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Italy : Venice - April 2009

Country Code: Dial for Italy

A beautiful city all year round, Venice in spring is a knockout. And this month sees the Roberto Capucci at Palazzo Fortuny exhibition spotlight the work of the eponymous designer from 1 April – 5 May. Roderick Conway Morris drops by to take a look

Getting around

Marco Polo International Airport.

Taxi: A road taxi from the airport to Piazzale Roma costs about €30. A water taxi will cost approximately €90.
Tourist information: The most helpful tourist office is the Venice Pavilion on the St Mark’s waterfront (, www.turismovenezia.it).
Ferry: Alilaguna ferries go from the airport to Piazza San Marco for €12 (or €25 for the fast, direct service on the Alilaguna Oro). Alternatively, buses cost €3 and stop at Piazzale Roma, opposite the train station. From here, hop on a vaporetto (water bus) to your hotel. One ticket costs €6. The 24-hour pass costs €15.

SANT’ANGELO

Between Campo Sant’Angelo and the Grand Canal, the warren of little streets and squares is well worth exploring.

Sleep soundly – The Palazzo Sant’Angelo (3878/B Fondamenta del Teatro, , palazzosantangelo.com, rooms from €200) is one of the city’s newer luxury hotels, at once centrally located on the Grand Canal yet off the beaten track.

Culture vultures – Couturier/artist Roberto Capucci has found the ideal setting at Palazzo Fortuny (3958 Campo San Beneto) for a retrospective of his amazing costume-sculptures, one of the surprise hit installations of the 1995 Venice Biennale. The Palazzo was once the atelier of fabric designer Mariano Fortuna.

Must eat – Acquapazza (3808 Campo Sant’Angelo, ) has a great position with tables on the square. It does superior (and quite large) pizzas and other specialities from the owner’s native Amalfi.

Shop til you drop – At Palazzo Corner Spinelli, by the Sant’Angelo vaporetto stop, is the Rubelli showroom (3877 Campiello del Teatro), a treasure trove of gorgeous textiles from silks and velvets to linens and cottons.

CA’ FOSCARI

The magnificent 15th-century Palazzo Ca’ Foscari, built by one of the city’s most ancient noble families, is now the headquarters of Venice’s University. The area around it is the heart of Venetian student life.

Culture vultures – To mark the opening of its brand-new exhibition space, Ca’ Foscari (3246 Calle de Ca’ Foscari) is hosting a display of artworks from Ethiopia. Included is a rare showing of Fra Mauro’s famous Mappamondo of 1460, which features early images of the geography of that fabled land.

Dance the night away – Among the many lively bars around the university, Cafe Blue (3778 Crosera San Pantalon, ) is one of the most popular hang-outs. Come here for live music (think jazz, blues, funk and Latin rhythms) every Friday.

CAMPO SAN POLO

Many visitors hurry through Campo San Polo, which has few bars and eateries in the square itself, without realising that some of the city’s finest restaurants are close at hand.

Must eat – With its intimate belle époque-style interior, Maurizio Martin’s Da Fiore (2202 Calle del Scalater, San Polo, tel. ) is judged by many to be Venice’s best fish restaurant. More rough and ready is the bacaro (traditional Venetian wine bar) Osteria Al Ponte (2741/A Ponte San Polo, ). Situated over the bridge leading out of the Campo, it’s a real local favourite. And a few metres along the street from the bridge is Da Ignazio (2749 Calle Saoneri, ), a venerable, family-run trattoria which is equally strong on Venetian meat or fish dishes.

Shop til you drop – Maria Teresa Laghi’s Sabbie e Nebbie (2768 Calle dei Nomboli) reveals her expert eye for contemporary Japanese and Italian ceramics. The store sells stoneware, cast-iron and porcelain, along with other enticing, hand-crafted pieces.

ZATTERE

This long stretch of south-facing waterfront along the wide Giudecca Canal takes its name from the rafts (zattere) of timber that were once floated down river from the Alps to supply the boat builders’ yards that used to fill the shoreline here.

Sleep soundly – The Victorian art historian John Ruskin lodged at La Calcina (780 Fondamenta Zattere, , lacalcina.com, rooms from €150). Now a comfortable modern hotel, it has a good restaurant with a terrace over the water, panoramic views over the Giudecca Canal and light, bright rooms done out in polished woods and pale linen.

Must drink – Among the cafés along the water front, across the street from the Gesuati church, Laguna Bar (794 Zattere, ) is a pleasant spot to take in the sun or enjoy an aperitif.

Compiled by Roderick Conway Morris