Venice in the Autumn – Two departures with a focus on arts and crafts

• 28th October – 2nd November, 2024
• 2nd – 7th November, 2024

As the days become cooler and the sun warms the stones of the city in the early afternoon, it’s time to think about Venice during the pleasant days of Autumn. The perfect time to visit. The crowds have gone home, the summer holidays are over and Venice welcomes ‘i giorni di San Martino’ with amazing pastries and shortbread delicacies. I’ve created a wonderful 6-day trip staying at Villa Mabapa on the gloriously civilised Lido di Venezia. The terrace looks across the lagoon to San Marco and the Giardini – where the Biennale is in full swing until 24th November.

The trip will be hosted and guided by me – there’ll be walks to hidden palaces and gardens and a visit to the Giudecca. We’ll go for private boat tours in and around Venice, including very special and unique visits. We’ll head up the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore. We’ll discover the incredible artisans of Venice, paper makers, printers and jewellery makers. We’ll also spend a day at the Biennale.

It’s as close as you can get to being at home in Venice. Think Katharine Hepburn in the film ‘Summertime’ and you can picture the scene. This is a small group experience with a maximum of 8-10 guests. Think private boat rides, a day on the lagoon, visits to artisan studios and discovering little known palaces. This is a neighbourhood by neighbourhood visit to Venice. It’s all about really getting to know this magical city marooned between land and sea.

_{All photos by www.greyhoundtrainers.com}

28th October – Monday: Venice – Private Boat to Lido

Arrive in Venice today and check-in to our charming ‘villa’ hotel. The Villa Mabapa is wonderfully located on Lido di Venezia, with wonderful views across the lagoon to St Mark’s. The Giardini (home of the Biennale) is 10 minutes away by ferry. It really is the ideal base for a relaxing stay in Venice: www.villamabapa.com There’s a lovely courtyard garden with views over the water and a private quay for arriving and departing by boat.

Relax with an aperitivo in the courtyard, as you absorb the sights, sounds and smells of Venice. This evening we will have drinks followed by a Welcome Dinner at the hotel.

Meals included today: Welcome Drinks & Dinner

_{Photos of recent guests in Venice with us! The mask-maker Roberta is a personal friend!}

29th October – Tuesday: Rialto, San Marco, Accademia

After breakfast at the ‘villa’ we’ll head by boat towards San Marco and the Grand Canal. We’ll make our way up to the Rialto Bridge, one of the oldest parts of the city. At Rialto the market will be in full swing. Our route takes us along narrow medieval alleys, through various campos (squares) and finally to the Rialto Market. The stalls are always over-flowing with fresh vegetables, the freshest of fish from the lagoon and a wonderful array of colours, scents and character. It’s fun to make a couple of purchases at the market – perhaps some fresh fruit, herbs or even the latest arrival of tomatoes from Sant’Erasmo. We’ll also pop into Paolo Pelosin’s handmade paper shop – it’s my favourite. He’s a genius!

We’ll meander along the Merceria (Venice’s main shopping street that runs from Rialto to San Marco). There’s time to relax in St Mark’s Square and enjoy a coffee or a spritz at Quadri or Florian. If you want to be local go to Caffe Lavena – it’s the Venetians choice. Stand at the bar (il banco) and a coffee is only a couple of euros. Napoleon declared St Mark’s Square the finest drawing room in Europe.

Meals included today: Breakfast, Pizza Dinner.

_{Carciofo Violetto di Sant’Erasmo, for sale in the market at Rialto (left). Vegetables & tomatoes, on the right.}

30th October – Wednesday: Art in Venice at The Biennale

Today we’ll discover some of the wonderful art in Venice at The Biennale, 2024. Starting at ‘i Giardini’ we’ll make our way around the various national pavilions located under shady trees and nestling at the end of gravel paths. The Biennale is an institution, now in it’s 60th edition. The first Biennale took place in Venice in 1895. It started as a showcase for modern Italian Art but quickly transformed into the largest international modern art exhibition in the world. This year’s Biennale is curated by Adriano Pedrosa and is entitled ‘stranieri ovunque’ which translates as foreigners or strangers everywhere. It is an exceptional display of truly international dimensions with a special emphasis on the Southern Hemisphere.

You can read about the history of the Biennale here: Venice – Biennale in an article I wrote a year or so ago. The portraits below are from this year’s Biennale.

_{Venice Biennale 2024 entrance re-imagined – photo by Matteo de Mayda}

31st October – Thursday: A day on the Lagoon – Torcello, Burano, F.te Nova

Today is a day on the water, discovering this unique natural harbour and the numerous islands that make up the Venetian Lagoon. We’ll make our way northwards towards Torcello – the island of legends. Then we’ll continue to Burano for lunch at the fantastic Da Romano trattoria. Da Romano is famous for the quality of the food, especially the fish risotto (just exceptional). It’s also famous for the exceptional art collection that hangs on the walls.

