northern cannaregio
Asking our beloved Alvise to nominate an area of Venice that has a place in his heart is a bit like asking a parent to name their favourite child. But after some gentle persuasion, Alvise homes in on a district he has a lot of affection for and considers to be still relatively undiscovered: Northern Cannaregio.
This area that takes in Venice’s famous Ghetto Ebraico or Jewish Ghetto is, Alvise tells the Gazette, “one of those parts of the city where you can really get in touch with the Venice of the Venetians”.
He suggests taking in the district’s unhurried charm by simply strolling along the wide quays that line its long canals, past artisans’ workshops, cafés, wine bars and restaurants. But he also recommends a couple of stops outside the Ghetto with its historic synagogues and extraordinary ancient ‘high-rise’ residential buildings.
One is the church of Madonna dell’Orto, its interior adorned with a series of transcendent canvases by local painter Tintoretto. Another is the secluded lagoon-facing garden known as the Ex-Cottolengo, which can be visited by ringing the bell of a local convent and leaving a small offering.
Last but not least is the wonderful ‘Dalla Marisa’ trattoria, near the Ponte Tre Archi bridge, which has been a part of Alvise’s life ever since he was a kid. “This is one of those places where you can find real Venetian home cooking, including some meaty specialities that can be difficult to find in this city of fish and seafood”.
Alvise’s final piece of advice if you find yourself in Northern Cannaregio is “to seek out the delightful Ponte Chiodo – one of only two bridges in Venice without a parapet. You need to take a long boat trip to see other one: it’s on the island of Torcello”.
