Venice

The Morera de Pablo i Esther is set in a quiet area of Venice, away from the main promenade. Offering an excellent fine-dining experience, this restaurant is a popular place for the locals of Venice and often gets booked up weeks in advance.

Located on the rural island of Torcello is Locanda Cipriani. The restaurant was founded in the 1930’s by Giuseppe Cipriani (also founder of Harry’s Bar) and over the years it has been frequented by many famous names including Ernest Hemmingway and the British Royal family.

This incredible cafe was founded in 1720 and the decor inside should not be missed. The history of the cafe is as rich as the decor too as during the Austrian occupation, Venetian patriots liked to plot their revolution in Caffè Florian over cakes and coffee.

Il Refolo is a lovely, upmarket pizzeria located in a busy little square attached to Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio. The pizza is made with fresh ingredients purchased from the market that same day.

Enjoy fresh Venetian seafood at Corte Sconta which boasts a pretty vine-covered courtyard so that you can dine alfresco. If you’re not sure what to try, opt for the antipasti tasting menu where you’ll be brought dishes such as schie (small grey shrimps) and polenta, spider crab and mantis prawns.

Ok, so this might not be a restaurant, but you can’t visit Venice and not indulge in some gelato. Gelato Fantasy makes the gelato of your dreams from ooey gooey chocolate options to those which are sprinkled with fresh fruits.

This little bar is something of a Venetian institution. Locals from all walks of life, from students to builders and boatmen, all stop here on their way home for a small glass of wine. You’ll often find people standing outside eating and drinking as no more than 8 people can fit inside the bar!

This is the oldest wine bar in Venice and it serves a collection of 1,000 Italian and foreign wines – although they are not all on offer at the same time, they are regularly rotated so when you visit there is sure to be something new and exciting to try.

Although this bar is also quite compact, what you’ll love about it is that it’s opposite a squeri (gondola workshop), so that when you head outside with your glass of wine in hand you can watch the craftsmen at work on the gondolas – a very unique experience.

Perhaps the most famous bar in Venice, Harry’s Bar is known around the world as the birthplace of the famous Bellini drink which was created by Arrigo Cipriani and consists of fresh peach juice mixed with sparkling wine.

Hosted in what used to be a grain mill, enjoying a drink at the Skyline Bar is an experience in itself as the view over the city is incredible. The drinks can be a little pricey but think of it as a premium for the spectacular view. Try to go in time to catch the sunset which is simply breathtaking.

Carnevale is the world’s biggest and most famous masked ball. It’s held in the Piazza San Marco and takes place over the 10 days prior to Shrove Tuesday. Head to the local tourist information centre for a full programme of events for the festival.

Held on a Sunday, typically in March or April this event is something of a bar crawl covered up as an orienteering exercise. The name literally means ‘Up and Down the Bridges’ and at the start of the event you’re given a map with a list of check points to tick off as you explore the city.

Held on the 3rd weekend in July, Festa Del Redentore celebrates the build of the Redentore (Redeemer) church which was commissioned to be built in 1576 at the end of the plague epidemic. Festa Del Redentore is the oldest and continuously celebrated date in Venice.