Tips for visiting Venice during Art Biennale

Dating back to 1895, Art Biennale is one of the oldest art exhibitions in the world. Created to give voice to art and artists, the festival now celebrates all forms of art including cinema, theatre, dance and architecture.

The 58th International Art Exhibition, titled "May You Live In Interesting Times", will take place from 11 May to 24 November 2019 (Pre-opening on 8, 9, 10 May). The title is a phrase of English invention that has long been mistakenly cited as an ancient Chinese curse that invokes periods of uncertainty, crisis and turmoil; "interesting times", exactly as the ones we live in today.

The 58th Exhibition is curated by Ralph Rugoff, currently the director of the Hayward Gallery in London. Between 1985 and 2002 he wrote art and cultural criticism for numerous periodicals, publishing widely in art magazines as well as newspapers, and published a collection of essays, Circus Americanus (1995). During the same period he began working as an independent curator.

Local tip: All exhibitions and collateral events held outside Giardini and Arsenale are usually free admission. How to spot them? Easy! Just look for the red square with the white lion, the recognisable symbol of Biennale, along the streets of Venice.

How to get there

The Giardini pavilion and Arsenale are reachable by public transportation and both are walkable distance from Piazza San Marco. Our big tip is to buy a public transportation pass and jump on a waterbus to get to Giardini. From the train and bus station, get on line 5.1 and get off at Giardini della Biennale; the pavilion’s entrance is just in front of the water bus station.

To avoid the crowds — especially on the first opening week, weekends and last days of Biennale — we suggest you get up early and be there as the gates open. You can actually visit Giardini and Arsenale on two separate days with your purchased ticket, so that you have enough time to explore not only Castello, but some other Biennale locations scattered all over the city.

Explore Castello

The Venice Giardini in the Castello district is an area of parkland that hosts the Biennale Art Festival. Here’s what you need to know to explore Castello.

This district is considered the most truly Venetian district. Castello has quiet residential streets where everyone knows each other, filled with that old-style community vibe that we love about this beautiful city. Get lost in intricate maze alleys, visit the oldest Basilica in town, sip coffee overlooking the gardens and get a real taste of our cuisine at some local taverns. You can actually spend an entire day just exploring and immersing yourself in this authentic part of Venice.

Fill up with good coffee and a delicious cake slice at La Serra dei Giardini, a fantastic greenhouse built in 1894, that now hosts not only a great flower shop, but also a relaxing coffee shop. All year round it hosts special workshops for kids and adults, and concerts are exceptional during summer.

Get your kicks on and walk through the long tree-lined street towards Via Garibaldi; turn right and ask for San Pietro di Castello basilica. This church dates back to 822, one of the oldest churches in the city that hosts one of the most loved festivals in town at the end of June.

While exploring the area, you will most likely end up towards the main street Via Garibaldi, once a canal that has been covered to make way for this amazing street filled with small taverns and bars. It is hard to choose the best, but our favourites are without doubt El Refolo with its high stools, great wines and tasty panini; and Salumeria, a former delicatessen shop, transformed by some young Venetians into a new, hip bar. Stop at both for some local cicchetti and wine. While cicchetti are considered appetisers by most people, trust us: a full plate of them makes for a good lunch.

Finish up your day relaxing in Sant’Elena, the extreme part of Venice, famous for its luscious green areas and beautiful views on Saint Mark’s Basin. Not only during the day for some relaxing time under the trees, but also at sunset for views of the city under the gorgeous, golden light.

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Venice from the Campanile!

A visit to Venice is not complete unless you seize the opportunity to admire the city from above...

With its 99 metres of height, St Mark’s Campanile offers the best view over the city and its lagoon! However, many visitors often skip this fascinating landmark discouraged because of long queues at the entrance, and prefer spending more time sightseeing, but you can book online your St Mark's Campanile tickets: the price includes a privileged skip-the-line entrance to San Marco Bell Tower which permits you to avoid the wastage of your precious time.

The imposing structure of the St Mark’s Bell Tower in Venice - and especially its great height – gives the profile of Venice an unmistakable symbol of greatness: the St Mark’s Campanile in Venice overlooks the entire city and the surrounding lagoon, allowing those who climb it, particularly on clear days, to enjoy far-reaching views that extend almost as far as the Alps.

