Venetian traditions

Tennis may not be the first sport that comes to your mind in regards to Venice. And yet, when visiting Ca’ Rezzonico Palace you see the detached fresco by Giandomenico Tiepolo featuring a racket [...]

A name for extra fine face powder Face or hair powder in Italian sounds “cipria”. The Italian word evokes the island of Cyprus where Venus, the goddess of love, came from. In Venice, Cyprus was [...]

Venice and wine, a story with deep roots. According to an ancient legend, Saint Mark was announced his burial in Venice in the place where Franciscans later would cultivate a vineyard. And that’s [...]

When Venetians loved gold more than Midas did St Mark’s square and its gilded monuments Have a look at the paintings in the Accademia Gallery by Gentile Bellini. You will discover gold leaf [...]

“about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea” (Gospel of Mark c.66-70) Water surely can be viewed as a treacherous element you would be safer to keep [...]

If there was one thing the previous owners had not planned, that was the ballroom. And yet the Rezzonicos spoke to their architect Giorgio Massari very clearly: the ballroom had to be there and, [...]

In a few days the climax of the Venetian Carnival will be reached. Guests from all over the world will wear their shimmering costumes, hide their face behind a mask and attend a [...]

When I was a child, I loved going to the school library and wandering around the white metal bookshelves. I loved the Einaudi editions. They had a white cover and a beautiful red line around. I [...]

Katharine Hepburn’s eyes stare with pleasure and happiness: a ruby red glass goblet stands by the window in a shop in Venice, in the beautiful campo San Barnaba. The film is “Summertime” by David [...]

In 1739 the Council of Ten, the powerful court of the Venetian Republic, received a peculiar request from a glass blower from Murano. It was well known that those ten judges would face important [...]