A version of this article under my byline will appear in
www.italiantalks.com and
www.lucire.com
A marvelous transformation happens in Venice in the month of
December when the tourist population declines to half of the normal August
droves. Suddenly you’re able to stroll deserted quays and empty squares with
hardly a thought of stumbling headfirst into tour groups from the cruise ships.
In this time of year it’s mostly Venice for the Venetians, and you’ll quickly appreciate
the luxury of discovering art and architecture undisturbed, not to mention
sensing the spirit and beauty of La Serenissima’s elegant traditions.
Christmas in Venice comes down to four main headings:
concerts, crèches, consumerism, and cuisine. A splendor of choice awaits the
traveler prepared to plan ahead, bundle up and improvise at the last minute.
The season begins on
December
8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a national holiday when many
businesses close in observance. Expect everything to be
chiuso on
Christmas Day,
December 25, the most important religious holiday of the year, as Venetians
celebrate at
Saint
Mark's Basilica.
December 26, the
feast of Santo Stefano occurs. Families venture out on this public holiday to
view nativity scenes in churches and visit Christmas markets.
The Frari in San Polo, one of the
coldest churches in Venice, offers a free concert at about 4:00 PM.
A huge audience fills the Byzantine landmark for midnight
mass, its great doors thrown open, a combination of bracing air, haunting
melodies, a thousand candles reflecting gold-tiled mosaics, swirling incense,
crimson accents and ringing bells, set on a background of the moonlit square.
The following morning,
Concerts
There’s no central clearing house publicizing the multitude
of concerts in Venice during the season. Experienced travelers recommend that
on arrival you study the bills and large posters all over the city which advertise
Christmas concerts held most evenings in the city's vast basilicas. Remember
that the basilicas aren't well-heated, and the seats are unpadded, so lap
blankets and portable cushions may improve the experience. Venetians favor flannels
and furs for these events. Small museums and churches schedule concerts - some
free, some charging nominal admission, some allowing advance purchase, some with
tickets available at the door. The recently restored Church of San Vitale in Campo San Stefano is home to a magnificent
Carpaccio which hangs over the altar. La
Pieta on Riva degli Schiavone is the place to hear Vivaldi, the composer’s
own church where many of his works were first performed. Ca Rezzonico, Palazzo Moncenigo and the Scuola San Rocco also offer concerts.
Markets &
Shopping
Christmas markets known as Mercatini di Natale pop up from mid-December until mid-January
in the different campos and around the Rialto. The largest market, in Campo
Santo Stefano, is filled with stalls selling quality Venetian handicrafts. Some
markets offer antiques, others foods from all over Italy. With little effort
you will discover nativity objects, children's toys, purses of saffron velvet, hand-made
stationery and marbled paper, Burano lace, irresistible baby clothes, hand-embroidered
linen, subtly coloured grappa glasses from Murano, cocktail stirrers and bronze
alligator wallets priced to devour a week's wages. Seasonal treats, libation,
and music add to the pageantry of these markets.
Décor
Fantasy lights, garlands and trees are present only in the
busiest parts of the city: the Merceria, the Rialto, San Marco. But true Venetians
seek out presepi, Christmas crèches typically
displayed in churches and seasonal markets. Nativity scenes are essential to a
Venetian Christmas experience, a fixture of every church, often lighted and
animated. Elaborate displays figure at many Christmas markets, some showing ornate
tableaux of villages which include tradesmen, home scenes and natural wonders
arrayed around the stable, manger, Madonna and child. Every other year The Church of the Madalena in Cannaregio showcases a beautiful collection of nativity
scenes featuring the works of local and international artists. In prior years The Scuola dei Carmini in Dorsoduro mounted
a display of presepi which filled two
rooms and ranged from simple scenes made from clay and wood to an enormously
complex and delicate model formed in Murano glass. If you’re lucky enough, you
may catch sight of a huge straw nativity scene on a gondola cruising down the canal
on its way to the Rialto.
Cuisine
At home, Venetian Christmas Eve tables abound with traditional
seafood recipes: Risotto de Pevarasse (Venetian clams risotto);
Branzino al forno (oven-cooked Seabass); Anguilla (Eel); mixed fried
fish garlanded with grilled or stewed vegetables; Capeeti or Ravioli
in Brodo di Cappone (Ravioli in Capon broth); Cappone
lesso (boiled Capon); Musetto (boiled salame). Seasonal sweets
like slices of candied orange coated in bitter chocolate are a local favourite,
as are glazed chestnuts the size of plums (and priced at over €1 each). Panettone
or pandoro with a dollop of Mascarpone round out traditional meals. These are
the specialties to look for on restaurant menus.
Dining
The challenge is how to sample seasonal dishes outside
private homes. Many restaurants close from Christmas Eve until mid-January or
from New Year's (San Silvestro) until late January. Some may stay shuttered
until Carnevale (February 22- March 4, 2014). In Venice, you are best served to
plan your Christmas dinner location weeks ahead, book early, avoid the
last-minute rush for scarce seats. This writer’s preferred option for a holiday
feast would definitely include a visit to the restaurant at the Luna Hotel
Baglioni where Chef Cosimo proposes an amazing 4-course Christmas lunch menu featuring
prawn salad, homemade ravioli, Roquefort fondue, lamb medallions and signature
frozen nougat dessert.
A midnight walk after Christmas dinner has got to be part of
your game plan. All the ghosts and spirits will be out, drifting in the mist,
peering through the shadows, whispering along the lanes. Stop for a moment on a
secluded bridge, look around, take a moment to listen to the lapping of waves
against the ancient bricks. This is the unforgettable Venezia not everyone
knows, the stuff of fiction, the realm of fantasy, uniquely yours forever.
Insider Information
December 23-26th most restaurants are closed.
Average December temperatures High 7C (45F), Low 1C (34F),
chance of rain 30%. Warm attire is essential.
Useful greetings: Buon
Natale, Buon Anno or Auguri
Hanukkah in Venezia
The Festival of Lights comes early this year, November 27-
December 4th, 2013. Hanukkah in Venice is celebrated in the Ghetto, in the
Cannaregio Sestiere, the first segregated Jewish community in Europe. Visit the
Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, for the lighting of the Venice Public Chanukah Menorah.
In the quarter you can locate kosher food finds, like Frittole di Zucca Barucca. Pumpkin, which arrived in Italy after
the discovery of the Americas, proved so popular with Northern Italian Jews
that in Venice it’s called "Zucca Barucca" ("Holy Pumpkin,"
from the Hebrew "Baruch," "blessed"). It is a delicious
fried treat prepared especially for Hanukkah. Venice Ghetto Glass has several
interesting Murano glass gift items: the traditional menorah candelabrum, and a
range of glass shofars ranging in price from €29-250.
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