5 Best Hotels in the Dorsoduro Venice

Venice is a picturesque destination that is as popular with newly-weds as it is with tourists in search of the must-see canals and life on the water. The Dorsoduro area is a quieter district than some other tourist zones, and has become a favourite of many visitors to the city as an introduction to the canals, museums and local restaurants. Below are five hotels that win high praise from online reviewers.

Centurion Palace

If you want to feel rich, take a private water taxi to the door of this majestic hotel on the Grand Canal. When making reservations, try to get a room with a canal view for the ultimate Venice experience. Rooms reflect a surprisingly modern and eclectic design in an Old World setting. The hotel has a private garden and gourmet restaurant specializing in Mediterranean and “creative” cuisine, according to the hotel’s website.

Hotel Palazzo Stern

Hotel Palazzo Stern is just steps from St. Mark’s Square. The hotel’s 24 rooms reflect a more traditional Venetian style, so if you want authentic, romantic Venice, ask for a room with a terraced balcony and canal views. You also might enjoy having breakfast on the hotel’s terrace.

American Dinesen

This is another hotel where you can experience terraced room balconies with spectacular views. The facility has a private loading wharf so you can arrive by gondola or water taxi in front of the hotel. Many tourists note that this place, for the quality of rooms and location, is a hidden gem of a bargain.

Charming House 

Charming House is a tiny boutique hotel offers contemporary design and is near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection gallery. The interior mixes a love of art with modern sensibilities. Tourists note that the site offers peaceful surroundings and an indulgent breakfast buffet./

Hotel Moresco

Hotel Moresco boutique-style hotel is less than a five-minute walk to Piazzale Roma. You can indulge your sweet tooth here with complementary cookies and tea served daily, according to tourists’ reviews online. You may want to ask for a room overlooking Rio Nuovo and enjoy breakfast in the hotel’s garden. Guests note that there are plenty of good restaurants nearby to enjoy, and they praise the hotel’s location for convenience.

5 Reasons to visit Venice

Venice has many charming features to delight tourists. From its unique system of canals to the impressive art that can be found within the city, Venice has much to offer to visitors. The following five reasons to visit Venice highlight the aspects of the city that make it so special.

St. Mark's Square

As the location of St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and the Clock Tower, St. Mark's Square is the favorite destination of many of Venice's tourists. The inside of the Basilica is so richly decorated that the effect is almost overwhelming. The adjacent Doge's Palace is also a delight for the senses, featuring architectural marvels such as the Bridge of Sighs, as well as a breathtaking array of fine art. After seeing the sights, soak up the ambiance of the square by relaxing with a Bellini cocktail at one of the outdoor tables of the famous Cafe Florian.

Religious Art

Venice's artistic heritage is strikingly clear throughout the city. Almost every church is beautifully decorated with wall paintings, intricate stonework and gold plating. You'll see more religious art on a tour of Venice's churches than you would in almost any museum, and the experience of seeing the works in their intended setting is priceless.

Shopping in Venice

Venice's aesthetic appeal isn't solely due to its old buildings or artistic masterpieces; the shop windows and market stalls are also sights that are worth seeing. Beautiful Venetian masks are on sale in almost every quarter of the city. If you're looking for souvenirs, then head to the island of Murano, where the shops are filled with Venetian glass - which is said to be the finest in the world. You can watch intricate glass pieces being made at the Murano Glass Museum.

Delicious Italian Food

It is widely acknowledged that Italian food tastes better when it is eaten in Italy. It's not certain whether this is due to the freshness of the ingredients, the laid-back atmosphere, or the unique ability of Italian chefs to combine simple ingredients such as tomatoes, basil, olive oil and mozzarella cheese in dishes that bring the taste buds to life. For fine dining in Venice, leave the main streets and explore the bacari, where every drink comes with a delicious bite-sized serving of traditional Italian food.

Romantic Moments

What could be more romantic than floating along a Venetian canal on a gondola? Venice is the perfect romantic destination for couples. Whether you're on your honeymoon or marking an anniversary, Venice is the ideal place to celebrate your love.

Venice Carnivale

Every year the city of Venice host the Carnival of Venice, or Carnevale di Venezia in Italian. The Carnival takes place annually 58 days before Easter and comes to a conclusion on Shrove Tuesday.

