La Serenissima! What a beautiful city so rich in music, art and history. Although we were only in Venice for a short stay we were so inspired by this creative city. Yes... there are many, many 'touristy' shops selling a vast array of pseudo 'venetian' souvenirs but it is still possible to see local artisans creating authentic products using time honoured processes. Beware of plastic masks described as traditional and look for the masks made of papier maché that are authenticated. Our visit coincided with the two weeks before the famous Venice Carnivale and so we were lucky to see local artisans painting and crafting masks in small crowded studios packed with fabulous creations to be worn during the Carnivale. There were also small costume studios designing and creating amazing shoes and gowns.
There are so many extraordinary churches throughout Venice in which beautiful frescoes, paintings and gilt mosaics can be seen. The usual place to start is in San Marco Square with St Mark's Basilica. This massive Byzantine cathedral is sometimes known as the church of gold. At night there are designated times when the incredible golden mosaic imagery at the front of the Basilica is lit up so it glistens and shines. Of course a visit inside the Basilica is a must.
One of our favourite galleries was the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. It is housed in an old palazzo that Peggy Guggenheim herself lived in and so it has an intimacy and scale that is less daunting than some of the grander galleries and you can still see images of how she lived with some of the artworks in the palazzo. The collection has amazing works of art by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Max Ernst, Alexander Calder, Marcel Duchamp, Paul Klee, Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock and the list goes on! It really is a wonderful gallery to view so many treasures from the twentieth century modern art world and the gallery also has a lovely garden courtyard dotted with sculptures.
We also visited the Accademia Gallery which has an extensive collection of works of art from the 14th to 19th centuries and includes fabulous examples of works by Veronese, Bellini, Titian, Giorgione, Bosch, Carpaccio, Tintoretto and many other eminent painters. While we were there we saw also an exhibition of Medieval illuminations which was so beautiful. This is the premier painting museum in Venice and close to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection just a bit further along on the grand canal.
Of course a visit to the Doges Palace is extraordinary and it is amazing to walk through the rooms of this palace richly adorned with wonderful paintings, tapestries and sculptures. The building itself is incredibly beautiful as it leads you into St Marks Square and it is stunning at night when the moorish architecture is highlighted with the evening lights.
Venice is also the city of music and in particular Vivaldi. There are small concerts in numerous venues showcasing Vivaldi's Four Seasons and we were fortunate to hear a wonderful concert which included the Four Seasons as well as divertimenti from Mozart and Lully. This concert, by the small chamber orchestra 'Interpreti Virtuosi', was presented at the Chiesa San Vidal which is just near the Accademia Bridge. The venue is more like a concert hall with exquisite old instruments on display and the music was of a professional standard and very much enjoyed by the 200 strong audience. Strolling back to our accommodation over the Accademia Bridge, past Harry's Bar and through San Marco Square in the evening was a perfect finish to an amazing day in Venice.
During our time in Venice we also visited many churches which house beautiful paintings by many of the early prominent artists such as: Titian ('The Descent of the Holy Spirit) in the beautiful Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Tintorreto ('Wedding Feast of Cana') also in this church as well as a smaller 12th century Cretan icon of 'The Madonna of Good Health'. In the Chiesa di San Zaccaria, near our accommodation, you can see the beautiful Bellini painting 'Madonna with child and saints', a work by Tintoretto, a romanesque crypt and frescoes. We often heard the bells chiming from this beautiful church. There are splendid Tintoretto's in the church of San Rocco too.
Every aspect of Venice is a feast for the eyes. Fading subtle colours, beautiful textures, ornate moorish architectural elements, crumbling soft patinas and stunning reflections and glistening light on the water.
