Depopulation, "hit and run" tourism and sky-high bills are killing Rialto market. Today less than ten stalls are struggling to survive, not supported by institutions. Established almost a thousand of years ago, Rialto market is one of the most ancient in Italy, as well as the settlement of the very first commercial exchanges in Venice. Named Rivoaltum because of its deep seabed, at that time the area was the ideal docking point for large ships loaded with any kind of goods. V

As we are going through the hottest season, Venice is overcrowded by flocks of “hit and run” tourists that are not well informed about the city and behave as they were wandering in a personal theme park, where every misdemeanor is allowed. We personally suggest to visit our beloved jewel in less busy periods, when you won’t risk meeting people who try to ride bicycles up and down the millennial bridges or, even worse, swim in the Grand Canal. If you can’t help but explore the

A couple of artists works with different materials to create luminous sculptures, abstract shapes and simple, elegant jewels in Venice. Sperm whales and other golden fishes, floating houses, starry skies and mysterious creatures on tree swings: these are a few objects you can find at Materialmente, a wondrous workshop located in the beating heart of Venice. Founded by Maddalena Venier and Alessandro Salvadori, who luckily met and exchanged their knowledge with no jealousy wha

A talented restorer, Simona Iacovazzi is always been one of those privileged human beings whose job is definitely about art and beauty. Extremely passionate and meticulous, these people usually spend most of their workday on a scaffolding or in a lab, cleaning, remedying cracks and trying to bring back to light colorful artworks that time forgot. In 2008, from her vibrant Apulia, Simona had come to Venice in order to work on one of these restoration projects, that sometimes s

Crazily enough, all of a sudden it’s summer and after ice, rain and hailstorms, we look just like butterflies attempting to get out of their cocoons: wrinkled, clumsy and a little shy. In order to stretch out the wings, what’s better than a first float on the marvellous lagoon garden of Sant’Erasmo island? Lying north of the Lido and north east of Venice, this large piece of land for centuries has been supplying Venetians with any kind of fruits and vegetables. On the island,

It was 1975, the year when Vietnam war finally came to an end and Bill Gates founded Microsoft. Saverio Pastor, who nowadays is one of the last oar makers - remèri in Venetian dialect, at that time was just a high-school teenager looking for an occupation during summer time. Born and raised in Venice, he was deeply fascinated by Venetian language and used to buzz around the workshop of master Bepi Carli, who descended from an important shipwright family and spoke a rich, arch

Much More than an Antique Bookstore When I first scheduled an appointment at Lineadacqua antique bookstore, I was expecting to face an austere, donnish, old bookworm hidden behind piles of untouchable tomes. Surprisingly enough, I was warmly greeted by a young man, whose elegant bookstore doesn’t boast only a vast collection of precious volumes, but also displays a number of ancient and modern artworks, such as stunning paintings, refined sculptures, literary journals and nic