Buongiorno Venezia

I have always had a real passion for the thought of Venice combined with my love of photography it’s a spectacular and totally unique destination incomparable to anywhere else, the first time you see it can be a love affair that lasts forever.

We are lucky we have visited many times – we even renewed our wedding vows on our silver wedding at the English church of St. Georges, which was a truly memorable day one we will never forget. At our wedding lunch my younger daughter decided that she would marry in Venice and this is what she did 2 years ago at the Palazzo Zenobio – but that’s another story !!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it’s the beloved cliché of all journalists, but Venice is THE cliché. My husband Brian and I spent 12 days in Venice for Christmas and New Year. We left home on the 21^st of December arriving to glorious sunshine, which lasted for the whole holiday.

There is nothing more pleasurable than arriving by water taxi, especially when you are travelling in glorious sunshine with the light streaming onto the palazzo’s of the grand canal turning them to burnished gold with the light once again reflected back into the canal streaked gold and blue, just divine and the thing of Venice legends………speeding along towards the grand canal that light it seduces every time and makes you feel alive in every way.

After our wonderful arrival we stayed in an apartment in Campo San Vidal with a view over the Academia Bridge to die for. We had come to Venice last year for a week on the 27^th of December so missed the lead up to Christmas itself so we were both looking forward to seeing Natale 2007. This year we were not disappointed. The first thing to discover was the wonderful Christmas fair (Natale en Laguna) in Campo Santo Stefano just seconds away from our apartment. What a lovely sight, beautiful Christmas lights, strung around 30 little alpine huts full of all manner of Christmas gifts, wines, hot mulled wines (we tried this out more than once) lots of food stalls the Campiello dei Golosi (Gourmands Square) where producers from all over Italy sell gastronomic products this is a great place to try lots of different flavours with plenty of samples on offer, yummy rolls of porchetta, there was a Sardinian food stall selling the most tasty cheese, we bought a huge slab for the apartment to have with our amaretto, or Refosco wine. There were wooden toys, beautiful pictures and cards to buy, amazing gloves, scarves and things to buy for our girls including lace and soaps.

All of a sudden a father Christmas on huge stilts ran past us ringing a bell so everyone moved out of the way - with a companion dressed in carnevale gear – all very exciting, I have never seen a 7 foot Babbo Natale (Santa Claus - female at that) they were really funny. The children loved them – running here and there excitedly. There was a stage at the end of the campo where there was a group playing all wrapped up in coats and scarves. It was cold!! This was so special we loved it; It opened at 10.30 every day until 7.30 every evening it was fun just to wander around enjoying the very special atmosphere that it created. At night in particular the wonderful Christmas lights were magnificent. If only we had this in the UK. As it was so close it was always on the way to where we were walking so we visited it much more than we had first thought but it was always a pleasure to see, helped no doubt by the free nibbles especially of the sardian cheeses – Yum!

The Christmas market would be worth a trip on its own as an early Christmas shopping spree, it opens every year from the beginning of December. In 2007 it was from 2^nd to the 24^th of December. It was sad to see it dismantled and all taken away on barges – just outside of our apartment window. It had brought real festive cheer and warmth to Venice.

Along with the wonderful leather goodies, purses, handbags, jewellery, murano glass, shoes, boots, elegant coats. There is plenty to shop for and the window-shopping is tantalising. Just after Christmas the soldes (sales) start as well.!

This is like an elegant grown ups Disneyland where you just have to walk and enjoy the Venetian art of window-shopping!

The shops were full of lovely decorations – elegant reindeers in one of the famous papeteria shops caught my eye – I should have bought them. We bought each other our Christmas cards in Il Papiro, which has several shops. The cards are so beautiful, quality paper, traditional designs. We wanted a more Italian feel to our Christmas this year.

This is one time of year it is particularly important to try and do some groundwork, a lot of restaurants are closed between the 23^rd and 26^th of December so I emailed many restaurants we were interested in trying and took a list over of opening and shutting dates – that was so helpful

We had stocked up at one of the nearby supermarkets on arrival with the usual staples, milk, water, Amaretto, Bianca di Custoza white wine and some nice chocolate and a few nibbles. We were served by probably the fastest till operator in the world – I have never seen anything like it our basket of goodies was emptied and scanned in seconds we felt like bringing her home for a master class at some of the UK supermarkets, it would certainly shorten the queues.