Built with the purpose of serving as a beacon for sailors of the lagoon, the original Piazza San Marco Bell Tower was built on Roman foundations - probably a watch tower - and completed in 1173. After various changes and transformations over the centuries, the current form of the Campanile of St. Mark's Square Venice is in line with the architecture of the 15th century, when it was renovated and designed by Giorgio Terror, under the direction of Bartolomeo Bon. The main differences can be seen in the marble belfry, the addition of the upper structure with four faces – on which the Lion of San Marco and Venice appear - and the slender spire of bronze bearing on the tip a golden statue of the Archangel Gabriel which, placed on a turntable, acts as a wind vane. The height of St Mark’s Campanile is almost 100 m.

Each of the five bells placed in the loggia of St Mark's Campanile has a role: the 'Marangona' - the only surviving original - announced the beginning and end of the working days of the 'cormorant' (carpenters Arsenal) and meetings of the Great Council; the 'Nona' marks the south and the 'Trottiera' warned the nobles who were attending the meetings of the Great Council, and the 'Mezza Terza' informed the meeting of the Senate, and finally the 'Malefico' informed of an execution.

In the history of science, the Campanile in St Mark’s Square in Venice reached its moment of glory in 1609 when Galileo proved right here the effectiveness of his telescope.

A special mention is deserved for the loggia of St Mark's Campanile - at the base of the tower - facing the basilica, which was built in the 16th century by Jacopo Sansovino. The marble structure of the loggia is decorated with statues and portraits of classical taste that represent allegories to celebrate the Venice Republic. The loggia was also the seat of the guard of Arsenalotti, the prestigious military-corporation of workers employed in the Arsenal of Venice, who stood guard at the meetings of the Great Council. Along with the bell tower, the work of Sansovino 'separates' St Mark’s Square from the smaller St Mark’s square.

On 14 July 1902 the St Mark’s Bell Tower Venice collapsed on the square: fortunately with no casualties or serious damage to the surrounding architectural treasures, but the tower and below the loggia were almost completely destroyed. Recovering what was left of the original fragments, the San Marco Campanile was rebuilt 'where it was and how it was' - the famous phrase given by the mayor Grimani in his speech after the incident – on 25 April 1912.

For those wishing to visit Venice, the majestic St Mark's Campanile admission and Sansovino loggia remain one of the attractions not-to-be-missed.

St Mark’s Campanile opening times for skip-the-line entrance

The service is only available from 1 April to 31 October. St Mark’s Campanile Venice tickets can be purchased online up to 10 minutes before the selected entrance time.

Please note that, during the daytime, there are at least two time options available per hour (12 places available for each option) according to the time slot you choose to access the Campanile di San Marco with skip-the-line service.

10.15 / 10.30 / 10.45 am

11.15 / 11.30 / 11.45 am

12.15 / 12.30 / 12.45 pm

1.15 / 1.30 / 1.45 pm

2.15 / 2.30 / 2.45 pm

3.00 / 3.30 / 3.45 pm

4.15 / 4.30 / 4.45 pm

5.00 / 5.15 / 5.30 / 5.45 pm

6.00 pm

Campanile di San Marco ticket price: €8.00 (this ticket can be purchased only on the spot and does not include the skip-the-line access)

Campanile San Marco tickets with skip-the-line access

Full: €13.00

Concessions

Children up to 5 years old: free

From 6 to 18 years old: €9.00

PLEASE NOTE: to enjoy free admission to the bell tower, children up to 5 years old have to be held in their parents' arms. Otherwise children need a reduced ticket 6-18 years old because, as a matter of fact, they take up one of the places available in the lift.

You can go up and down the bell tower exclusively via lift: it is not possible to walk up, therefore this visit is not recommended to those who suffer from claustrophobia.

The visit to St Mark’s Campanile in Venice, Italy, will be suspended in case of unfavourable weather conditions (fog, strong wind, intense cold temperatures, ...).

For ticket holders with skip-the-line access to St Mark’s Campanile, the entrance door is located on the side of the tower connected to St Mark’s Square: once you are in front of the Campanile main entrance, you will find the door for visitors with online booking on the right. The voucher you receive at the end of the booking process contains all the instructions to help you reach the meeting place.

The online reservation for Campanile San Marco in Venice (ticket + skip-the-line service) is non-refundable: once the payment has been made, the booking cannot be changed and/or cancelled.

