The first thing to say is that Venice is an ancient and peculiar city: it was born around the 5th century AD in the center of the largest Italian lagoon, built on hundreds of islets and transformed countless times. It was the first republic of the modern West and Venetians are still very proud of the history, past power and beauty of their "Old Lady." A visit to Venice can have many "levels": the historical and museum tour, the city tour and exploration of its maze of calli and canals, the food and wine experience or the nature experience of the lagoon..
In Venice, the aperitif hour is a "Must" and a ritual for every citizen, from young to old! Unmissable is the spritz or glass of wine, accompanied by a cicchetto.
A word of advice : most restaurants and osterias in Venice are small places, with few seats, so it is better to reserve a table, especially on weekends and in high season (April-November). Also remember that in every venue, there will be a service charge if you take a seat at the table or on the outdoor terrace.
The campo (square) next to our house is one of the oldest campo in Venice, home to the Querini Stampalia foundation and the wonderful Sansovino Church. We are just inside Castello, the most "Venetian" sestiere (area of the city/neighborhood) in Venice, inhabited mostly by residents, but within walking distance of Piazza San Marco, Riva degli Schiavoni e Rialto. Here there are still many artisan stores, typical bars and taverns, as well as all services (vaporetto lines very close, supermarkets, bars and restaurants and even the Civil Hospital). You will be immersed in Venetian art and architecture while not being overwhelmed by crowds of tourists!
Less than a ten-minute walk away are two main vaporetto landings, Rialto e San Zaccaria. From Rialto you can get to Ferrovia or Piazzale Roma in 15-20 minutes, while from San Zaccaria all lines leave, both internal through the Grand Canal (line 1, 2, N) and circular to Venice and to the islands of the lagoon and to the Lido. We are therefore conveniently and strategically located to get from the mainland and to visit the Venetian lagoon.
In any case, we will provide you with the most accurate and quickest directions to reach us, whether you arrive by train, plane or car, and upon arrival you will find in your accommodation a map of Venice created by us, with all our must-sees and tips for eating well in the city.
Just as in Spain there are "tapas," so in Venice there are "cicheti".
"El cicheto," in Venetian dialect, is a kind of finger food, actualized with a base of bread or polenta, and fish, cold cuts or vegetables, or, as they used to do in the past, simply half a hard-boiled egg, an artichoke bottom, a "stecca de patate roste," boiled moscardini, baccalà mantecato, meatballs and saltimbocca..
Cicheti exist because there are "bacari", the typical Venetian taverns, found in all the Sestieri of the city, where aperitifs are served, even before lunch. Cicheti then always accompany "na ombra" -a glass of red wine-a prosecco or a Spritz, the typical Venetian aperitif with white wine, Aperol or Campari Bitter and soda. There are many nice places that specialize in preparing and serving this type of aperitif. For Venetians, aperitivo in the evening after work or on Saturdays before lunch, after buying fish at the Rialto Market, is a ritual!
But what do people eat in Venice?
In addition to the ritual of the aperitivo, Venetians, like all Italians, love good food and being at the table.
Venetian cuisine is rich in fish and mussels, which come directly from the lagoon or are caught in the Adriatic Sea. Meat (such as the famous Venetian style liver ) and garden first fruits, such as "bisi" -peas-, "castraure" -the first artichokes and more, which are grown on the green islands of the lagoon, such as Mazzorbo, Sant'Erasmo, Torcello, also abound in traditional dishes.
Venetian cuisine is greatly influenced by the Middle Eastern and Byzantine influence and then the Orient, territories that the Venetians conquered, with which they traded and created profitable exchanges.
Don't forget saòr, a sweet and sour preparation that originates from the preservation method used by Venetian fishermen, who needed to keep food on board for a long time or at least as long as possible. Saòr is made from onions cooked with vinegar and oil, with added raisins and pine nuts, and is used with sardines, shrimp, but also fried vegetables, such as pumpkin or late radicchio.
There are many restaurants-and we are ready to recommend our favorites!-that offer daily typical and seasonal dishes, such as saòr, risi e bisi, liver, spaghetti al nero, moèche, and much more, but you definitely cannot miss the experience of being pampered by Luca in his WEnice gastronomy:
At the Rialto Fish Market, where you will be able to taste all the traditional dishes prepared with the freshest fish... just zero km! Accompanied, of course, by an excellent local wine, which Luca will be able to advise you on pairing, being a passionate sommelier.