CITY

THE PLACE THE LOOKS

Venice Even before you go there you know Venice. The facade of St Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, the view across the water to the Church of St George – they’re as familiar as the Eiffel Tower. No other city projects itself so radiantly to the world, yet nothing prepares you for the moment when you board a vaporetto and set off past the baroque palaces along the Grand Canal. The reality of Venice is far more fabulous than anything the imagination could construct.

Among the traditional dining delights of Venice are the bacari, small wine bars that also specialise in cichetti, small, antipasto-style finger food. Bacari predate the city’s tourist invasion, and they remain a refuge of Venetian voices and mannerisms.

Avoid peak tourist season, between mid-June to midSeptember. November to January is quiet, when Venice has a sublime winter beauty. See italia.it.

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