, Dalí to Pollock. Peggy Guggenheim—yes, related to the other Guggenheim whose name is on a museum in NYC—lived in Venice from 1949 to 1979 alongside her dogs, collecting art and welcoming artists, writers, and other notable guests into her home on the water. Her impressive collection now lines the walls, and her beloved canine companions have their own resting place in the lovely garden.
Titian’s Trail
You might not recognize the name Tiziano Vecellio, but maybe you know him as Titian, one of Venice’s exceptional Renaissance painters who helped define the city’s golden age of color and spectacle. He painted in churches and palaces, often for the most powerful patrons across Venice. Follow a route from Palazzo Ducale to San Salvador to Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari—the last stop is where you’ll see his most famous work, Assumption of the Virgin, and his tomb.
Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Another one-name artist, Tintoretto, left his mark on Venice with what some say is the Venetian counterpart to Rome’s Sistine Chapel. Tintoretto’s canvas for a sweeping composition of the Passion, the life of Christ, and other biblical scenes was the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. In the 16th century, Tintoretto took two decades to cover the ceilings and walls of the main halls in the Scuola with one of the largest and most vibrant expressions of Renaissance religious art.
Ca’Rezzonico
If you want to understand how Venice nobility lived in the 18th century, the height of Venice’s cultural age, and appreciate how they spent their wealth on art, the palazzo Ca’Rezzonico on the Grand Canal is a must-visit. It’s a mix of Baroque and Rococo architecture, and the vast rooms are filled with lavish furnishings, frescoed ceilings, and art by Canaletto, Giambattista, and Longhi, just to name-drop a few. There may be just a few paintings with dogs in the midst if you want to make a game of “spot the dog.”
Fondazione Querini Stampala
You may think you’re just getting another 18th-century palazzo, which you are, so don’t skip over the rooms, the furniture, and the art (more Tintoretto and more contemporary art). But any great art-focused itinerary would make sure to include some architectural gems, and this is one of them. Numerous museum areas have been redesigned by Italian modern architect Carlo Scarpa, who broke tradition at the time, but now museum-goers appreciate the ways the old and new weave through his spaces. And what’s not to like about a museum whose motto is to promote “the cult of good studies and useful disciplines?”
Libreria Acqua Alta
If you’ve gotten your fill of museums by now, Libreria Acqua Alta is a good place to take a break and give some attention to the literary arts. Libreria Acqua Alta is Venice’s most famous and peculiar bookshop, with its bathtubs and gondolas that function as display cases. They do serve a purpose: to protect the books from the high flood waters—that's literally what the name of the store translates to ("high-water bookshop"). Two rules when visiting: Make sure to follow the arrows and proceed in the right direction as you weave through the store, and keep your eyes peeled for the cats who have free roam of the store and the stacks of books for napping.
CineMoving (summer only)
Like literature, cinema can’t be overlooked. If you are in Venice over the summer and time your evenings right, you should be able to enjoy a free outdoor film screening thanks to CineMoving. This enterprise turns the squares, gardens, courtyards, and beaches of Venice and its islands into a massive open-air cinema. A van equipped with a projector and chairs tours 15 different spots in the city to offer films of various genres and countries of origin.
Places to eat & drink in Venice
Cicchetti food tour (eat your heart out, Stanley Tucci)
Cicchetti food tour
A great idea for a first meal is a cicchetti food tour led by a local guide. If you haven’t heard (from Stanley Tucci or another Italian food enthusiast), cicchetti are miniature, tapas-like snacks that are served in intimate bars (bacari) around Venice. These snacks are a core part of the Venetian culture, often served with a glass of wine or an Aperol spritz for nibbling at a counter or small table. Cicchetti are a culinary art form, and, like the Titians, you’ll only find the real thing in Venice.
Ai Cognac Dal 1911
This family-run trattoria often has a line out the door. It’s cozy and convivial, and the portions of Venetian classics are generous. It’s a great value, so order some different pasta dishes and share with the table—the lasagna al ragù, tagliatelle capesante, gamberoni, pomodorini, and the tiramisu are all standouts.
Ai Mercanti
Ai Mercanti has been run by the same family since 1980 and serves seasonal dishes and natural wines. Its cream awning is non-descript, but the plate presentation and modern Venetian cuisine are anything but. Ai Mercanti is tucked away in a small courtyard close to Rialto and San Marco.
Wisteria
Hidden from the main tourist areas, this Michelin-starred restaurant does in fact have a small garden terrace with wisteria hanging down. It’s a short walk from both the Basilica dei Frari (Titian) and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco (Tintoretto)—so a perfect fine dining experience for the arts-based itinerary.
Birraria la Corte
This casual spot is where you go for a great pizza and salad, local beer, and a lively atmosphere. There is plenty of seating inside and out, and the pizzas are named after the bridges in Venice.
Osteria alle Testiere
Serving Venetian fare with special attention to seafood dishes, this is one of the restaurants chefs seek out in Venice. It’s small (only six or seven tables) and intimate with a superb wine list. Make a reservation, even for lunch.
Trattoria alla Madona
This is another energetic fish restaurant not too far from the Rialto, which means it’s also close to the daily fish market. It’s the one to hit up if you haven’t had seafood risotto and are pescatarian or vegetarian. Try the sarde en saor (traditional sardine dish).
Need to know
Grab postcards from the shops at any of the museums. They make great souvenirs, or you can frame them for your walls.
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