For reasons of force majeure (e.g. high water level) or in days with high turnout, the waiting time to go up the bell tower could last longer than expected. If such were the case, please respect the instructions given by the staff on site.

A visit to Burano

Any international magazines include Burano among the top 10 most colorful cities in the world

The colorful houses, the fishermen, the lace, the desserts and the fish dishes. The island of Burano leaves enchanted, it is a small pearl in the middle of the lagoon

The inhabitants of Altino to escape the barbarian invasions, took refuge in the various islands of the lagoon, giving these the names of the six gates of the city: Murano, Mazzorbo, Burano, Torcello, Ammiana and Costanziaco, derived precisely from the names of the doors of Altino.

Since the time of the Republic of Venice, Burano with its modest population of about 8,000 people, was an island of poor people who lived mainly from fishing and agriculture. Thanks to the skill of the lace makers began to grow, to enrich themselves and expand the local crafts also in foreign countries.

Burano is very famous for its needle lace. However, there is also a production of Venetian masks and many inhabitants of the island work in nearby Murano, producing precious glass objects.

How to get to Burano

Public transportations

From Santa Lucia Railway Station
ACTV's lines (Venetian public transport company) that bring to "Fondamente Nove":

• Lines 1 e N (Nocturne): get off at Ca' D'oro stop and proceed to Fondamente Nove (5 minutes) at the boarding for the 12 line, which connects Venice to Burano

• Lines 4.2 e 5.2: get off at Fondamente Nove stop and go to the 12 line's boarding beyond Donà Bridge. This line connects Venice to Burano in about 40 minutes.

• Line 3 (Murano Direct): get off at "Murano Faro" stop and take the waterbus to Burano at the 12 Boarding.

What to do in Burano

Capture the colour of Burano

If you’ve heard of Burano, or at the very least entered it into Google images, the one thing you’ll have taken away is the vibrancy of its buildings. Tangerine, teal, fuchsia, and lime houses line the canal and cobbled streets, but it’s not just for aesthetic reasons – the fishermen who first inhabited them picked bold colours to help them find their way back after a long day on the water in the thick fog that often descends upon the Lagoon, and some matched their boat colours to their house so if something happened to them the colour would indicate which door to knock on.

Learn to make lace

After fishing, lacemaking is Burano’s biggest money maker. The tradition dates back to the 1500s and was almost exclusively done at Scuola Merletti, or the Lace School, which is now a museum dedicated to the craft. What makes Burano lace different to other types of lace is the intricacy of the pattern and the delicate, gossamer-fine threads used. Only a handful of women do it in the traditional way these days, so the lace shops in the square are filled with replicas and even lace made in China, so check the label carefully. If it seems too cheap, it probably isn’t the real deal – Venetian lace is a luxury item that few can afford a lot of. Go to Dalla Lidia Merletti d'Arte for authentic Burano lace. Want to learn the art of Burano lace making? Martina Vidal Venezia is a Home Linen Atelier created by Martina and her brother Sergio as a concept store and teaching workshop, where you can sign up for an eight-hour introductory course. Price on request.

Prop up the leaning campanile of San Martino

Leaning Tower of Pisa? Been there, done that. Stand in the main square that surrounds the Church of San Martino in Burano and you can seemingly hold up the slanted ‘campanile’ without having to fight with hundreds of other visitors trying to get the same shot. Once you’ve got your picture, head inside and marvel at the architecture and Rococo art. Look out for the famous trio of St. Rocco, St. Sebastian and St. Antonio Abate by Jacopo Palma il Giovane and be sure to get close enough to the main altar to appreciate the ornate columns of French red marble and ancient oriental marble that encase it.

Eat fresh seafood – for half the price of Venice

Almost all of the fish in Rialto market in Venice is caught by the fisherman of Burano, so a visit to Burano itself means you can enjoy the much-lauded seafood straight from the source and without the premium the tourist hotspot demands. If you only have time for one restaurant during your trip, make it Al Gatto Nero. It’s a favourite of food bloggers – and chefs like Jamie Oliver – and has been serving a menu of fresh fish and pasta that changes daily since the 1960s. Pappardelle with langoustines and smoked ricotta is a must try, as is the John Dory and platter of razor clams, when they’re available. If you like your lunch with a side of art, book a table at Trattoria da Romano where you can enjoy traditional Venetian cuisine surrounded by more than 400 paintings from local and now-famous artists who paid for their meal with their work. It’s a favourite of Keith Richards and was once the haunt of Ernest Hemingway and Charlie Chaplin – look carefully at the menu for proof of their visits.

