Nina Garcia’s Insider Guide to Venice

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There’s nowhere like Venice. The Gothic palaces, absence of cars, and, of course, the canals all give it an otherworldly beauty. One of my favorite things to do is walk around the city and along the canals, finding tiny, cobblestone corners I’ve never seen before. I always love going to the galleries and museums and can’t wait to see the new Dries Van Noten Foundation space.

Art, architecture, and history draw visitors all year round, but there’s no more exciting time to visit than during the Venice Biennale, which opens in May. The event alternates each year between an art focus and an architectural one, with the even years bringing artists from around the world to display their works. The show is held in two locations: the Arsenale, a production center turned exhibition space, and the Giardini, a park that hosts 29 pavilions, each featuring the work of a single nation. This year’s Biennale, named “In Minor Keys,” was curated by Koyo Kouoh, who died one year before its opening. Kouoh’s vision for the show is being honored, with a team of collaborators that she chose completing the work.

For this month’s Insider Guide, I spoke to friends like Edgardo Osorio, the creative director of Aquazzura, Hassan Pierre, ELLE European editor-at-large, and Vivia Costales, owner of Floris Special Events and Love Floris, to share the places they love most. Together, we’ve assembled our top recommendations, based on years of visits.

BEST TIME TO GO:

I love to visit in the spring, from April to June. The heat is not yet intense, and it’s a calmer, less crowded time than July and August. September and October are also lovely. The weather is mild and you’ll avoid the higher flood risk that comes in November.

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Sleep

• Orient Express Venezia: Next month, Orient Express (owned by Accor and LVMH, the brand distinct from the Belmond-owned Venice-Simplon-Orient-Express) will open a 47-room property in Venice, which follows La Minerva Rome, its first hotel. The stunning Teatro suite has an 1860 frescoed ceiling and Neo-Rococo décor with floral stuccos and a chandelier of Murano glass. I can’t wait to visit the spa, which will have thermal treatments inspired by ancient Rome.
• Airelles Venezia: Another new destination on my list is Airelles’s first hotel outside of France. It’s located on Giudecca Island, easily accessible to the center of Venice via a five-minute ferry, and has three pools, expansive gardens, and the largest spa in Venice. Everyone’s going to be talking about the culinary offerings—chefs Nobu Matsuhisa, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Norbert Niederkofler each run one of the hotel’s three restaurants.
  
• Hotel Cipriani: This classic, beloved for its 270-degree views of the Venetian Lagoon and St. Mark’s Square, will reopen in April, unveiling the second phase of a renovation led by architect Peter Marino. Check out the hotel’s saltwater pool or the Dior spa opening in June.
  
• The Gritti Palace: Located in a palazzo built in 1475, The Gritti Palace is one of Venice’s premier hotels and a celebrity favorite with a Sisley spa. The rooms have traditional Venetian details like Rubelli fabrics and Murano glass. The terrace, which has incredible views of the city, is Osorio’s favorite place for a summertime drink.

Also try:

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Dine

Breakfast:

• Caffè Florian: One of the oldest coffeehouses in the world, Caffè Florian has beautiful views of St. Mark’s Square and gorgeous 1800s décor. The classic spot has long been a favorite of artists, from Claude Monet to Andy Warhol.
• Gran Caffè Quadri: Gran Caffè Quadri, famous for its coffee, is another storied destination on St. Mark’s Square. It’s been open since 1775 but has a modern appeal—in 2018 it underwent a renovation led by designer Philippe Starck. Upstairs is Ristorante Quadri, a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant.

Lunch:

• Osteria Alle Testiere: With only a handful of tables, Osteria Alle Testiere has top-tier Venetian seafood in a low-key setting. The catch of the day comes straight from the Rialto Fish Market.
• Harry’s Bar: Harry’s Bar lays claim to the bellini, which was created there in 1948, using prosecco mixed with puréed peach, and is still a main attraction, along with the beef carpaccio. It was a favorite of Orson Welles and Truman Capote and is a Venice institution imbued with Hollywood history.

Dinner:

• Trattoria del Local: Ristorante Local has been a Venice favorite since its opening in 2015, serving creative seven- and nine-course meals. Last year, Trattoria del Local, a more casual sister restaurant, opened. The menu is heavy on Venetian favorites like baccalà mantecato, bigoli, or liver alla veneziana.
  
• Da Ivo: There’s no better destination for a night out than this romantic gem that sits right on the canal. (It’s a favorite of George Clooney’s.) Tables are tucked close together for an intimate feel and the traditional dishes like truffle pasta and osso buco are done beautifully.
  
• Do Farai: Venice native Marcantonio Brandolini, whose family has had a presence in the city for generations, recently reopened the Venetian osteria with a new direction. The menu now includes hits like a veal piccata served with homemade mayonnaise and a Roman-style semolina gnocchi that is a Brandolini family favorite.

Also try:

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Discover

• Fondazione Dries Van Noten: Next month, ahead of the Biennale kickoff, Dries Van Noten and Patrick Vangheluwe, his partner, will open a foundation focused on craftsmanship in a 15th-century palazzo. The inaugural exhibition, a multidisciplinary show called “The Only True Protest Is Beauty,” runs through October.
  
• Palazzo Manfrin: The 16th-century landmark, which is home to the Anish Kapoor Foundation, will be open to the public for only the second time with the opening of “Anish Kapoor: Palazzo Manfrin,” a show featuring 100 architectural models that represent Kapoor’s works. The show, which is part of the Biennale, also includes large-scale installations and stainless steel sculptures.
  
• The Pinault Collection: Check out the first major European exhibit of American painter Lorna Simpson’s work on display through November.
  
• Scuola Grande di San Rocco: Beginning in the 1300s, the grand scuole of Venice housed confraternities, Catholic men’s organizations focused on worship and community service. San Rocco, built in the 1500s, is the only one that remains. The stunning building, often called the Sistine Chapel of Venice, holds some of Jacopo Tintoretto’s greatest paintings.

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Shop

• Fortuny: Designer Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo became famous with his belted Delphos dress, a long, pleated, Grecian-esque silhouette that eschewed corsets. The original Fortuny factory building now houses the company’s showroom, which sells handmade fabrics. You can also see Fortuny designs at the Fortuny Museum.
  
• Giberto Venezia: The sculptures, collectible designs, glasses, and picture frames designed by Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga are some of the most expertly made handmade Murano glass items in Venice.
  
• Casa Codognato: Since 1866, the Codognato family has sold some of the world’s most exquisite and unusual baroque jewelry, worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Since 2023, former Tiffany & Co. design director Francesca Amfitheatrof has been director of creativity for the brand; her edgy, gothic-inspired creations are a favorite of A$AP Rocky, who collaborated on a seven-ring capsule collection earlier this year.

Also try:

Want to chat about my Insider Guide to Venice? Send me a note at ninagarciainsiderguide@hearst.com. I’ll see you next month. Until then, follow me at @ninagarcia on Instagram for real-time fashion and travel updates—and don’t forget to check out @elleusa too.

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