The whole city of Venice is a stage set: palazzi flaunting their façades, gondoliers barking in striped shirts, churches packed to their domes with Tintorettos and tourists. But look closer—or better, lose yourself in the less-trodden sestieri—and you’ll find the best things are almost always behind an unmarked door, halfway down a calle that smell...

At the Arsenale, among the pavilions of the 2025 Architecture Biennale, the Canal Café by New York-based studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro stands out as one of the most talked-about – and awarded – installations of the edition. Located at the far end of the complex, in direct dialogue with the lagoon waters, this small pavilion transforms the daily r...

For many, Venice is a dream destination. The “floating city” is an Instagram favourite, where beauty seems to spill from every corner. But beneath its picturesque surface lies a complex reality: a city on the brink, overwhelmed by tourism and emptied of its residents. Once a proud maritime power, Venice now sees around 30 million tourists per year,...

When thinking about Venice, many adjectives might come to mind: romantic, historic, picturesque, timeless. But sustainable? Perhaps not. It’s difficult to think of Venice as a sustainable place. In fact, at first glance, it seems quite the opposite: a city built on a forest of timber poles driven into the mud of a lagoon; a utopia sustained by shee...

Spring is here and it’s time to bring it to our tables! I love comfort food all year round, not only in the colder months, and this week’s recipe is something I like to make when the sun starts shining high and I feel like something fresh, seasonal but as lovely and heartwarming as the hug from a friend…  Risi e Bisi — literally “rice and peas” in...

Today, I celebrate Portogruaro, my birthplace—a town rich in history, culture, and timeless charm. Recently marking 885 years since its founding, this hidden gem on the banks of the Lemene River began as a bustling river port in 1410, flourished under the Republic of Venice, and became part of Italy in 1866. Though lesser known, Portogruaro has con...

Venice is one of the most fascinating places in the world, regarded as a marvel for its unique architecture. The city is built on an archipelago of lagoon islands, giving it the appearance of being eternally suspended over the water. However, its construction required advanced engineering solutions to ensure stability on marshy and unstable ground....

Venice, also known as La Serenissima (Most Serene), has fascinated people from all over the world for centuries. Putting aside its storied history, famous masquerade balls during Carnevale and its stunning architecture, it is primarily recognized as the floating city with transportation only available on boats which travel along its many canals. Wh...

This tiny Italian island is a miniature paradise that takes a mere 20 minutes to circumnavigate—yet packs more color and charm than destinations ten times its size. Welcome to Burano, the rainbow-hued jewel of Venice’s lagoon that photographers and travelers alike consider Italy’s most visually stunning hidden gem. A kaleidoscope of colors floating...

The City of Canals is fed up with tourists who treat Venice like a pit stop — and now it’s slapping them with another toll for treating the floating city like a food court. Starting Friday, day-trippers who “eat and flee” — a phrase officials use for tourists who pack their lunch, snap a selfie and ditch without spending a dime — will once again ha...