Satisfy your sweet tooth

After your fill of fish, find a pasticceria and hone in on the Bussolai Buranei or Venetian butter cookies. The delicious S-shaped biscuit is a local favourite steeped in history – they were originally made by fishermen’s wives for their husbands destined for long periods on the water because they would stay fresh all day – and they’re served in most cafés, alongside your espresso. At Panificio Pasticceria Palmisano Carmelina they’re flavoured with vanilla, lemon, or if you’re lucky, rum.

Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in Venice

Our list of Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in Venice

La Tecia Vegana

Calle dei Sechi Dorsoduro 2104, Venice

Vegan restaurant

La Tecia Vegana, literally “The Vegan Pot”, is a small and comfortable restaurant in the heart of the city of Venice, and the only organic vegan restaurant. The restaurant is managed by husband-and-wife team, that in the kitchen create delectable dishes such as ravioli with seitan and porcini mushrooms, and offer many gluten-free dishes.

La Cocaeta

Fondamenta San Giobbe 548 B, 30121 Venice

Vegan Crepes

Cocaeta (meaning “little tern” in Venetian dialect) is a super tiny creperie in Venice, located about 10 minutes walking distance from Venice train station. The mixture of all crêpes is vegan, and you can chose from many vegan ingredients. It is perfect for a quick lunch or a snack in the afternoon.

Gastrosofia Le Spighe

Castello 1341, 30122 Venice

Vegan dishes

It is a small gastronomy in the venetian district of Castello, that offers vegetarian and vegan dishes. Very good for a quick lunch or a take away in one of the less known district of Venice.

Bella & Brava

Cannaregio 4383, Venice

Vegan pizza

A small local where you can eat a vegetarian or vegan pizza, very rare to find in the city of Venice. You can sit down in one of the table, or take your vegan pizza and eat it where you prefer.

Orient Experience

Cannaregio 1847/b e Campo Santa Margherita, Venice

Vegan restaurant

It is a journey through spicy oriental flavors, in one of the less crowded and more inspiring district of Venice, Cannaregio. You can compose your own plate with 3 or 4 dishes of your choice. The local is tiny and intimate, very good for a romantic dinner.

Pizzeria L’Angelo

Calle Della Mandola 3711, 30124 Venice

Vegan take away

It is a take away pizzeria, located between St. Marc square and Rialto bridge, in the heart of the city of Venice. The menu offers a fair number of vegan pizzas, and sandwiches and other vegan snacks that are prepared in advance and put in plain sight.

Fiumefreddo Bio

Cannaregio 4467, Venezia

Vegan Restaurant

Fiumefreddo is a small place in a strategic position close to Rialto bridge. It is a gastronomy with few seats and a small outdoor area with vegan proposals from breakfast to dinner, passing for lunch and aperitif.

Da Mario alla Fava

Venezia, Calle dei Stagneri 5242, Venice

Vegan Restaurant

Is one of the historic restaurants in Venice, from 1960, that has decided to fully welcome the progress of vegan cuisine. To try for those who want to get a taste of authentic Venice, discarding fish and meat.

La Zucca

Santa Croce, 1762, Venice

Vegan restaurant

La Zucca is one of the best restaurants that offers vegetarian food. You can start your meal with a Tagliatelle with tomatoes and eggplant from its ever changing menu and finish with mouthwatering strawberries and cream topped with chocolate sauce. If your companion isn't a vegetarian and would love a fix of meat, there is also the choice of a juicy duck thigh with apples. The restaurant is located near a nice small canal, in the Santa Croce district, in the middle of Venice.

Purem

Cannaregio 2085 – Rio Terà de la Maddalena, 30123 Venezia

Vegan smoothies

Purem is a smoothie paradise. The good news for vegans is that each of the many versions indicated on the blackboard can be made with vegetable milk: soy, rice, coconut and almond. The same is for dark hot chocolate. All the fruit is organic and the combinations are many, imaginative and inviting.