We decided to buy some nice red wine from Al Bottegon in the Fondamenta Maravegie on the Rio san Trovaso Dosoduro about 5 minutes from our apartment. We love this old wine bar; it has really lovely cichetti, which always tempt us. We were only going to have 1 but that turned into 4 or 5 each, they are too tasty for words and at only 1.50 each for any flavour a great nibble to have with your “ombra” (glass of wine) we had the house red which was very moreish so we just had another one. It took at least an hour or so to buy the 2 bottles of red we had come in here for, it has a whole wall of wines and

champagnes, proseccos for sale We chose a “Lamole di Lamole riserva” which we discovered when staying right next to Lamole in Tuscany and a Capo di Stato, which is always a good choice nice and smooth and full of flavour.

On the way back to the apartment we passed Bar alla Toletta in Corte Toletta this is the very first place I tried Tramezzini the very fat sandwiches in white bread that are full of very tasty fillings especially my favourite Tonno e Cipolline (Tuna and baby onions). This is usually my breakfast in Venice in a variety of bars wherever we are going to and how I miss them when back in the UK

The first evening we tried L’ Incontro a Sardinian restaurant close to Campo San Barnaba. We have looked at this many times and decided to go for it as the food reviews were always great it specialises in meat which makes a change for Venice. The food was really tasty and full of flavour it was nice to try a different area of Italian cuisine. We started with “Culurgiones” a really unusual ravioli stuffed with potato and mint then topped with a lovely tomato sauce. The Carta di musica thin bread drizzled with olive oil was tasty. Brian had suckling pig smothered in wild herbs with herb crusted crackling. I had a lovely costine d’agnello. Lamb cutlets with rosemary and wild mint. We had some marvellous after dinner sweets, if only we had taken some home, they were bursting with orange and lemon flavours. We had a Cannonau red (a Grenache) which was very tasty and full bodied, a great choice of wine.

Over the next few days we shopped at the Christmas market, walked, had a fabulous lunch at Antiche Carampane (do not miss) wonderful dinner at Osteria Vivaldi, walked again, shopped, sat, laughed, talked and spent some wonderful quality time together in a fairy tale festive atmosphere.

We had read a poster in the local wine bar at the Campo San Giacometto at the Rialto that in Associazone with Rialto Mio, Babbo Natale (Father Chrstmas) would arrive by Gondola at 11am on Sunday the 23^rd December to give the children of the world “caramelle dolci e golosessi per tutti,vi aspetta numerosi ” (sounds nicer in Italian). We arrived early to have a coffee and a general walk around. We had a stand up coffee right by the square, by about 10.45 the only sign of any life was a fold up table on its own and a really lovely children’s sleigh with real look alike life sized huskies this was beautifully decorated and was obviously where Babbo Natale was going to distribute the goodies to the bambini.

At around 11.30 we were walking around the area of BancoGiro (wonderful wine bar and restaurant) the square gives onto the Erbaria on the grand canal (realising that of course 11am could arrive probably any time up to 12 oclock) when I suddenly spotted a gondola with a father and mother Christmas approaching!! So with this perfect photo opportunity I managed some great pictures and guess what he even waved to me!!

There were a few children on the quay now and they were very excited. By the time we had got back to the square it was full of children, buggies, mums and dads, the children were excitedly stroking the huskies and talking to them. Mums and Dads were having hot mulled wine from the folded table, which now had a red cloth on it to give a more festive note. It was about 15 minutes after Babbo Natale arrived in the square ringing his bell with mother Christmas . They had baskets of sweets and little toys for all of the children who all huddled around the sleigh to receive their goodies. A real heart-warming scene, so well done, when I look at the photos it brings a real warm feeling back to me a real feel of what Christmas was.

