Claudia’s Venice

Your first coffee in the morning
It would be ideal to get the first coffee in the morning from Torrefazione on Fondamenta degli Ormesini in Cannaregio. When it’s not possible the bar downstairs the office can do the trick, as long as there’s coffee!!!!

A breath-taking view
Zattere seen from Fondamenta della Giudecca. Possibly with a cold beer in my hand.

Where do you buy your groceries?
I usually do my grocery shopping on the mainland, but I would recommend to absolutely everyone to drop by the new Despar in Strada Nuova, in the recently renovated Teatro Italia. It’s surreal. A super market inside a deco theater? Whaaaat

Your personal urban oasis
The Alberoni dunes, on the Venetian waterfront (also known as Lido). The part of the free beach between the sea and the natural reserve is my slice of paradise. At the bottom, towards the pier you will find the Macondo restaurant, with lots of healthy dishes and drinks right on the beach. It’s very informal: a bit exotic in the looks but very Venetian at the core.

Public transport of choice
Walking! The best part of Venice is that you can reach every point from every point in 20-30 minutes. It’s some kind of space-time miracle, there must be some loop-holes.

A shop to die for
My favorite shop is Gelateria da Nico on Zattere, in Dorsoduro. It’s a taste of summer and it reminds me of my student days when I used to go to the nearby library every spring, summer, or autumn (during the Winter, it’s too windy out there).

When you have a free afternoon..
I love spending a free afternoon on the Venetian beaches, renting a bicycle and going from Santa Maria Elisabetta to the Alberoni. Obviously, at some point it becomes essential to rehydrate and eat, so on the way back I usually stop at the Murazzi restaurant to drink a prosecco in front of the sea and eat one of their delicious fish dishes.

The perfect Saturday night dinner
Lately one of my favorite spots is Remer restaurant in Rialto which is truly remarkable for both the ambience and the food, but it can be a little touristy on high season. Rioba in Fondamenta della Misericordia in Cannaregio is on top of my list, and if I can book in time, Alla Zucca in San Polo. But if there is a sagra…that’s where I’d go.

The museum you cannot get enough of
A visit to the Peggy Guggenheim collection has the flavor of a domestic homage rather than an excursion to the museum and each time finding the works in a different location feeds that sense of “living home” that cannot be found in another institution. I like to sit like a guest in the shady garden and reread the names of Peggy’s dogs on the plaque placed over their eternal kennel. He had a dog named Harpo, just like my dog.
Furthermore, I always appreciate the exhibitions at Palazzo Fortuny, which I love to explore in every corner as many times as I can.

A good book can be found…
The Einaudi bookshop in San Polo, between Campo dei Frari and Campo San Polo always showcases just what I want or didn’t know I wanted. In any case, it is always a success and has nice hidden gems to offer.

If you could pick a Venetian Palazzo to live in, what would it be?
I am superstitious and I couldn’t live peacefully in an ancient Venetian palace, perhaps still imbued with the spiritual traces of its previous residents … But I would never say no to an art déco building on the Lido, perhaps with a terrace on the top, overlooking both the sea and the lagoon…

A good glass of wine
Mezzo Pieno (meaning half full) in a quieter part of the Fondamenta della Misericordia, where a very kind host who will remember you, will know how to find the wine that suits your spirit.

You feel at home…
I honestly feel at home everywhere in Venice, except Giudecca. I’m not sure why.

The church that represents you most
Perhaps the Basilica of San Marco: it inspires a little fear with its marble facade, but behind that facade, it is actually made of simple bricks..

An interesting art space in town
The VAC Foundation located in Zattere offers interesting ideas all year round, which is admirable in a panorama such as the Venetian one, a little lazy when it is not Biennale season.

Your favorite place to meet up with your friends
Living in Venice means living in together and sharing spaces, whether you like it or not.
You simply need to leave the house to meet someone you know or get to know someone you didn’t know yet. And every corner is a good corner to hang out.

A spritz to be savored exclusively…
I don’t drink spritz! But I am always ready to enjoy a beer in a bar called al Parlamento in Cannaregio, possibly at sunset.

Favorite island
Le Vignole in the northeastern part of the lagoon. With its fields and its farm where you can seat and eat fish from April to September, it is undoubtedly my favorite. It takes a little time to get there but it is always worth it and I end up bringing there all the people I love!

The best month to be in Venice
The mid-seasons! They still exist here and they are the sweetest time to visit: you don’t freeze, you don’t melt and you get to enjoy the best light.