Archive for 'Venice'

An unassuming and rather unflashy building both inside and out, Harry's Bar in Venice has, however, housed and birthed some famous names; Hemingway was a regular and it is the birthplace of the world-famous Bellini cocktail. Despite a lack of obvious signs of greatness, there are touches that let you know that you're somewhere special. The waiters still dress sharply in dinner jackets, the simple décor retains early twentieth century charm and, above all, the food and drink is legendary. An institution of the city, it was named a national landmark by the Italian government in 2001. Find yourself a vacation rental in Venice and you can walk in the footsteps of some of the greatest writers and figures in history, all while enjoying a bite to eat and a good drink.

The Bellini is on almost every cocktail menu in the world and is one of the world's most beloved alcoholic beverages. It was born in Venice in Harry's Bar sometime between 1934 and 1948. Its inventor was Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar, and it was so named due to its typically distinct pink colour (depending on ingredients used, this can vary in hue) which reminded him of the toga a saint wore in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini. The drink started as a seasonal speciality at Harry's and later became popular at the bar's New York counterpart. Once fresh white peach purée could be shipped constantly to both locations, it became a year-round favourite.

In 2005, a very unusual discovery was made on the Venetian island of Lazzaretto Nuovo. Among other bodies discovered in the mass plague graves of the island was a woman's skull with a brick jammed into her mouth – a vampire. Thus, Lazzaretto Nuovo became the vampire island of Venice and news outlets from around the world reported on the discovery of the strange corpse. Of course, you might wonder why a brick in her mouth didn't merely suggest an accident or prank but the act of putting a brick in the mouth of a corpse had a very distinct reasoning behind it.

When you first think of Venice, what comes to mind? St Mark's? Canals? Gondolas? Probably not kayaks, right? Yet, something which has been gaining popularity over the past few years are kayak tours of the canals of this historic city. You literally get to see the city from a different perspective and it's a fun and more active way to get around. It's also a good way to independently navigate the city as its canals are the only way to get around and are usually only the domain of public transport, taxis and locals' vehicles. Find a holiday rental in Venice and you can have a very unique, once-in-a-lifetime adventure to show friends and family pictures of when you get home. The look of surprise on their faces will make it very much worth it!

St Mark's Basilica in Venice, is the city's cathedral. The original church was built inside the complex of the Doge's Palace in 828 to house the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist which had supposedly been stolen by Venetian merchants from Alexandria. It was burned to the ground in 976 during an uprising and rebuilt twice. By the time it was to be rebuilt for the second time, the Venetian Republic had become a much greater power and, to symbolise its growing power and wealth, a new basilica complex was built and consecrated in 1094. This is the building that we know today. First, it was only used as the doge's private chapel and became the city's cathedral in the nineteenth century.