Travel guide
Venice

The 12 keywords Venice

1. #ACQUA ALTA

A natural phenomenon inscribed in the DNA of the lagoon, theacqua alta (high tide) floods a large part of the city. Caused by an addition of natural circumstances, almost picturesque for tourists, it is a fact that worries Venetians nowadays. Indeed, the tides, once punctual, are becoming more and more frequent

2. #ARTE CONTEMPORANEA

Venice isn't just a museum city. The Pinault and Guggenheim collections and numerous art galleries demonstrate the city's dynamism in the field of contemporary art. And every year, art lovers and collectors meet at the Biennale, a leading event that sets the trend worldwide.

3. #BOATS

Boats of all kinds criss-cross the Venetian canals: firemen, ambulances, taxis, rubbish bins, but also vaporetti, gondolas, reefer boats for transporting fruit and vegetables. Whether you travel by gondola, taxi or vaporetto, you'll have to adapt to the slow, deliciously slow Venetian rhythm anyway

4. #CARNEVALE

Every year Venice invites the whole world to its mythical carnival. Through its calli and campi, parades, fireworks and animations follow one another. Palaces and public places come to life in an atmosphere which, although it is not as authentic today as it was in the 18th century, remains spontaneous and jovial.

5. #CALLI

Calli (from Latin, callis, street) were the name given to the narrow and winding passages between the houses of Venice, where usually the main access to the buildings was through the canals. A term that eventually remained in common parlance to designate the long(calle lunga) or short(calletta) streets of the city of the Doges.

6. #CICCHETI

These small tapas, made from slices of bread topped with fish, seafood, cheese, cold cuts, vegetables and other ingredients, are the essential appetizers that accompany any aperitif that is respected in Venice. Cicchetti can be eaten at the counter of a bacaro or at a table along a beautiful canal, with a glass of spritz or prosecco in hand.

7. #LEONE

In Veneto, the image of the winged lion is certainly the one most frequently seen. Symbol of St. Mark the Evangelist, it is found on the flag of the city as well as on a large part of the monuments. It is also represented with the openGospel, where the Latin inscription " Peace be with you, Mark, my evangelizer" is found.

8. #MASCHERE

A Venetian icon, the mask has been part of the everyday life of Venetians since the 17th century. Used as a disguise during the festivities, but also as a subtle means of masking one's identity outside the carnival period, this object comes in a wide variety of shapes and colours. Handmade in papier-mâché, it is impossible to leave without buying some!

9. #PALAZZI

Palazzo means "palace", palazzi in the plural. You will find a plethora of them in Venice and throughout the Veneto region, of all styles and ages. They once belonged to the great families who lived there, but they have been transformed into museums, boutique hotels and chic restaurants. Diminutive: palazzetto.

10. #PONTI

Venice has 416 bridges! Made of wood, stone, iron, some slippery and others twisted... And then there are the mythical bridges, like the Rialto or the Bridge of Sighs. But bridges also furnish the other cities of Veneto: the Ponte Pietra in Verona, the Ponte degli Alpini in Bassano del Grappa and many others.

11. #PROSECCO

Called Prosecco di Conegliano or Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, depending on the commune of origin, it is sometimes a very fruity dry wine and sometimes a sparkling wine which then belongs to the spumante family. Prosecco comes from the Veneto region and is mainly grown on the hills of the province of Treviso. Come on, let's toast without further ado! Salute!

12. #UNESCO

With eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Veneto is one of the best represented regions in Italy. Places of excellence for their unique artistic and/or environmental heritage: Venice and its lagoon, Vicenza and its villas, the Dolomites, the Botanical Garden of Padua, to name but a few.