CLUB PICCOLO MONDO
Accademia Dorsoduro 1056
CLUB
041 52 00 371 www.piccolomondo.biz
The definitive epicenter of Venetian nightlife, Club Piccolo Mondo puts most other bars in the city to shame. Small and down a dark side street near the Accademia, it might not impress from the outside, but if its world-class bar, excellent music, chill lounge areas, and awesome dance floor are enough to draw Mick Jagger and Naomi Campbell, they should be able to earn your patronage, even with the steep cover charge (€10). The club prides itself on the diversity of its clientele, which ranges from students to middle-aged patrons and includes locals as well as tourists, so anyone should feel welcome here. A lot of visitors opt to start the night at another bar before coming to Club Piccolo Mondo, due to the place’s expensive drinks. As a result, things usually don’t get too crazy until after midnight.
From Ponte Accademia, facing the Accademia, turn right; continue onto the 1st street directly ahead (running parallel to the Grand Canal); continue for approximately 2min.; club is on the right. Cover €10. Drinks €9-12. Open daily 11pm-4am.
VENICE JAZZ CLUB
Ponte dei Pugni/Fondamenta del Squero 3102
JAZZ CLUB
041 52 32 056 www.venicejazzclub.com
The Venice Jazz Club is a great place to begin a night out in Dorsoduro. While most bars are still in restaurant mode, this club is serving drinks to the tune of excellent music. It tends to attract an international crowd of 20-somethings and empty out once concerts end, despite technically remaining open. Given that it’s the premier spot for live jazz music in Venice, perhaps this focus on the jams is to be expected.
From Campo San Margherita, walk towards Campo San Barnaba; turn right immediately before the bridge; the club is just ahead on the right. Cover €20; includes 1 drink. Drinks €5-10. Appetizers €5-15. Opens daily at 7pm. Concerts start at 9pm and usually last about 2hr.
MADIGAN’S PUB
Campo San Margherita 3053/A
IRISH PUB
Madigan’s Pub seeks to replicate the ambience of an Irish pub and does so to great effect, creating the loudest, rowdiest bar in Campo San Margherita and maybe in all of Venice. On weekend nights, the pub is packed, both inside and on the patio, with international patrons drinking beers, taking shots, and shouting to old (and new) friends over the bar’s deafening music.
At the southwest end of the Campo San Margherita. Drinks €4-8. Open daily until 1:30am.
MARGARET DUCHAMP
Campo San Margherita 3019
BAR
041 52 86 255
One of the biggest bars in Venice and a Dorsoduro institution, Margaret Duchamp is the most prominent watering hole in Campo San Margherita. Though the bar typically plays jazz or pop, the music isn’t overwhelmingly loud, making this an excellent place for a few hours of chill time spent enjoying some of the best cocktails in Venice.
At the southwest end of the Campo San Margherita. Drinks €3.50-9. Open daily 9am-2am.
ORANGE RESTAURANT AND CHAMPAGNE LOUNGE
Campo Santa Margherita 3054/A
BAR
041 52 34 740 www.orangebar.it
With an excellent patio, comfortable lounge furniture, and an awesome terrace looking out over Campo San Margherita, Orange Restaurant and Champagne Lounge has a more refined ambience than other Venetian bars. It might not get as crazy as some Dorsoduro hotspots, but make no mistake: with a wine list featuring over 60 Italian vintages and 20 imports, mega-screen TVs, and a top-notch bartender, Orange is a choice place for a night out.
At the southwest end of the Campo San Margherita. Drinks €4.50-12. Open daily 10am-2am.
BISTROT AI DO DRAGHI
Campo San Margherita
BAR
041 52 89 731
More bohemian than most bars in Campo San Margherita, Bistrot Ai Do Draghi tends to draw grungier travelers than the other bars in the square. In fact, this place is so full of such when-did-you-last-shower travelers that it’s a surprise there isn’t a stack of backpacks in the corner. The bar itself has an exceptionally relaxed and social character, with conversation rather than music constituting the dominant background noise.
The northeast corner of Campo San Margherita. Drinks €1.50-6. Open M-Tu 7:30am-2am, Th-Su 7:30am-2am.
BLUES CAFE
Crosera San Pantalon
BAR
348 24 06 444
Like most bars east of Campo San Margherita, Blues Cafe has a calm, sophisticated vibe that draws patrons in their late 20s and early 30s. Unlike a lot of other bars, Blues Cafe keeps the good times rolling well into the evening every night of the week, especially when there is live music. Let’s Go gives Blues Café bonus points for musical diversity, as it spins jazz, pop, and the best old-school hip hop playlist this side of the South Bronx.
From Campo San Margherita, go west, and cross the 1st bridge you come to; continue across the square; the bar is on the 1st cross street you come to. Drinks €4-10. Open M-F 10am-2am, Sa-Su 3pm-2am.
IMAGINA CAFE
Campo San Margherita 3126
CAFE, BAR
041 24 10 625 www.imaginacafe.it
Part art gallery, part cafe, and part bar, Imagina Cafe is a favorite hangout of the Venetian intelligentsia. With awesome white, leather couches, consistently changing artwork, and sophisticated drinks, Imagina Cafe is a great place for stimulating conversation about the latest exhibit in François Pinault’s Punta della Dogana contemporary art museum, but probably not the best bar if you want to get crunk or hear Miley Cyrus’s latest hit.