The origin of the festival is said to be form when the "Repubblica della Serenissima" (how Venice was previously known) defeated the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico . Since this victory 1162 the people of the city are said to have honoured the event with dancing and offerings in San Marco Square.


Photo provided by www.venicetravelitaly.com

The annual Carnival continued and was finally made official during the renaissance period, however the tradition began to wane and ceased altogether. Then in 1979 the government decided to reinstate the carnival as way to celebrate the history and culture of the city. Now approximately 3 million people visit Venice every day the carnival is taking place.

One of the central themes of the carnival is the use of masks. Traditionally these were made with leather or glass and were symbolic in their designs. Today the majority of masks are produced using gesso decorated with gold leaf, gems, paints and feathers. Perhaps the most important event of the festivities is "La Maschera piu bella", a competition where a group of renowned fashion designers and costume makers pick the best mask of the carnival during the final weekend of the festivities.

Carnivale in Venice

A Gondola ride in Venice, Italy

I am not sure if you have a Travel Bucket List but I made one recently and despite the amount of time I spend in Venice, I still have to take a gondola ride. I have to be honest in that the cost of such an experience has put me off in the past but it is something I am going to have to try once. Has to be done and ticked off of the list. Then next is the Orient Express train to London!




Make sure to ask the guy to sing as he paddles the gondola through the back canals. It must though drive the locals crazy, having a gondola guy singing as he goes past the window all the time?! Learn more about riding a gondola in Venice, Italy.

Making the Most out of Venice at Christmas

Venice is a great place to be over the Christmas period with the local Xmas market and the general atmosphere that one enjoys in this holiday season. Below are some tips for making the most out of your trip to Venice at Christmas time.

Visit St Marks Basilica - Don’t forget that as well as being one of the most popular tourist attractions in Venice St Marks Basilica is a functioning cathedral. The Christmas Eve Midnight Mass is a stunning service which is one of the most perfect ways to spend the most festive night of the year. Just make sure you remember the mass actually starts at 2230 and not midnight.

Visit the museums - Don’t write off Boxing Day as an opportunity to visit the city’s many museums and tourist sites. Most will be open on this day, and with most people off celebrating Christmas this could be the ideal day to explore.

The Bells - The bells of the churches and cathedrals in Venice ring out to signal the start of Christmas masses. Find out what time these bells will be ringing and make sure you are outside when it happens. The sound of the many bells echos around the walls and the water making a truly magical sound which will make you feel incredibly festive.

Christmas Market - The best Christmas market in Venice is at Campo San Stefano and is a must visit for anybody in the area at this time. The area is transformed into something of a Christmas village and sells a superb range of Venetian goods as well as local foods and drinks.

A Short History of St Marks Basilica

St Marks Basilica is amongst the most popular visitor attractions in Venice, and a big part of the attraction is its colourful history. If you choose only to visit one attraction in Venice, St Marks Basilica is maybe the one to choose.

Venice has a strong religious heritage and there are many churches spread around the city, but St Marks Basilica is the best known and most exciting to visit due to its sheer size and quite fantastic architectural design. To give it its full name, Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, is a Roman Catholic cathedral which has roots leading back to the 9th century when a temporary structure was erected. This initial structure was burnt down during a rebellion in the 10th century before being quickly re-built and eventually transformed into the basis of the impressive structure that is present today.

As the years and centuries went by the work on the basilica continued, which is why different parts of the building differ in design as they were subject to the fashions and ideas of the time. Venice was the returning point for ships traveling the world, many of which would bring back features, such as pillars, which were incorporated into the building.

Amongst the most famous features of St Marks Basilica are the Greek Horses which stand on the outside of the building. These were initially put in place in the 13th century having been returned to Venice as part of loot taken from Constantinople. All in all, the various different features of the Basilica and their intriguing history make for a fascinating visit.

Take a Ghost Tour of Venice

Venice is a city with a vast and illustrious history, and as with any area of this age, there are a number of ghost tales and legends which have been passed down over the years. For those looking to add a different twist to their Venice visit there is the opportunity to embark on one of the organised walks around the sites of the most significant stories. These extremely fun and insightful tours generally cost below twenty Euros and represent great value for money.