After a lengthy lunch there’s time for shopping in the cute lace shops of Burano before heading back to Venice. We’ll also visit Gianni Basso, my favourite printer at Fondamente Nova. This evening is free for you to relax, take a stroll, or perhaps join me for a sun-downer on Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta, where the views are breath-taking at sunset.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

_{Scenes from Lido including Dirk Bogarde in ‘Death in Venice’ 1971 film by Visconti, filmed almost entirely on Lido di Venezia}

1st November – Friday: Dorsoduro and Giudecca

Back on the boat this morning and off we go to Dorsoduro and the Accademia area of Venice. First we’ll stroll to Peggy Guggenheim’s palazzo. Peggy lived in Venice from the 1940s until her death. She assembled one of the finest collections of modern art in Europe. A visit to her house (now an art gallery) is quite an experience. Marvel at paintings by Chagall, Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali, Magritte, Max Ernst and Leonora Carrington. Nearby is the Palazzo Cini which is also worth a visit – it houses an exquisite Botticelli painting. Well worth a visit. In 1948 ‘La Peggy’ as she is known by Venetians was asked if she would exhibit her private art collection at The Biennale which was restarting after the war. She kindly agreed. ‘La Peggy’ introduced Jackson Pollock to the European art world.

We’ll also cross the Giudecca Canal to the island of Giudecca to view Venice from a different perspective. The views across the water to St Marks and La Salute are incredible. We’ll visit the small church of Sant’Eufemia, with its 12th century origins. We’ll also see an area where ordinary Venetians live, complete with their fishing boats and nets, drying in the sun.

This evening is our final dinner together – once again we’ll be enjoying some great Venetian food. At about 7 pm we’ll meet back at the ‘villa’ to go out for dinner. One of my favourite restaurants awaits us.

Meals included today: Breakfast, Dinner

_{Venice at sunset – Salute and San Lazzaro degli Armeni}

2nd November – Saturday: A fond farewell

Today is departures day – we’ll arrange transfers by water taxi to either the airport or the train station – as required. Meals included today: Breakfast. Arrivederci!!!

Meals included: Breakfast

_{Torcello (left) by www.nicolefriedler.com Burano (centre) colourful houses line the canals. Dorsoduro (right) towards Giudecca}

_{Views from Giudecca back towards Zattere. The gardens of Sant’Eufemia, Giudecca}

This exceptional Venetian experience includes:

• 5 nights at Villa Mabapa Hotel, Lido di Venezia
• All rooms are double or twin, some with balcony, some without.
• Private water taxi transfers on arrival and departure from/to Marco Polo Airport
• Breakfast included daily.
• Welcome drinks on arrival day & welcome dinner.
• In addition – 1 x lunch, 2 x dinners included.
• A morning visit to the Rialto market
• Daily walking tours as outlined in the itinerary
• A full day on the lagoon in our own private boat – visiting Torcello, Burano & F.te Nova
• Private boat services to/from Rialto, Dorsoduro, Giudecca
• Visits to artisan producers, paper-maker, printer, jewellery maker.
• Numerous surprises and added extras.
• A deliberately flexible programme to enable us to adapt/improve each day at a moment’s notice.
• A choice of room types (see below).

This is a very special trip, very close to my heart and filled with local knowledge acquired over decades. For more information please e-mail: janet@grand-tourist.com

 The cost of the trip depends on room category selected at the hotel:

• BEST VALUE – Cosy Single from Euros € 2950 pp / GBP £ 2500 – 2 rooms at this price
• Standard Double: Euros € 3500 pp / GBP £ 2950 – 3 rooms at this price
• Superior Double: Euros € 4500 pp / GBP £ 3800 – 4 rooms at this price
• Superior Room – Lagoon View (single use): Euros € 4950 pp / GBP £ 4200 – subject to availability
• Superior Double/Twin for 2 people: Euros € 3900 per person / GBP 3290 – 2 rooms at this price.
• Stay on or arrive early, subject to availability. From € 200 per night including breakfast.
• Prices based on exchange rate of € 1.185 / GBP 1.00 (may vary at time of booking).

Please contact us for up to date availability.

• Contact me: janet@grand-tourist.com or my assistant bilge@grand-tourist.com for up to date availability and to discuss the trip.
• Alternatively what’s app: +44 7590 990 160 / Janet or +31 6 160 667 33 – Billgay
• These tours are limited to 8-10 guests per small group.
• Please note – flights are not included.

To book:

• A deposit of Euros € 2500 per person / GBP 2000 is required to confirm your place.
• The balance is then payable by 1^st October, 2024.

Note – Flights are not included.

_{It’s all happening on Giudecca – The Capuchin Friars of Redentore Church – left indulge in a little rowing ‘Venetian style’}

Over the last six years I’ve written hundreds of articles about Venice, Italy and ‘Life in General’. Below there is a suggested list of further reading from the pen of Janet Simmonds (that’s me) aka The Educated Traveller www.greyhoundtrainers.com

• Peggy Guggenheim – Modern Art in Venice
• Il Pavone – The Peacock
• Torcello – Island of legends – Cipriani, Hemingway, Venice
• Venice – Botticelli in Venice – seriously?
• Venice and Film
• Venice and the Biennale – history of:
• Biennale official site: www.labiennale.org
• Contact me: janet@grand-tourist.com

_{Dirk Bogarde starred in ‘Death in Venice’ 1971 film by Visconti, filmed in Venice and on Lido. Summertime (1955) starring Katharine Hepburn, filmed entirely in Venice directed by David Lean}

31st July, 2024