Great Cities of Europe

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<F14>VENICE</F> <F14><L7>Basic Information</F> Documents Required: United States and EC citizens require only a passport for visits not exceeding three months. American Consulate: 1 Largo Donegani, Milano, 2/29-0351. Currency: The monetary unit is the lira (plural, lire), written as L or Lit. Banks: Monday-Friday 8:30a.m.-1:30p.m. and 2:45-3:45p.m., and until 6p.m. Thursday. Customs: Visitors may export up to one million lire worth of goods (about $650). The export of antiques and modern art objects is restricted; special permits are available from the Export Department of the Italian Ministry of Education (Ministero Beniculturalie Ambientali, 27 Via Del Collegio Romano, Rome; 39/ 6-6723). Climate: Venice has a variable climate. The temperature ranges from a daytime average of 39 degrees in January to 75 degrees in July and August. The humidity of Venice intensifies both extremes. Tipping: If service charge is not included, leave 15 percent; otherwise, a few coins per person is adequate. For taxis round the fare up. Tourist Information: Azienda di Promozione Turistica, 71E-F Piazza San Marco. Airports: Marco Polo Airport, nine miles north of Venice, serves European and domestic flights. Fly to Rome, Milan, London, or Paris and transfer. Take the public vaporetto no. 4, which goes from the airport to the city terminal at Piazzale Roma. Getting Around: Venice is so small that nothing is beyond reasonable walking distance. By water bus (vaporetti): The no. 1 line stops at every landing on the Grand Canal. The no. 5 travels the periphery of Venice and goes to San Michele and Murano; it is an inexpensive way of seeing the outer areas of the city from the water. Buy tickets or a 24 -hour unlimited travel pass at landing stages and tobacconists. By gondola ferry (traghetti): Cross the Grand Canal at many points by inexpensive public gondola ferries. By gondola: Privately-rented gondolas remain the most enchanting way of admiring Venice. Prices are high but worth it. Postal and Telephone Service: The main post office in Venice is at Fondego dei Tedeschi, near the Rialto. To call Italy from the United States, dial 011-39, the city code (Venice is 41), and the local number. Public Holidays: New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Liberation Day (April 25), Festa del Lavoro (May 1), Assumption of the Virgin (August 15), All Saints' Day (November 1), Immaculate Conception (December 8), December 25 and 26 . Electric Current: Plugs are standard European, with two round pins. The current is 220V. </L7> <F14>Time Line</F> Beginnings of the City 421 Venice founded by the people of Veneto seeking refuge from the Goths. 697 Paoluccio Anafesto is named by the Byzantium Empire as leader of the lagoon settlement. 828 Body of St. Mark, stolen from his tomb in Alexandria by two Venetian merchants, is brought to Venice. First church of San Marco is built. Commercial Prosperity 1000 Venice's maritime industry thrives. 1200-1270 Venice emerges as a world power as the Empires of the East and West decline. 1349 Plague kills half of Venice's population. 1380 Venice defeats Genoa at the Battle of Chioggia, ending a struggle over supremacy in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. 1453 Venice's empire reaches its zenith. Ottoman Turks begin successful conquests of Venetian possessions in the Eastern Mediterranean. Middle Ages 1498 Spanish explorer Vasco da Gama threatens Venetian control of spice trade. 1529 Venice is the seat of Italian culture as Charles V of Spain gains control of the rest of Italy. 1606 Venetian Republic is excommunicated by Pope Paul V for refusing to obey the papal state's judicial authority. 1630 Bubonic plague hits Venice again, reducing the population to 100,000, its lowest in 250 years. 1660-1770 Venetian Empire crumbles. Austrian Rule 1797 Venetian Republic falls to Napoleon; the Veneto is under Austrian rule. 1815 After Napoleon's defeat, the Treaty of Vienna is signed placing the Veneto, including Venice, Austro-Hungarian rule. 1848 Daniele Manin leads doomed uprising against Austrian rule. 1866 Veneto is unified with Italy. Today 1920-1930 Construction of a petro-chemical port provides employment but introduces industrial pollution. 1966 Worst flood in Venice's history creates a need for international funds to aid in restoration. 