THE REDENTORE FESTIVAL IN VENICE

The Redentore festival is close to the hearts of Venetians, and is celebrated on the third Sunday of July, with a grandiose fireworks show on Saturday night as the main attraction. The Venetians take in the spectacle of the fireworks right from their boats which are usually decorated with balloons, festoons and lights. Starting before sunset, the boats make their way to the Saint’s Mark basin and to the Giudecca Canal. The waters sparkle with the reflection of boats and lights. On the boats, among song, dance and typical food, people wait for the fireworks that begin at 11.30pm and go on for almost an hour. Along the banks thousand of people also wait for the fireworks at long tables set up for the occasion.

The origins of the festival dates back to the horrible plague that devastated Venice between 1575 and 1577. In (more…)

EAT AND DRINK IN VENICE APERITIF

  SPRITZ

The typical aperitif in Venice is the spritz, made of carbonated water, white wine, lemon peel or olive and as you prefer, bitter Campari, Cynar or Aperol. This beverage is very common also in Hungary, (frocs), Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and also in Romania, all the territories of ex-Austro-Hungarian kingdom (1867-1918). The story tells us that the Austrians used to drink the venetian wine with water, because it was too strong for them, so the Venetians, added a bit of liquor to give to this drink a new taste. The Austrians called it“spritz” that means injection. The aperitif-time is from 5 p.m., but someone drink spritz in the morning before lunch. Spritz is a very strong beverage, so you take care when you drink it.

THE DOGES PALACE – THE SECRET ITINERARY

The secret itinerary of the Doges Palace begins on the upper floors of the Doges Palace. As you climb up the lavishly decorated Golden staircase that expresses the great wealth that the Venetians once possessed you come to a tall wooden sturdy door that’s always locked, except for those lucky enough to have reservations to enjoy a very different tour of the Doges Palace.

The secret itinerary of the Doges Palace literally takes you into the inner sanctums of the brain of Venice. Rooms and chambers that were previously off-limits to everyone, except the most trusted members of the Venetian government. Behind the vast expanses of the grand halls and chambers of the public-face of the Doges Palace lay a warren of offices, corridors and other rooms where the secret work of the Venetian Empire took (more…)

THE FLIGHT OF THE ANGEL – “COLOMBINA”: VENICE CARNIVAL

The Flight of the Angel is an event usually held on Shrove Thursday of Carnival (grasso) this has its roots due to an event that happened in the mid 16th century. In those years, during various exihibitions, a Turkish acrobat did something that stupefied the Venetians.With the only aid of a pole he walked on a rope from a boat tied in Riva degli Schiavoni to the top of St. Mark’s Tower and then from the tower to the Doges Palaces balcony, as a tribute to the doge.

The exihibition changed its name and became “The Flight of the Turk”, it has been held every year with various changes, first it was made only by professional acrobats and lately by common people that wanted to show their ability and bravery.

The exihibition name changed into “The Flight of the Angel” when for the first time an acrobat dressed with angel wings tied to a (more…)

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

In the palace known as Fontego dei Turchi, once the Turkish legation – now the premises of the Natural History Museum, a room is completely given over to Venetian entrepreneur and palaeontologist Giancarlo Ligabue and his scientific expedition to the Sahara desert in Niger which, in 1973 discovered the famous fossil remains of
dinosaurs. The almost intact skeleton of an Ouranosaurus came to light in the sands. Seven metres long and three metres in height, it is one of the most rare finds of this type known anywhere. Today the remains of this iguanodon from 110 million years ago, and the cranium and part of the skeleton of a giant crocodile Sarcosuchus imperator – a flesh-eating creature of gigantic proportions (12 metres in length, weighing (more…)

THE PIGEONS IN VENICE

Venice is setting its sights on its pesky pigeons again after new reports showed the risks the birds pose to its health and heritage.

”We must do more to get rid of these troublesome animals,” local councillor Alberto Mazzonetto told ANSA.

The pigeon population of St Mark’s Square has been reduced from an estimated high of 20,000 to barely a thousand, authorities claim.

The blitz began in May, when the lagoon city banned the vendors who sold grain to tourists wanting to feed the birds.

Pigeons were eating away at centuries-old statues and buildings by pecking at nooks and crevices to reach for scraps of food that had lodged inside. Their highly acidic droppings also damage brickwork and marble.

“Just a few months after the feed ban most of the square is free of the animals who have moved off to find food on the islands,” said (more…)