Venice

A fall getaway is the perfect time to escape the crowds and indulge in everything La Serenissima has to offer

The new season begins in style in Venice each September with the sumptuous Regata Storica, glamorous Mostra Film Festival, and Venice Glass Week. Then, as fall turns to winter, the city lives up to its nickname — La Serenissima, Italian for “The Most Serene” — with fewer visitors, when it’s easy to get that sought-after restaurant reservation and there’s time to slow down and enjoy traversing the lagoon and its islands.

Morning.

Head for under-the-radar Cannaregio district to discover historic botteghe stores showcasing local craftspeople. In his ancient Antica Stamperia, Gianni Basso handprints exquisite bespoke stationery, with clients including movie stars, musicians, and royalty. The wood-paneled Farmacia Santa Fosca dates back to 1701, selling the aromatic artisan perfumes of The Merchant of Venice, while in the tiny atelier of young stylist Alessandra Micolucci, you’ll find one-off contemporary fashion designs.

Afternoon.

Stroll around the Dorsoduro neighborhood, where tiny canals are lined with discrete palazzi and intimate churches like San Sebastiano conceal Veronese’s wondrous Renaissance frescoes, recently restored by Save Venice. Walk along the romantic Zattere waterfront toward Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, and hidden away on a tiny bridge by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection museum, check out the seductive jewelry and goblets created at Genninger Studio. The American designer has been working with Murano masters for 30 years.

Evening.

Get dressed up in your finest for an unforgettable night at Venice’s magnificent Teatro La Fenice – maybe an opera like Tosca or Berg’s Wozzeck; a Schubert or Strauss concert; or a contemporary ballet. At the interval, follow savvy locals who pop outside for a bubbly Prosecco and tasty tramezzino sandwich at the adjacent Bar al Teatro.

Morning.

Hop on the vaporetto water boat across the lagoon to Sant’Erasmo, Venice’s market garden, growing vegetables sold in the Rialto market. Book a cantina tasting at Orto, a vineyard where French vigneron Michel Thoulouze produces high-quality wines served in fine-dining restaurants around the world. Hike through fields planted with artichokes and asparagus to catch another vaporetto to nearby Burano.

Afternoon.

Feast off seafood cicchetti tapas at Ai Banky, a new osteria run by former fishmongers. Brightly painted fishermen’s cottages display Burano’s famous handmade lace, while for luxury creations, visit Martina Vidal’s exclusive atelier. 
A vaporetto will drop you off at another island, Murano, renowned for its glassmaking. Browse the collections of Venini and Barovier&Toso or witness a dramatic demonstration at one of the furnaces open to the public, like 
Gino Mazzuccato.

Evening.

Enjoy a foodie feast of traditional Venetian cuisine back in Venice at Alla Rivetta, a 50-year-old trattoria beloved by gondoliers. Everyone is welcomed like family, and you’ll be torn between choosing menu highlights such as spaghetti topped with tender ink-black cuttlefish; a huge plate of fritto misto, deep-fried fish and vegetables; or classic fegato alla veneziana, delicate calf liver and onions.

Morning.

Cultural Venice comes alive during the alternating Art and Architecture Biennales, a unique occasion to visit the eclectic national pavilions in the verdant Giardini gardens and sprawling industrial space of the Arsenale. Running until November 23, this year’s Biennale d’Architettura explores provocative issues under the title Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. Every pavilion has something original and challenging, but try to track down the historic U.S. pavilion in Giardini.

Afternoon.

The Biennale includes numerous exhibitions dotted around Venice, free of charge, and often located in palaces and churches that are not usually open to the public. Take your time wandering the backstreets to discover Lithuania’s presentation in a hidden Renaissance jewel, the frescoed Santa Maria dei Derelitti church, or the sumptuous Palazzo Franchetti on the Grand Canal, where Qatar presents the intriguing theme, My Home Is Your Home.

Evening.

Take a seat at Caffè Florian, where Venetians congregate, and enjoy a refreshing Tintoretto cocktail of Prosecco and pomegranate juice. Then cross the Piazza San Marco to Quadri, the gastronomic restaurant of famed three-Michelin-Starred chef Max Alajmo. Reserve a window table offering the ultimate romantic view over the Piazza, and indulge in a tasting menu featuring unique dishes such as Venetian soft-shell crab stuffed with langoustines and baby artichoke.

Venice is the ultimate destination whatever the season, from enchanting summer blue skies to mystical moments when La Serenissima is shrouded in a bewitching winter mist. These days there is no longer the unpredictable high waters of Acqua Alta, as the dependable Mose sea gates rise up to protect this unique floating city from flood tides.