1989 200,000 music fans (more than twice the resident population), attracted by a Pink Floyd concert, damage the city in the most destructive event since the flood of 1966. <F14><L6>Hotels</F> Danieli $$$ Riva degli Schiavoni, Castello 41/522-6480 Luxurious; originally the Dandolo family palace. Gritti Palace $$$ Santa Maria del Giglio, San Marco 41/79-4611 Grand guest rooms and attentive service. Flora $$ Calle Larga XXII Marzo, San Marco 41/520-5844 Quiet and romantic. Giorgione $$ Santi Apostoli, Cannaregio 41/522-5810 Elegant and near the festive Rialto area. Agli Alboretti $ Rio Terra Sant'Agnese, Dorsoduro 41/523-0058 Modern, but small. Zecchini $ Lista di Spagna, Cannaregio 41/71-56-11 Charming inn on a noisy street. <F14>Restaurants</F> Danieli Terrace $$$ Riva degli Schiavoni, Castello 41/522-6480 Nouvelle cuisine and a panoramic view of St. Mark's Basin. Antico Martini $$$ Campo San Fantin, San Marco 41/522-4121 Creative regional dishes and a superb wine list. Tiepolo Dell' Europa Regina $$ Calle Larga XXII Marzo, San Marco 41/52-004 Traditional Venetian food on a waterside terrace. Da Arturo $$ Calle degli Assassini, San Marco 41/528-6974 Known for its meats and antipasti. Corte Sconta $$ Calle del Pestrin, Castello 41/522-7024 Unpretentious; excellent fish and pasta. Ai Gondolieri $ San Vio, Dorsoduro 41/528-6396 Family-owned restaurant in an old inn serving fresh local dishes. Antica Bessetta $ Calle Savio, San Polo 41/72-16-87 Venetian home-cooking and a local favorite. </L6> <F14><L1>Sites</F> Doge's Palace Piazzetta, San Marco 41/522-4951 Residence of dukes and the seat of Venetian government from the 9th century until the fall of the Republic in 1797. The building dates from a program of enlargement carried out in the 14th and early 15th centuries, and is a fusion of architectural styles. Madonna dell'Orto Campo Madonna dell'Orto, Cannaregio Built in the mid-14th century, the Madonna dell'Orto was the parish church of Tintoretto and contains a number of his masterpieces, including Adoration of the Golden Calf and The Last Judgment. Rialto Bridge Antonio da Ponte won the commission over competitors Michelangelo, Palladio, and Sansovino to build the bridge between 1588-1592. Views extend upstream from the Fondego dei Tedeschi to Ca' da Mosto and downstream as far as Palazzo Pisani-Moretta. Piazza San Marco A large, animated theater populated by tourists, shopkeepers, musicians, and pigeons. The largest and grandest of Italian piazzas, it has been the stage for celebrations throughout Venetian history. Basilica San Marco In 828, the body of St. Mark, stolen from his tomb in Alexandria, was brought to Venice. St. Mark became the patron saint of Venice; the church of San Marco was built to enshrine the saint's body. Only traces of the first 9th century church remain visible; the present building dates from the end of the 11th century, and the domes were raised and topped with onion-shaped lanterns in the 13th century. Campanile A lighthouse, watchtower, and observatory. It survived a thousand years of earthquakes, until 1902 when it fell in upon itself; an exact replica was built in 1912. The top provides spectacular views of the city. </L1> <F14><L2>Museums and Culture</F> Accademia Campo della Carita, Dorsoduro 41/522-2247 Five centuries of Venetian painting, from the early masters of the 14th century to the genius 400 years later. Masterpieces include Giorgione's Tempest, Titian's Presentation of the Virgin, and works by Bellini, Veronese, and Tintoretto. Peggy Guggenheim Collection Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, San Gregorio 41/520-6288 American millionairess Peggy Guggenheim was renowned as a patron, dealer, and collector of the arts. 200 paintings and sculptures represent almost every modern art movement; the Tuscan Renaissance paintings include work by Botticelli, Pontormo, and Cosimo. Music Fenice Campo San Fantin, San Marco 41/521-0161 Venice's main opera house. Six productions are staged during the winter; concerts are performed in other seasons. </L2> <F14><L5>Shopping</F> Shops open 9A.M.-12:30P.M. and 3:30P.M.-7:30P.M. Certain areas in Venice are known for the goods they sell, so you can comparison shop easily. Piazza San Marco A variety of exclusive shops selling jewelry, linen, lace and glass. The Rialto Less expensive jewelry, leather and silk goods, plus fruit and vegetable vendors. Murano The best Venetian glass is found on this island. Venice is famous for its elaborate Carnivale masks. For true works of art, try these three. Laboratorio Artigiano Machere Barbaria delle Tole, Castello 41/522-3110 Tragicomica Campiello dei Meloni, San Polo 41/523-5831 Mondonovo Rio Terra Canal, Dorsoduro 41/28-7344 </L5> <F14>Children</F> The novelty of Venice's water life is a source of endless entertainment for children. Giardino Papadopoli Piazzale Roma, Dorsoduro Public park with a playground. Venice School of English Merceria dell'Orologio, San Marco 41/522-6005 Day-long educational programs of sightseeing and museums for children between the ages of five and 13 during June, July, and August. <F14><L3>Night Spots</F> Venetians rise early; many establishments close well before midnight. Cafes Florian's Piazza San Marco Old-world style coffee house. Il