The ghost tours of Venice run at night time and allow you to experience some of the best areas of the city by moonlight, making this tour an ideal option for a couple who want something romantic to do, all be it with a twist. Many of the walks will take you along the rialto bridge and sweep off into many of the eery roads alongside it, with the guides doing a fantastic job of setting the scene and delivering stories in a manner which really add to the experience of the walk.

Although many of the stories told are not about specific ghosts, they let you into the secret history of the areas that you would not hear on standard tours, with tales of gruesome prisons and historic conditions getting the mind wondering about what ghosts could be in the area. These tours really are a great way to expand your knowledge of Venice beyond the conventional tourist information. Book a Venice ghost tour online.

Looking to book Venice apartments in Italy for your ghost tour?

Cafes to Visit in Venice

With so much beautiful architecture and scenery to enjoy in Venice it is criminal not to sit and enjoy it. A great way to do so is from one of the city’s many cafes, of which some of the best are described below.

Caffè Quadri

This establishment has a cafe and a restaurant, both of which are stunning. The real joy of this cafe is that it has maintained its character despite the changes to the modern world around it. The coffee is of genuinely high quality but is certainly not for those watching the purse strings.

Caffè del Doge

This cafe is definitely worth a visit when near the Rialto Bridge. If you are the sort of person who likes to try different coffees then the variety of this establishments menu will certainly appeal to you. The distinctive sign of this cafe has been attracting visitors for years.

Gelateria il Doge

Whether you are after an ice cream, a coffee or a soft drink you will find something to suit you here. This is not one of the most glamorous cafes in the city but it certainly does the job and does it well.

Florian

This is a truly grand cafe which is amongst the oldest of its kind in Venice. It will come as no surprise that this cafe has been in existence for over 300 years when you view the stunning design features and sample the magical atmosphere inside.

Sports Venues in Venice

The history, culture and beauty of Venice are undoubtedly the main attractions, but for those who would like to add a different dimension to their visit, below are the best sporting venues in the city.

Stadio Pierluigi Penzo

This is a great old stadium which carries a certain character which cannot be found in more modern stadia. It has been in use since 1913 and is the long term home of the local football team which plays in the third level of the professional Italian leagues. There are other events at the almost 11,000 seater and you should check for more information whilst in the area. This may not be the most glamorous arena you will ever visit, but as your mother will tell you, looks aren’t everything.

Centro Sportivo Comunale

This truly is a mutli sport venue. You can catch (amateur) football, athletics, hockey and various other sports throughout the year. One of the more common uses these days is rugby, with the local side playing their national league games here. Rugby will hardly be a classic from the Tri Nations, but that is the joy of lower level rugby, anything can happen.

The river – regattas

With Venice having such a long standing and intimate relationship with the local rivers and canals it is no surprise that they are used as the venue for some of the most hotly anticipated sporting events in the city. The boat races which take place on these waters are highly popular with locals and tourists alike and can arguably be called the traditional sporting event of the area.

Famous People Who Were Born in Venice

Venice is famous for so many reasons, including the fact that so many famous and influential people were born there. Below is a list of some of these people who prove that there is something magical about the city

Marco Polo

Polo was one of the most famous and successful explorers and was credited with clocking up more miles than anyone before him. He was originally from Venice where he grew up as the son of a famous merchant.

Antonio Vivaldi

The piece of music Entitled the Four Seasons is one of the most played pieces of music of all times, and it was another Venice native, Antonio Vivaldi who penned it. Vivaldi created a somewhat unrivalled number of operas which he amazingly created alongside his duties as an active priest.

Giacomo Casanova

Casanova is best remembered for his ability to charm his way into women’s affections using a number of different methods before leaving them. As a matter of fact, he originally became famous for his posthumous book which was a reflection of his life after he was exiled from Venice. Richard Wagner
Wagner was truly a talented man who is largely known for his musical theories and conducting, although he was also an acclaimed essay writer. Wagner composed some of the most famous operas of all time and was famed for his seemingly effortless production skills. So the next time you take a vacation in Venice of just happen to be traveling here, remember you're in a city that has borne some of history's greatest.