Venice with all your senses
What you should experience in the lagoon city now
"There are two kinds of cities: Venice and all the others" - the American-British writer Henry James is said to have once said. And indeed, it is difficult to compare the city's melancholy charm with that of any other. Anyone who has experienced the lagoon city at least once will understand this description in their own way. And the frequency of the stays already enjoyed does not change this. On the contrary: regardless of how much you think you already know Venice's " grande bellezza" down to the last detail, even the narrowest alleyway (has it really always been here?) or the narrowest canal holds a new secret - and unexpectedly reveals a sensory experience that can only exist here. Our current Venetian voyage of discovery is no exception. Instead, Venice reveals itself to us as sensual - and incomparable - as never before. Un giorno a Venezia in tre atti (A day in Venice in three sensual acts):
'The Perfume': an olfactory exploration of Venice
Primo atto: smelling
After breakfast on the terrace of the De Pisis in front of the historic Hotel Bauer Palazzo, directly on the Grand Canal not far from St. Mark's Square, we want to discover Venice's sensual side. Connoisseurs are generally aware of the city's olfactory spectacle: every alley has a new smell in store, the tangy sea breeze mingles with the intense aroma of freshly ground coffee and just one step further, the aroma of a hearty portion of spaghetti all'arrabbiata surprises you. What most people don't know, however: Venice's olfactory history - which is far more significant than is generally known. Forget France, forget Grasse for a moment! The history of perfume, when you get right down to it, goes back to 16th century Venice.
As part of an exploratory tour organized by Top Venice, we discover Venice's fragrant past in Palazzo Mocenigo, Venice's first perfume museum, and create our own signature fragrance in a workshop in the venerable halls of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista. From a selection of essential fragrance essences available to us, we try to capture the aroma of the light, southern days and fill it into small bottles to preserve the scent of memory for other times. Venice in a different way - but very special. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to discover Venice off the beaten track. The tours can be individually booked and customized at the Venetian tourism agency Top Venice.
'Silence is a sound': acqua calma
Atto secondo: hear & feel
After a small snack on the hotel terrace, we enjoy our aperitif in the late afternoon on a gondola ride organized by the Bauer Palazzo through the still almost empty water alleys around the Grand Canal. One thing is certain: anyone who has never experienced Venice's 175 canals by gondola is not familiar with the gentle heart of the lagoon city - tourist rip-off or not. Nowhere else can you listen to the silence of the city as well as on a gondola - so close to the water. And right now: depending on the angle of the sun, you can still see the canals glistening in a light green to turquoise and the silence on the narrow waterways is sometimes so present that you can hear it as you slowly float past the facades of the old palazzi. I have never experienced Venice as quiet as on this afternoon at the end of June. Acqua calma instead of acqua alta. How beautiful Venice is this summer.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream': Settimo Cielo Rooftop Restaurant
" Terzo atto: see & taste"
In the evening, the setting sun bathes the Grand Canal in a warm light. We watch the play of lights from our second-floor balcony, which offers an unobstructed view of the now somewhat livelier hustle and bustle along the canal. The attitude to life and the Venetian splendor that we capture in the view outside are also reflected inside the hotel: authentically sublime (who says golden taps are out of fashion?), royal but not unpleasantly mannered, by no means antiquated, but with a certain nobility that can only be fed by a long history. It is a balmy evening. The wind carries the silken curtains outside, swaying them gently through the air just above the floor. We could sit here forever.
For dinner, we head up another five floors, where a whole new world awaits us on the roof terrace of the building (the highest in the city, mind you): the super-chic and ultra-modern rooftop of the Bauer Palazzo was privately owned for a long time and has only recently been opened to the public. A huge stroke of luck - and on top of that, an incredible bonus for any stay in Venice; currently also a little insider tip.
The panoramic view over the surrounding rooftops - Campanile on one side, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute on the other - is overwhelming and can only be topped by the culinary accompaniment. In addition to the rooftop bar, the fine dining restaurant Settimo Cielo has also been shining on the roof of the palazzo since 2020 under the direction of the extremely likeable Michelin-starred chef Cristiano Tomei, who is clearly passionate about his creative creations. Having long since become a TV star in Italy, he is nevertheless down-to-earth and cheekily explains the aromatic tricks of the nine courses served (each one better than the last). The menu is accompanied by Bollinger champagne and the warm breeze of a now crystal-clear night. Close to the (starry) sky - that's what you get here in more ways than one. Because this is what a Venetian midsummer night's dream looks like.
www.bauervenezia.com
Text: Magdalena Nackler