On Christmas Eve we went to midnight mass at St. Marks Basilica, I had read that you needed to be there at least an hour before to get a seat. We arrived at 10.50pm and literally grabbed the last 2 seats. But what an experience – you have to do this once in your life! Again I had researched this on the internet so we knew that the service was held in Italian, English, French and German, so at least we could follow the service in the book we had been given on arrival. It was truly a beautiful service . Culminating in the total illumination of the ceiling of St Marks, which is a stunning sight – breathtaking, and worth attending to see this shimmering ceiling all-aglow. There were many people standing at the back of the basilica down the aisles. There were children sleeping in their parent’s arms, children running up and down the aisles it all added to the atmosphere of the wonderful service.

On Christmas day we awoke to the most sparkling blue sky you could have ever wished for – brilliant sunshine abounded. Far to nice to sit down for a coffee we just walked and walked, along the Riva degli Schiavoni where the views were stunning with sun hitting the water and shimmering like a million diamonds – oh how divine is this Venice… we were accosted by a very nice American family to please take photos of us then we will take some of you guys. !! A great job she did as well. On we went until we reached Campo Santa Maria Formosa where luckily one of our favourite neighbourhood bars Bar all Orologi was open. It was even warm enough to sit outside if you wished. We had a glass of wine and spoke to some of the family at home.

Then off to Christmas lunch at the Cantinone Storico in Dorsoduro. This lovely trattoria is very popular with the Venetians and you will always have problems getting in if you do not book although it has extra seats on the canal in the summer. This is where we had our wedding lunch after renewing our vows for our silver wedding; this also is where my daughter Niki had her wedding lunch after she married at the Palazzo Zenobio in Venice 2 years ago. So of course this restaurant has a very special place in our hearts and the owner Alessandro Tridenti has become a friend of ours.

We had the special of the day, which was a lamb dish for 2; fuelled by a very nice Chianti and a bottle of Venetian liqueur and sgroppino made with prosecco instead of vodka and a wonderful Venetian Christmas pudding we were really living the ventian dream. A long walk along the Zattere taking in the sights – could the canal really be that blue – amazing – so beautiful. We didn’t think we would eat again today but the evening found us grabbing a bite of pasta at Baccaro Jazz and really chilling out to the music – what a prefect Venetian Christmas day.

The rest of the holiday was just as lovely. My younger daughter Niki and her husband Neil came out for 5 days to join us, this of course passed in the usual haze of coffee, tramezzini’s, the bar centrale at night for a bottle of prosecco – very nice! We visited the Ca Pesaro Museum of modern art – what a stunning palace that is so beautifully restored each room has a lovely ceiling and floor – you must go! We also visited the Ca Rezzonico – I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a large collection of art on the top 2 floors of this palace that the Brownings once lived in.

On New Years Eve we again had a stunning day, more shopping first thing, then a lovely lunch at the Cantinone Storico again. We sat outside Quadri’s in the sun – just blissful – what a life!! It was glorious. When we had visited in 2006 we had the most fabulous fireworks display you could imagine on New years eve – this is what we had hoped for in 2007 but it was not to be, instead it was a theme of Love 2008 and there was a competition in St Marks Sq for how many people could kiss at once. There were great music but no fireworks to speak of so we went into Quadris, for sgroppino and prosecco for an hour then we went back to Alessandro’s at the Cantinone and had a great time with his Venetian friends and we shared a glass or two of champagne to toast 2008.

We had the most wonderful time – go to Venice at Christmas? – you bet –don’t leave it to long – you will have memories to savour that will linger for your lifetime. From the place that dreams are made of – you will remember the four seasons played by the Vivaldi Ensemble at the oldest church in Venice. The music pouring out of the Scuola san Teodoro which tempted us to buy tickets for their Baroque and Opera concerts and very enjoyable it was too. This time we chose two music venues that were heated. (As it does make a huge difference to your enjoyment in the winter!!)

The light bouncing off the gondola as we glided past a side canal, the magnificent Frari church and last but by no means least Venice herself and her people who are warm and friendly. Just go, get lost, eat, drink and feel the magic………….. It can be life changing.

Rosemary (UK)