Venice – Berkeley Square Barbarian

Palazzina Grassi – Best Brunch in Venice

June 6, 2019 6 Comments

Italians are not very big on breakfast or ‘la colazione’, just an espresso and one piece of pastry will usually do the job. So what to do if you’re spending a weekend in Venice and you happen to be really into Sunday brunch like we are? After a bit of research we quickly filtered our options down to three upmarket hotel restaurants. Thank heaven that the first two places we called had already been booked out, so we ended up with a reservation at the magnificent five-star American boutique hotel Palazzina Grassi (alternatively Palazzina G) right next to the Grand Canal, very close to the Westernmost point of the San Marco neighbourhood, roughly 15 to 20 minutes’ walk from St. Mark’s Square. It took us longer, because we didn’t find the entrance in Calle Morolin/Ramo Grassi right away, there’s not much in terms of signs and not a […]

Art and Culture, Fun, Italy, Travel, Venice

Mask Ball at the Carnival in Venice

May 13, 2019 24 Comments

We had been to Venice during the carnival once before and knew we’d love it. However, this was going to be the first time that we’d attend one of the famous mask balls. We had started our research half a year ahead of time. It turned out that many of the most famous mask balls are invitation-only. The next best (public) mask balls cost €700 or more per person. Even if you were willing to splash out big, it is still not a given that you’ll end up on the guest list, as it’s all very competitive. We finally ended up choosing the ball at the famous five-star Baglioni hotel just a few yards off St. Mark’s Square for €290 per person via VeniceEvents. Initially we had had best intentions to do the proper thing and spend another €500 to €1,200 per person for the costume, make-up, hair, etc., but […]

Restaurants, Venice

Hostaria Osottoosopra, Venice

April 28, 2019 3 Comments

Friends had recommended Hostaria Osottoosopra to us and finally we were going to check this place out for a very late lunch. Tripadvisor (#26 of 1,323 Restaurants in Venice, certificate of excellence) seemed to agree with our friends’ opinion. The slightly odd-looking name is pidgeon Italian for “Below and Above,” referring to the two floors. Osottoosopra is just across the Canale Grande from Palazzina Grassi (even though a fair walking distance, unless you hop on a boat), where we had enjoyed brunch the previous day (blog post here). This is where the three neighbourhoods of San Marco, San Polo, and Dorsoduro touch. It is one of our favourite parts of Venice. Despite the physical proximity to San Marco you might find yourself walking along canals and down crooked alleyways for several minutes without spotting other human beings. Quite the opposite of super-busy San Marco. There are other quiet areas such […]

Fun, Travel, Venice, Water sports

Learning how to row Venetian style with Row Venice and loving it

April 5, 2019 17 Comments

During our recent visit to Venice, we booked ourselves into a 90-minute €85 rowing training session with Row Venice. They are ranking #1 out of 75 local boat tour operators and watersport activity providers on Tripadvisor, and, for good measure, also had a Certificate of Excellence thrown in on top. For the €85 it was open to us, if we both wanted to have a go at it, or just one of us; in the end Ms B decided it wasn’t her thing, so I became the only student. If you are a larger group, the cost per boat (whether rowing or riding) is as follows: €120 for 3 people, €140 for 4, or €200 for the 5-passenger boat. About Row Venice Row Venice has been founded in the mid-Noughties by Jane Caporal, now 56, from Bristol, UK. She grew up in Australia, married an Italian, and moved to […]

Restaurants, Venice

Osteria al Portego, Venice

February 5, 2019 No Comments

Whenever we come to Venice, we always have one of our first meals at Osteria al Portego, a tiny corner bar that serves local snacks, wine and beer at very reasonable prices. It is located just three minutes’ walk from Rialto Bridge, ranks #86 of 1,320 Venice restaurants on Tripadvisor (incl. Certificate of Excellence), and comes highly recommended by local food blogger Naturally Epicurean. They do have a proper dining area where you can order a la carte dishes, but most people, just like us, simply go for the Cicchetti, the Venetian variety of tapas, often meat and/or seafood served on slices of white bread. Over the years we must have tried every single one of their dishes. Favourites include Baccalà (creamed stockfish/salt cod), their baby octopus, and their fried whitebait. Despite the fact that it’s usually extremely crowded, the staff somehow still find the time for a smile […]

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