Travel Guide: Venice
NOVEMBER 27, 2018 | VENICE, ITALY—
It’s no secret that the city of Venice is a magical place to visit, any time of the year. From the food to the gondolas to the glassware, the city offers plenty of entertainment for tourist and locals alike. And with its rich architectural history, there’s no better place for the design-minded to escape to for a little inspiration. The well-known labyrinth of islands, bridges, and canals lend themselves to hours of wandering and a wide variety of architectural influences make the city an architecture lover’s dream.
While the city has not changed much over the years, there is one place visitors can go for a taste of the future of architecture and design. For over 120 years, the magical city of Venice has been home to the Biennale, one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. In 1980, the first International Architecture Exhibition took place and has since remained one of the most important destinations for design experts and architecture lovers across the globe.
The Biennale Architettura lives within the Biennale Gardens, an area of land that has hosted the Venice Biennale Art Festival since 1895. The Central Pavilion features artists from various countries and allows them to exhibit together, without any division. In the large park outside the Central Pavilion, various countries have set up their own pavilions, permanent and semi-permanent, to feature their strongest architectural works. The projects vary from built to unbuilt, centering around one common theme.
The 2018 exhibition wraps up this month but will come back again in the spring of 2020. If you get a chance to visit, we recommend you make time to split your visit into two days to get the most of the experience. The exhibit is a breath of fresh air and a design adventure for anyone interested in the arts.
Side note: We can’t hold back from giving a couple of our favorite restaurants a shout out, too! If you need a break from the exhibition action, check out Bar Longhi at the Gritti Palace to watch the action on the Grand Canal while sipping a refreshing Negroni. For dinner, be sure to pop into Taverna La Fenice for an authentic Italian meal.
