The best of Venice

Je viens de retrouver un article paru il y a un an dans The Independent. Il parle de plein de choses et notamment du peintre ferruzzzi et d'Hélène, sa femme, la créatrice des splendides tissus de velours frappés commercialisés sous le label Norelène. Je l'imprime tel quel avec son copyright en remerciant l'auteur, rachel spence, pour mes lecteurs anglo-saxons et les autres.

The play of sunlight on water, the shabby, graceful palaces, the Gothic churches, the fruit market at Rialto - for sheer beauty, Venice is in a supermodel class of her own. Yet some fear she is doomed. Either the acqua alta will ruin her or she will become a Renaissance theme park, peopled by camera-snapping tourists while her residents escape to the mainland where the cost of living is cheaper. Fortunately, there are reasons to be cheerful. The Moses flood barrier, which should halt the city's soggy decline, is finally under way; La Fenice, the legendary Baroque opera house destroyed by fire in 1996 is due to reopen in November. And most importantly, a new generation is tugging Venice firmly, but tastefully, into the 21st century. Today's traveller will discover chic new hotels, innovative restaurants and stunning work by talented, local artisans. With long, sunny days, limpid light, and the buzz of Easter celebrations in the air, April is one of the best months to visit.

Best hotel

For serious luxury book into Il Palazzo at the Bauer, San Marco, 1459 (00 39 041 520 7022; www.bauervenezia.com). A €40m (£26.5m) facelift has transformed the 19th-century faux-Gothic palace into a 35-room jewel-box. Many rooms overlook the Grand Canal and feature silk wall-hangings, Seguso chandeliers, four-poster beds, mosaic floors and Jacuzzi baths. Double rooms from €550 (£363) per night. Or book a two-night Gourmet Package for €902 (£645) per person, based on two sharing, including breakfast, a four-course dinner for two at the De Pisis restaurant, a wine-tasting at Enoteca La Canova, and a one-day tour of the Veneto with lunch and wine-tasting included in the deal.

The best-value bed for the night can be found at the Casa de Uscoli, overlooking the Accademia on the Grand Canal, San Marco 2818 (00 39 041 241 0669; www.casadeuscoli.com). Outside it's a Renaissance palazzo; inside it's furnished with a mixture of art deco glassware, contemporary designer pieces from Milan, and modern art. A double room costs €120 (£86) per night, including breakfast.

Another hip new sleepover is DD724, Dorsoduro 724 (00 39 041 2770262), a miniscule, modern, seven-room hotel, close to the Peggy Guggenheim museum - think plasma-screen TVs, abstract artwork, recessed lighting, a neutral colour scheme and olive-oil bath smellies. Doubles from €180 (£130), including breakfast.

Best restaurant

For classic Venetian cooking, given extra polish thanks to the talent of Michelin-starred chef Mara Martin, nowhere rivals Osteria da Fiore San Polo 2202, calle del Scaleter (00 39 041 721 308). Book well in advance. Three courses without wine cost from €90 (£60) per head.

Over on Dorsoduro, a new restaurant, Avogaria, Dorsoduro 1629, calle de l'Avogaria (00 39 041 296 0491) is proving a hit with locals who appreciate the stylish interiors and delicious southern cooking of Antonella, the young Pugliese chef. Three courses without wine cost €33 (£23).

For lunch on the lagoon, stop off at Al Gatto Nero, fondamenta della Giudecca 88 on Burano (00 39 041 730 120), a traditional fish restaurant where even the simplest dish bursts with flavour. Three courses without wine cost €35 (£25).

For a leisurely breakfast or light lunch, head east towards the public gardens and take a table on the lagoonside terrace of Angio, Castello 2142, riva San Biagio (00 39 041 277 8555). Often overlooked by tourists, it's run by young Venetians and the specialities include cheese and cold meat platters and toasted sandwiches. From €8 (£5.50).

Best Cultural Attraction

Amid dim light and glowing mosaics, a sung Mass is a memorable experience in St Mark's Basilica, Piazza San Marco (00 39 041 522 5205). The must-see gallery in Venice is the Galleria dell' Accademia, Dorsoduro 1050, Campo della Carita (0039 041 522 2247), which contains the best of Venetian art, from Byzantine Madonnas to Tiepolo's extravagant canvases. Until 20 June, it will house an exhibition of 17th- and 18th-century French drawings. Open Monday 8.15am-2pm; Tuesday-Sunday 8.15am-7.15pm. Admission €6.50 (£4.50).

For a taste of modernity, pay a visit to Ca' Pesaro, Santa Croce 2076 (0039 041 524 0695). Reopened last year after decades of closure, Venice's Museum of International Modern Art contains a handful of serious masterpieces, such as Chagall's Rabbi of Vilebsk, and a selection of paintings by notable 20th-century Italian artists such as Carlo Carra. Open Tuesday-Sunday, closed Monday, 10am-5pm from 1 November to 31 March and 10am-6pm from 1 April to 31 October. Admission €5.50 (£4).

Best Shopping

Head to calle della Chiesa in Dorsoduro to snap up the work of husband-and-wife team Helene Kuhn and Bobo Ferruzzi (00 39 041 523 7605). Her beautiful hand-painted velvets and silks are at No 683. His paintings of the city, which play on light and colour, are in the gallery opposite at No 727. For contemporary Murano glassware, the big name in town is Massimo Micheluzzi, Dorsoduro 1071, fondementa Bollani (00 39 041 528 2190). Byzantine-style jewellery, favoured by Dolce and Gabbana, is the speciality of the young Venetian brothers, Daniele and Stefano Attombri, San Polo 74, sottoportico Orafi (0039 041 521 2524). Nearby Sabbie e Nebbie, San Polo 2768/a, Ramo Pisani e Bargarigo (0039 041 749 073) sell stunning patchwork scarves by Florentine designer Tess Blondel.

Best Sightseeing

Clichéd it may be, but a gondola is the ideal way to see the city. Expect to pay around €65 (£46) for 45 minutes. Instead of joining the tourist hoards on the Grand Canal, start your trip in the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo in Cannaregio. You'll have the area's long, green canals and palaces all to yourself. Treasures en route include the spectacular church of Madonna dell'Orto and the house where Tintoretto lived. You can also visit the island of Torcello, where there is a Byzantine cathedral that offers a splendid view.

Best Nightspot

There's a lively bar scene in and around Campo Santa Margherita on Dorsoduro - try the Orange Bar at 3054. Until La Fenice reopens, the best place for opera and ballet is the Teatro Malibran, Cannaregio 5873, calle dei Milion (00 39 041 786 603; www.teatrolafenice.it) near the Rialto Bridge. From 16 to 24 April, the Fenice opera company is performing Bizet's The Pearl Fishers.

How to Get There

EasyJet ( www.easyjet.com) flies from London Stansted, Bristol and East Midlands from £40 return in April. British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com) flies from Gatwick from £89 return in April. To reach Venice from the airport, catch the ACTV No 5 bus from outside the terminal to Piazzale Roma. The journey takes 30 minutes and costs 77cents (55p). Or take the Alilaguna boat to San Marco which takes 40 minutes and costs €10 (£7). A three-day ACTV transport bought on arrival at the airport costs €22 (£16) for unlimited transport on ACTV buses and all vaporetti, although not the Alilaguna boat.

By Rachel Spence
Published: 11 April 2004

posted by lorenzo at 18:36