The southwest end of the Campo San Margherita, near Ponte dei Pugni. Drinks €2-8. Open Tu-Su 8am-2am.
Castello
A great place to sit outside at a cafe and relax well into the night, Castello isn’t particularly notable for its nightclub scene. However, its good number of bars and cafes still draw large crowds during the summer. Most nightlife hotspots are along the waterfront that marks the southern boundary of the neighborhood, but there are a couple of places worth checking out further north close to the Rialto Bridge as well as on the eastern side of Castello.
TAVERNA L’OLANDESE VOLANTE
Castello 5658
BAR
041 52 89 349
Blasting reggae beats until 2am, Taverna L’Olandese Volante is one of the most popular bars in the neighborhood. It seems to have wide appeal, drawing tourists, locals, students, and middle-aged customers to its great selection of beers on tap, prime location in one of Castello’s best squares, and thoroughly impressive (and surprising) reggae playlist. Excellent, mahn.
From Rialto Bridge, walk east toward Salizada San Lio; continue along Salizada San Lio, then turn left at T-intersection at end of street; the bar is shortly before the 1st canal. Drinks €2.50-6. Snacks €5-12. Open Sa-Su until 2am in high season.
BAR VERDE
Calle de le Rasse 4525
SNACK BAR
041 52 37 094
Bar Verde isn’t an overwhelmingly unique establishment, but it’s a great place to grab a couple of drinks and something quick to eat late at night near P. San Marco in Castello. The bar is frequented mainly by tourists staying at hotels in the area, so your neighbor at the bar may run the gamut from a budget traveler sipping inexpensive beer to a middle-aged couple stepping out for some late-night gelato.
From P. San Marco, walk south toward water, turn left, cross 1 bridge, turn left onto 2nd street on the left, and continue for about 2min. Drinks €3-6. Gelato €1.50-4. Snacks €6-12. Open Sa-Su until 2am in high season.
CAFFE INTERNAZIONALE
Riva degli Schiavoni 4183
CAFE, BAR
041 52 36 047
A great place to grab a coffee or beer and maybe a quick snack right along the water, Caffe Internazionale is distinguished by an excellent patio with incredible views of the canals. This is a convenient stop at which to refuel before catching the vaporetto home after a long night in Castello o
r San Marco, and the nearby docks serve as an intriguing vantage point for people-watching the party boats and luxurious yachts that constantly drift past.
From P. San Marco, walk south toward water; turn left and continue for 2-3min., crossing 2 bridges; the bar is on the left. Drinks €2-5. Snacks €5-10. Open Sa-Su until 1:30am in high season.
ARTS AND CULTURE
At the height of its power during the Italian Renaissance, the Venetian Republic was one of the centers of artistic and cultural innovation, and the profound legacy of the Renaissance is evident in the architecture, music, painting, and theater that so many tourists flock to Venice to enjoy. Things have been changing quickly, though, and particularly in recent years, Venice has begun to incorporate more contemporary and modern influences in its creative scene. As a result, you’ll find an incredible diversity of artistic and cultural experiences here, from the classical to the avant-garde and from the expensive to the remarkably affordable.
Orchestral Music
INTERPRETI VENEZIANI - CHIESA DI SAN VIDAL
Campo San Vidal 2862/B
SAN MARCO
041 27 70 561 www.interpretiveneziani.com
Held in the beautiful San Vidal Church in San Marco, Interpreti Veneziani’s concert series has garnered the acclaim of the most discerning critics and is regarded by many as the best orchestral music in Venice. While many churches host concerts that are more casual and better suited for those who feel like they should listen to this kind of music but don’t really understand it, Interpreti Veneziani caters to serious aficionados, and their concerts are much more akin to a performance at La Fenice than your typical church choir.
Immediately across the bridge from the Ponte dell’Accademia. Tickets are usually €40.
FRARI CONCERT SEASON - BASILICA DEI FRARI
Campo dei Frari 3072
SAN POLO
041 52 22 637
Famous for its organ, which serves as the centerpiece of many concerts, Basilica dei Frari keeps things a bit less formal than some of the other orchestral events in the city but no less praiseworthy. Concerts here tend to be less predictable than those at other venues, since the church often welcomes guest choirs (and offers reduced ticket prices for the occasion), but the venue is in high demand, meaning that performances are invariably of the highest quality.
V: Campo San Tomà. Proceed straight until you reach a T intersection; turn right, make the 1st left, and continue to the square; the entrance to the church is immediately ahead. Tickets €18.
Theater
TEATRO LA FENICE
Campo San Fantin 1965
SAN MARCO
041 78 65 11 www.teatrolafenice.it
Venice’s most versatile and prestigious venue, Teatro La Fenice is the place to go if you can only see one musical or theatrical performance during your stay. The theater itself is a remarkable building, having earned its name (The Phoenix) after rising from the ashes of three separate fires, and it’s worth the price of admission just to experience the space on the night of a show. However, La Fenice is more than just a beautiful building. Its world-class acoustics draw some of the globe’s top musical and theatrical talent.
