Fun Facts & Tidbits
The ABC's
So what's uniquely Venetian? Let's give it a go!
A Accademia, Acqua Alta, (Spritz) Aperol
B Bridges, Baccal C Campanile, Canals, Chicchetti D Doge's Palace E Exquisite F Frari Church G Gondolas H Humidity I Indulgent |
K Knockoffs
L (Getting) Lost M St. Marks, Mosquitos, Murano glass, Mercato N Napoleon (he seemed to want to either take everything or destroy it) O Orchestras dueling P Prosecco Q Quirky R Rialto S Scuola San Rocco, Seafood T Tintoretto, Titian, Torcello U Unique V Vaporetto W Winged Lion Z Zattere *Interesting fact: the Italian alphabet does not include letters such as J, K, W, X and Y.
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Eats & Treats
Two things come to mind when it comes to Venice and food: seafood and chicchetti. I had plenty of both. The scouting report was that things were expensive in the islands so you had to just accept it and take in the experience that is Venice. Although Mom isn't as big of a foodie as I am, we agreed ahead of time that we would allow ourselves to enjoy at least one nice dinner in each city. I may have gotten away with more but we won't mention that...
Chicchetti
Chicchetti is the Italian version of tapas, small bites that are meant to be enjoyed with a glass of wine or my favorite beverage, prosecco. Chicchetti can be a great way to economize from a dining standpoint as many items are 1 Euro, sandwiches for less than 2 Euros. Fancier items like seafood tend to run at least 3 Euros.
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Seafood
Venice is an island so if you love seafood, you are in luck. I was more than happy to indulge in the 'frutti di mare'. One of the main attractions at the Mercato Rialto is the seafood market where locals do their daily shopping. I ordered seafood whenever possible. I was in heaven!
Favorite Meal
Dinner on our first tour night was at Ristorante della Scala. In a micro-campo (so tiny!), it was tucked away in a non-touristy area off St. Mark's Square. At each of our table settings, was a menu specifically designed for our group. There were four categories to the menu and our task was to choose one amongst the numerous choices from each category. Decisions, decisions.
My first course had to have had at least 30+ clams and it was sitting on top of a mound of steaming hot spaghetti. I thought, how am I going to finish the rest of my meal? Mom couldn’t get enough of my plate, picking clam after clam off it. Next came the light and tender sea bass, cooked simply in a white wine sauce. My next course was a mixed green salad of fresh arugula. Topping things off was my first tiramisu of the trip. It was absolutely delicious, perfectly whipped marscapone cheese. It was a memorable meal and one Mom and I talked about throughout the remainder of our trip.
My first course had to have had at least 30+ clams and it was sitting on top of a mound of steaming hot spaghetti. I thought, how am I going to finish the rest of my meal? Mom couldn’t get enough of my plate, picking clam after clam off it. Next came the light and tender sea bass, cooked simply in a white wine sauce. My next course was a mixed green salad of fresh arugula. Topping things off was my first tiramisu of the trip. It was absolutely delicious, perfectly whipped marscapone cheese. It was a memorable meal and one Mom and I talked about throughout the remainder of our trip.
Traveler's Advice
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