L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 4 LUCA FERRARI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS B u o n c o m - p l e a n n o , V e n e z i a . I k n o w , y o u ' d never thought to have such a birthday. No tourists in town and your — not many — residents locked inside. I have the i m p r e s s i o n y o u e n j o y e d your 1500 years celebra- tions, back in 1921, better, even if you knew nothing about what was to happen ( o r b e t t e r , d e f l a g r a t e ) twenty years later. Let's try to remain positive, though, let's keep being charmed by your beauty, even if it is, today, so silent and lonely. What could I say about you that hasn't been said already, what could I write to honor you adequately? W h a t ' s t h e b e s t w a y t o celebrate the 1600 years of one of the most marvelous cities in the world? I've got an idea: would you like to join me for an intimate, private tour of the city, and discover it by land and by sea? Good, let's go then. Venezia, the island of lovers: looking at the sun- s e t f r o m i s o l a d i S a n G i o r g i o , w h e r e C l a u d e M o n e t p a i n t e d P a l a z z o Ducale, kisses exchanged on a gondola. This is all known and done. Forget G o o g l e M a p s a n d c o m e with me, let's discover a p l a c e t h a t n e v e r f a i l s t o surprise even those who were born here. Cannaregio is the first s e s t i e r e o n e e n c o u n t e r s when reaching the lagoon, a n d t h a t ' s w h e r e w e ' r e s t a r t i n g o u r j o u r n e y . Instead of taking Strada N o v a , h a n d y b u t r a t h e r anonymous, let's turn left a t t h e P o n t e d e l l e Guglie. That's the begin- ning of a calm walk along Cannaregio canal, all the way to the Ponte dei Tre A r c h i , a n a r c h i t e c t u r a l b e a u t y w h e r e y o u c a n enjoy breathtaking views. Let's walk down its many steps, then let's turn left and walk all the way down to Baia del Re and, here we are, in Fondamenta San Girolamo. I am always happy when I am here, enjoying a view that embraces the Ponte della Libertà ("without it — some bona fide Venetian s a y j o k i n g l y — E u r o p e would be an island"), pla- nes taking off and landing, the islands of San Michele and Murano and, during the clearest winter days, even the Dolomites cove- red in snow. I walk slowly. This is were true venezia- nità lives. It's a land domi- n a t e d b y d i a l e c t , w h e r e y o u o n l y m e e t t h e r e s i - dents, walking their dogs or jogging in the morning. I c r o s s a s m a l l w o o d e n bridge and I am in Fonda- menta Coletti which, in a handful of meters, turns i n t o F o n d a m e n t a d e g l i Ormesini and then Fon- damenta della Miseri- cordia, home to our tra- d i t i o n a l b a c a r i a n d cicchetti. This time, too, I avoid the busiest way and turn into calle San Girolamo. Why? It's simple: I want to r e a c h S a n t ' A l v i s e , another traditional area, with a large campiello (a small square) bearing the s a m e n a m e o p e n i n g i n front of the church, and one of the few public parks in town, just beside the Cannaregio rowing shed and the pool. From there, i t ' s o n l y a f e w m i n u t e s w a l k t o F o n d a m e n t a Riformati. Here, along the Rio Sant'Alvise, I find only a handful of sandoli and mascarete, traditional boats used for the voga alla Veneta. My walk continues insi- de the heart of the city: I want to visit Tintoretto at h o m e a n d t h e f a m o u s Moors of the homonymous c a m p o . F r o m t h e r e , I reach the gothic beauty of the Madonna dell'Orto church. Admiring it like this, bathed in moonlight, i s a n e x p e r i e n c e y o u should have at least once in your life time. M y V e n e t i a n w a n d e - rings continue to Fonda- menta Mori/Corte Muti: the city, here, gifts the tra- v e l e r w i t h e n c h a n t i n g A gondola, canals, beautiful architecture: a picture perfect Venezia (Photo: Scaliger/Dreamstime) Continued to page 6 Venezia: 1600 years of unforgettable memories

• Cover