Exit the southwest corner of P. San Marco, take the 1st right onto Frezzeria, continue for 3-4min., following the turn left in Frezzeria as the road becomes Calle del Frutariol, and turn left at Calle de la Verona; the theater is shortly ahead on the right. Opera €10-180, concerts €10-60, ballet €10-100. Performances most weekday evenings and weekend afternoons and evenings.
TEATRO FONDAMENTA NUOVE
Fondamenta Nuove 5013
CANAREGGIO
041 52 24 498 www.teatrofondamentanuove.it
A smaller venue that often hosts less conventional and more avant-garde performances than Venice’s best-known theaters, Teatro Fondamenta Nuove is the favorite of many locals and quickly endears itself to tourists who see its shows. Visitors who want to see artistically innovative performances with challenging content would be wise to check out Fondamenta Nuove’s programming.
From Ca’ d’Oro, turn left onto Strada Nova, then right onto Corte Longa Santa Caterina; continue for 5-7min., then turn left onto Fondamenta Nuove. Prices vary according to seatings and shows; contact box office for up-to-date information.
Festivals
Venice is home to two of the premier arts festivals in Europe, the Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival. Although Venice is a popular tourist destination year-round, the number of visitors spikes during these two events as art and film aficionados flock to the city.
LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Ca’ Giustinian, San Marco 1364/A
041 52 18 711 www.labiennale.org
First held as a relatively small art exhibition in 1895, the Venice Biennale has sky-rocketed into one of the world’s most celebrated festivals of contemporary artwork. Though war, politics, and changes in the artistic community intervened to dramatically restructure the festival several times during the 20th century, it continues to attract some of the world’s most talented and original artists. The festival is organized around 30 national pavilions that display contemporary artwork from the sponsor countries but also incorporates various special exhibitions. Critics laud the national pavilion format of presentation, which encourages expression of each participating nation’s unique perspectives on contemporary artwork and makes visiting the Biennale as culturally informative as it is aesthetically challenging. While the Biennale is held only once every two years (that is, after all, what the name boils down to), it has become such a popular event that it has given rise to other festivals including the International Architecture Exhibition and International Festival of Contemporary Music, which have run for 12 and 54 years, respectively. The Biennale is held in years ending with an odd number (so 2011 is in luck), while the other festivals are typically held during years ending in an even number.
In the Giarddini Pubblici in Castello. Get there via vaporetto line #1, 2, 41, 42, 51, 52, or N. June 4-Nov 27 2011. Odd-numbered years only.
MOSTRA INTERNAZIONALE D’ARTE CINEMATOGRAFICA
Ca’ Giustinian, San Marco 1364/A
041 52 18 711 www.labiennale.org
Venice is home to the world’s oldest film festival, which was first held in 1932 and continues to draw thousands of artists, actors, directors, and film critics to the city each fall for film screenings and celebrations of Italian and international cinema. The festival, held on Lido, has endured political turmoil (which saw Mussolini Cups awarded as the festival’s top prize) and its home island’s gradual decline as a popular tourist destination, yet it hasn’t waned in popularity. Famous actors from all over the world, including popular Hollywood stars, continue to come to the festival each year, bringing extra verve to the peaceful beaches of eastern Lido. At this time of the year, members of the film industry, along with the journalists, fans, and paparazzi they attract, fill 1000-seat auditoriums for showings of both popular and smaller-market films.
Contact information above is for La Biennale di Venezia offices, which operate the administration of the Venice Film Festival. Early Sept.
SHOPPING
With innumerable designer stores, clothing boutiques, Murano glass shops, Burano lace vendors, Carnival mask workshops, and other stores operated by local artisans, Venice is a shopper’s paradise. Every neighborhood has something to offer, but the best places can be found along the main streets of San Marco, Cannaregio, and San Polo as well as the areas adjacent to the Rialto Bridge. Though there are a fair number of shops with generic, overpriced merchandise who prey on tourists who haven’t done sufficient comparison shopping, there are also a lot of great stores with incredible deals, especially for the shrewd negotiator. While the amount of English that shop owners speak is usually inversely proportional to how hard you press for a discount, prices can often be talked down. Failing that, tax refunds are often offered by stores that specialize in high-priced goods. If you’re spending more than a few euros, it’s wort
h asking about every possible discount, including those affiliated with Let’s Go and Rolling Venice (if you have the card) as well as those that come from paying in cash. Some owners will deduct as much as 10% if any of these apply.
Venetian Artisan Goods
Of the top three artisan goods made in Venice—glass, masks, and lace—only the masks are typically produced in the city itself. Glass is produced in the northern lagoon island of Murano, which has been a world capital for high-quality artisan glass goods since Venice’s glass furnaces were banished from the city center in 1291, while lace is generally produced in Burano, a quiet island to the north of Murano whose economy is based primarily on fishing and the production of handmade lace. Though the islands offer numerous stores and the most extensive selection of glass and lace, there’s no need to make a trip to the northern lagoon just to go shopping, as Venice itself has a solid number of reputable stores.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 145