Museum Palazzo Fortuny

At the end of the 19th century, Mariano Fortuny acquired palazzo Pesaro degli Orfei, a 15th century Palazzo in the center of Venice. The eclectic Mariano Fortuny was a painter, photographer, stage set designer, inventor and business man. With his wife Henriette Nigrin he founded Fortuny textiles. They used their home as a laboratory where local artisans would work in ateliers and on printing presses, turning the couple’s visionary designs into reality.   Continue Reading →

Sneak Peak of our travel app Inside Italy

I am very excited about the launch of our Trust&Travel-Inside Italy app. The travel app takes our blog one step further and allows us to share all the Italy insight we have discovered over the years: the tiny vineyards, unknown artisans, quiet chapels, and family-run restaurants that make this country so special. Continue Reading →

Venetian Cicchetti – the Cookbook

The first thing I do when I arrive in Venice? I head out for a glass of wine and a plate of sarde in saor. The sweet and sour preparation of sardines – often served on a slice of bread as a cicchetto – makes for a perfect introduction to the unique flavors of Venetian cooking.

Considering my love for bàcari, the backstreet bars where Venetians stop for ombre and cicchetti, I was overjoyed when Emiko Davies stayed at Palazzo Ca’nova while researching her latest cookbook.

Cinnamon and Salt: Cicchetti in Venice (Hardie Grant Books) is Emiko’s fifth Italian cookbook and her first about Venice. It is a great pleasure that some of the recipes in the book have been tested and photographed at the Lipparini apartment of Palazzo Ca’nova.

 

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Special Gem: a newly opened Palazzo on the Grand Canal

Whenever I’m on a vaporetto on the Canal Grande, I admire the facades of the palazzos lining it and wonder what’s behind them. Most of the buildings on the canal were the exquisite homes of the city’s patrician families. Some still are – as in the case of our Palazzo Ca’nova (a bit about its history here).

Some have been turned into museums. Palazzo Vendramin Grimani opened its doors to the public only last year. The Palazzo goes back to the 15th century and was lived in by the same family until 1959. It now belongs to a foundation. Having undergone complete restoration, it will host exhibitions.

In 2022, during the Venice Biennale of Art, the palazzo shows works of Bosco Sodi. The Brazilian artist prepared the show while staying at the palazzo and shared some enticing ‘behind the scenes’ on Instagram.

Palazzo Vendramin Grimani – April 23 to November 27, 2022 (closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays).

 

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HOMO FABER VENICE

In April 2022, Venice will host Homo Faber, an international exhibition that champions artisanship from Europe, and this year also from Japan.

We’re especially excited about the opportunity Homo Faber provides to discover the workshops of Venetian artisans. To find a workshop (most are free) browse the ‘In Città’ section of the Homo Faber website, select a category (e.g., glassblowing or bookbinding) and book your spot early.

You can use the website as a resource even if you’re not in Venice this spring. It showcases some of the best artisans and workshops in town, and many of them offer visits and activities all-year round.

We found the workshop of Piero Dri like this. At Il Forcolaio Matto, the talented Venetian craftsman produces oars and forcolas, the crucial parts of any gondola.

HOMO FABER – from April 10 to May 1, 2022. Many of the 15 shows will take place in the beautiful spaces of the Giorgio Cini Foundation on Isola San Giorgio Maggiore.

 

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A VENETIAN RESTAURANT WITH VEGETARIAN TREATS

Are you a pescatarian? Or do you travel with friends who are vegetarians but you’d still like to try the famous fegato alla Veneziana (calf’s liver Venetian style)?

Osteria La Zucca in Venice has a varied and excellent menu that will make everybody happy.

Located in the Santa Croce neighborhood, the restaurant has a porta d’acqua, an entrance door right onto a canal. Hence it is easy to arrive by water taxi or gondola. And La Zucca’s elegant interiors are reminiscent of the precious woodwork on sailboats.

WHERE: Osteria la Zucca, 1762 Santa Croce, Venezia.

WHEN: We recommend La Zucca in summer and in winter. It is open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Sundays.  Make sure to check the current opening times and book several days ahead.

Phone +39 041 52 41 570 – www.lazucca.it

 

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A DAY AT THE 17th VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE

The inspiring 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale explores the most crucial question: “How will we live together?”

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VENETIANS BY RECENT ADOPTION

I feel we could all use some good news from the bel paese….
I have always been an ardent admirer of British actress Emma Thompson. In addition to her great performing skills, this witty and urbane woman has never been afraid to speak up and use her influence to support a good cause. And now I have new grounds for being fond of her: a few weeks ago, Emma and her husband, actor Greg Wise, have taken up residence in the Serenissima, a dream they had been entertaining for a long time.

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INVITATION TO A VENETIAN OPENING

How did you celebrate, dear readers, your leap into the New Year?… I sincerely hope you had a smooth and joyful transition, and that 2020 is holding lovely surprises in store for you.

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A MUSEUM ON HIGH HEELS

If the shoe fits, wear it… Well, I will gladly sport any Italian quality shoe that fits me! – did I ever tell you that I’m a bit of a footwear appassionata too?

Italy’s first shoemaking factory opened its doors at the end of the 19th century in Stra, a small town located on the east bank of the Brenta River about halfway between Venice and Padua. And during the following decades, the “Made in Italy along the Brenta” stamp became synonymous with high quality shoes.

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