Imagine this scene: You step from a motor launch that serves as a water taxi after winding through narrow canals to a street with small shops and modest restaurants. You find a table at an outdoor cafe and settle under the shade of an umbrella while a waiter in a long white apron brings you glasses and a jug of Valpolicella. A bowl of simple pasta and crusty bread soon follows. You eat, sip, and believe this is the best meal you have ever had. Perhaps it's the faint cracks that run through the finish of the old wine pitcher. Perhaps it's the lazy warmth of the afternoon. Perhaps it's Venice.
The mystique of Venice weaves through the romantic imagination, expressing itself in literature, film, and at least one musical. ('We Open in Venice' is the opening number to Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate.) Venice, an island city in the Adriatic Sea about two and a half miles off the coast of Italy, has lured and enchanted millions of visitors throughout the ages. And LBGT folk are not immune to the charms of this enchantress. With its canals, gondolas, and ancient bridges, Venice is a city for romantics of all orientations.
Venice is one of the most unusual cities in the world. It is situated on some 120 small islands. Instead of streets, Venice has canals. Instead of cars and buses, transportation is provided by vaporetto (aquatic bus), water taxi, or gondola. And, of course, you can walk almost anywhere. Along with the canals go bridges. There are about 400 little bridges over the canals of Venice. The most famous bridge is the Rialto, which crosses the Grand Canal. This main aquatic artery is like Michigan Avenue and State Street rolled into one. Larger bridges link two Venetian islands with mainland Italy. There is motor traffic across these large bridges. But in general, there are no motor vehicles in Venice.
Art and architecture
Venice is filled with art and architectural treasures accumulated over more than a thousand years. From the late 600's until 1797, Venice was a rich and powerful Italian city-state, governed by nobles known as doges. They ruled over both the religious and the secular life of the city. In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte's forces occupied Venice and abolished the office of doge.
Outstanding examples of Byzantine and Renaissance architecture are everywhere. Marble palaces, built by the wealth earned from commerce with the Near East and Asia, line the Grand Canal. On pigeon-filled Saint Mark's Square stands the Cathedral of Saint Mark, a stunning example of Byzantine architecture. This is a must-see on any Venetian itinerary. The church, which dates from 1073 and allegedly holds the remains of the saint, is shaped like a cross and covered with a dome containing exquisite mosaics, some of gold. Its nearby bell tower is a familiar landmark of Venice and adorns many a postcard.
Just off Saint Mark's Square is the ancient Doge's Palace, where the powerful rulers once held sway. You can tour the huge rooms (which exude a dusty sense of the past) and view the collection of arms and armor used in the doges' military service. Outside the palace is the Bridge of Sighs, so named for the exhalations of doomed prisoners on their way to their fate. For outstanding art collections, visit the Academy of Fine Arts to view such old Venetian masters as Titian and Tintoretto, and the Collezione Guggenheim for modern art.
Glass, lace, and the beach
A short ride by water taxi takes you to Murano, where the famous Venetian glass is made. Everywhere you will find little glass-making establishments with furnaces and work areas where you can watch the artisans hand-blow glass. Most have showrooms. If you are in the market for sets of glasses or a large, ornate mirror, you can place an order and have it shipped to you.
A visit to Burano takes you to lace-making establishments where you can purchase lace goods. Murano and Burano have glass and lace museums.
Then there is the Lido. On misty days from St. Mark's Square the Lido shimmers like a dream in the distance. The Lido is a very popular beach resort located on a huge sand bar in the Adriatic just east of Venice. A resort on the Lido was the setting for Thomas Mann's novel about man obsessed with a young boy, Death in Venice. Many Lido resorts have pools, gardens, restaurants, and direct access to the beach. They range from the luxurious Westin Excelsior to more budget-oriented inns.
Incomparable atmosphere
Beyond these attractions, Venice is atmosphere. You can meander the streets, visiting the squares or campos. Have a cappuccino on the Campo Santa Margherita, a comfortable student quarter, where people of the neighborhood gather. Visit the highly atmospheric Jewish Ghetto and stop at a local enoterca, or wine bar, for Venetian style 'tapas' and a glass of regional vino. In the restaurants, sample regional specialties, which include brodo de pesce, a Venetian fish soup. or rise e bisi, a risotto.
And, of course, there is shopping. Some of the most popular shops line the streets adjoining St. Mark's.
There are also festival times in Venice. For example, Carnival follows Christmas and precedes the Lenten season every year. The often somnolent winter breaks out in Carnival balls and parties, and assorted festivities—with many people adorning masks and costumes, which enhances Venice's sense of mystery. We are told that Carnival has a very distinct gay undercurrent. It reached its peak of outrageousness in the 18th century, went into decline, and then had a revival after 1979.
Venice has plans to host a Pride Film Festival in 2003, but the date has not been announced. Surprisingly, there are no gay bars. You need to go to the neighboring community of Mestre, or even further inland to historic Padua on the mainland. When in Venice, you can try contacting the local gay/lesbian group, ARCI Gay Venezia located at Santa Croce 1507. Tel: 39-041-721-842.
A pricey place
Venice is probably the most expensive of the popular Italian cities. But with planning, pluck, or a just-bite-the-bullet attitude, you can have a most enjoyable visit to Venice.
You'll want to choose your hotel with care, because Venice is a damp place. Venice is propped up on pilings, endures periodic flooding, and sinks a bit more each year.
Hotels in Venice are expensive and range from the top-ranked Westin Europa and Regina Hotel and the five-star Danieli next door to the Doges' Palace, to the three-star Antico Doge, which is filled with Venetian antiques, to the clean and comfortable Hotel American and Hotel Basilea. It is also very easy to make your base at a Lido hotel, because it is only a 15 or 20 minute ride over the water to St. Mark's Square.
You can take some of the bite out of this expensive city by obtaining a VeniceCard. There are two levels of card, Blu and Orange. Blu gives you public transport and public toilet privileges. Orange also offers discounts and priority admission to several museums. The card is available in one, three, and seven-day increments. For more information, visit their Web site: www.venicecard.it
When it comes to visiting Venice, the old saying that you get what you pay for was never truer. Whether you choose this city as your sole Italian destination or make it part of a grand tour that includes Florence and Rome, Venice is well worth its price of admission.
Richard S. Klein is a Travel Consultant at Aqua Terra Travel, 1640 N. Wells St. in Chicago. Aqua Terra is owned by Cynthia A. Marquard and Ted Lally. You may reach Richard, Cynthia, or Ted at 312-787-2400 or 1-800-44-ENVOY. Visit their Web site at www.aquaterratravel.com .