Caffe Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro Snack at outdoor tables. Bar Colleoni Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Castello Light meals and drinks. Harry's Bar Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 41/528-5331 Possibly the most famous bar in Europe; the place to see and be seen in. Bar Gelateria Paolin Campo Santo Stefano, San Marco Best gelato in Venice. Clubs El Souk Calle Corfu, Dorsoduro Late night disco near the Accademia. Akropolis 22 Lungomare Marconi, Lido Dancing; open March-September. </L3> <F14><L4>Excursions</F> Lido Two miles southeast of Venice Venice's suburban seaside resort. Before Lido was developed, the island was a favorite haunt of Shelly, Byron, and other literary figures. San Nicolo in the north is the only cultural area of Lido; visit the fortress of Sant' Andrea built to guard the lagoon in 1449. The nearby Jewish cemetery dates to 1386. Burano Six miles northeast of Venice Distinguished by the tall, tilted tower of its church and the colorful houses that line its waterways. Lace and linen stalls and vendors selling fresh fish crowd Via Baldassare Galuppi, the main street. Murano Less than one mile northeast of Venice Murano is built on five islands and is divided in half by its own "Grand Canal". Glass has been made on Murano since 1291, and in the 16thC the island had 37 glass factories and a population of 30,000. Murano's blown-glass mirrors and chandeliers are among the best made in Europe. Built in the 12thC, on top of foundations from the 7thC, Santi Maria e Donato is one of the best examples of Veneto-Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture. </L4> <L8><F14>Sunshine Guide To Venice, Italy</F> SEASONS: Venice has a four-season year. Spring (March and April) is the season of vegetative regrowth, while periods of cool and cloudy weather alternate with spells of warm and sunny days. Summer (May through September) brings long days, lush growth, and warm weather. Autumn (October and November) sees the days shorten, the rains increase, and the first frosts appear. Winter is the season of short days, cloudy, foggy, and cold weather --punctuated by short spells of mild temperatures and sunny skies. SUNNIEST MONTHS: Late June through the middle of September. This is when you can expect to get the sunniest weather of the year and the most clear days. For the year as a whole, 54% of the daylight hours will be sunny-from a high of 72% in August, to a low of 44% in December. Note that even the winter months get almost half of the available sunshine. During the cooler months, morning fogs and mists make the afternoons the sunniest time of day. During the summer, just the opposite is true. The mornings are clear and sunny, while the afternoons build cumulus clouds that often lead to thundershowers. WARMEST MONTHS: The same season as the sunniest ones; that is, late June through the middle of September. During this time, the afternoons are warm to hot--rarely very hot. Nights stay mild to warm, rarely cool. The hottest temperature of the year will be around 90 degrees, and will probably occur in either July or August. From late May through the end of September, most nights will be hot enough that you will sleep better with some sort of room-cooling. COOLEST MONTHS: Late November through the first few days in March. At this time of year, you can expect frosty mornings two or three days a week. Three or four times a winter, Arctic air moves over the Alps and down into Venice, keeping the afternoon temperatures below freezing all day. The coldest temperature of the year will be around 22 degrees, and will probably occur during one of these January cold snaps. Snow flurries occur on and off during the winter months, but the waters of the lagoon keep the piazzas too warm (and too wet) for any accumulation. They have frozen, but not in living memory. DRIEST MONTHS: Midwinter and midsummer. Some 73% of the year's days will get no measurable precipitation; that is, they will get less than a hundredth of an inch. January and August will have 80% such days, whereas May will get only 63%. A "dry day" in the table, however, is one with less than a tenth of an inch--a more useful measure. It takes at least that much to wet the ground under the trees. THINGS TO KNOW: Sea temperatures are for the waters of the Adriatic, off the Lido. The waters of the lagoon are warmer, but are heavily polluted (as are all of the city's canals--as your nose will tell you). During the cooler months, the prevailing winds are largely from the north and west, down the valley of the Po River. During the warmer ones, they reverse and blow off the Adriatic and up the valley. This brings a welcome coolness and change of air to the city. Copyright 1995 by Patrick J. Tyson, Box 492787, Redding CA 96049. All rights reserved.</L8>