Archive for 'Venice'

The staff here at Easy Reserve (who run the websites Italy Villas, Tuscany Villas, Easy Reserve and more) is made up of both Italians and passionate Italophiles and we thought, who better to give you insight on the best places to visit and the lesser-known, hidden gems in Italy? Here are some of our members of staff's picks of their favourite spots in Italy and why they made them fall in love!

1. Trieste's Piazza Unità d'Italia

One of our staff members is from Venice, has family from the south of Italy and has spent his university years in Bologna but his pick is actually a magical corner of Trieste! Specifically, he singled out the Piazza Unità d'Italia, “because it is surrounded by beautiful buildings and...one side of the piazza is actually the sea, the Gulf of Trieste. So, especially at night, with the lights and everything, there is a really nice atmosphere.”

The city of Venice is not only culturally and historically but also physically different to other Italian cities. As much as its history and culture impacted the city's architecture, it is this physicality that had a major impact on how Venetian buildings look and were built. This set the city's architecture apart and marked it as different. Just find a vacation rental in Veneto and come see this uniquely beautiful city for yourself.

Venice is defined by her plan - divided by both streets and canals and built on marshy ground. This confined and restricted space and determined the way in which buildings could be made and how they looked.

The foundations had to be different – a system of pile-grids – and this sense of preoccupation with stability created a predilection for columns, arcades and other support systems.

The Eastern influence on Venetian architecture is readily visible throughout the city and creates a stunning effect that is unique to the landscape, look and character of Venice. As a result, there is a distinct atmosphere about the city that, coupled with her famous canals, means you will never mistake Venice for anywhere else. Just find a vacation rental in Veneto and come see if for yourself.

Buildings of the early fifteenth century such as the Ca' D'oro feature Islamic motifs and decorative features, brought about by trade and interaction with the East; ogee arches, mihrab windows and rich foliate carvings, as well as multicoloured stones that come together to create a beautifully ornate Gothic facade. The important landmarks of the city, such as the Doge's Palace and San Marco, are all Gothic or clad in Gothic skins. It was not ignorance that lead to the decision to continue using Gothic forms in Venice, and the north of Italy in general, beyond its natural lifespan, but choice.

Furthermore, this lingering of the Gothic makes for a less stoic and grand architectural character and, instead, something more gilded and ornate.

Throughout the Renaissance, as new ideas and concepts spread across Italy, different cities expressed more universal notions in their own ways. Each city, state, town or region had unique identities, traditions and heritages and this informed their expression of the ideas of Brunelleschi, Alberti, humanism and the Renaissance at large. Usually this embodiment was not all that different to the prevailing styles but regional quirks or differences are apparent in some centres. Venice, in particular, is a good example of this.

The city is highly unique in many ways, both in its physical and cultural aspects. Built on a lagoon, the city is made up of a series of 72 confini – a very unusual plan which dictated how its buildings might be constructed. The geographical placing of Venice also affected her culture and influences. Here, East and West came together in a unique way and the dual influence of these cultures shaped the culture and architecture of the city.

In the first half of this article, we began looking at Google's suggestions for what to do if you only have one day in Venice. However, it has become apparent that they plan on your day being busy as we only got through half of the list! Here are the rest of their suggestions.

5. Piazza San Marco (Journey from previous location: Less than 5 minutes by foot. Estimated time to be spent here: 60 minutes.)

While you are in the Piazza San Marco to see the Cathedral, why not spend some time in the square itself? It is the principal public space in the city, surrounded by beautiful buildings – including the Cathedral – and filled with the sounds of the bustling crowds and music. It is a great spot to grab coffee and people watch while taking in the atmosphere of the city.