The Bohemian gardens of Venice
The fifth season is the season of painters: Discover my itinerary around the secret gardens that inspired Venetian painters like Tizian and Tintoretto
Where would you go in Venice in summer and early autumn when the sun at noon is just too bright? Well, I usually visit a part of Venice overlooking Laguna nord, the northern Lagoon.
Strangely enough, there are a few climate zones in Venice, Piazza San Marco looking south, to where a long time ago, merchant cogs were arriving from the Levantine countries, Dalmatia and Greece.
And there’s another part of Venice looking out towards the northern Lagoon, where those shallow barene sandbanks are now, in early autumn, overgrown with purple blossoming limonium (sea lavender).
And from there, you also get a view of the “glass island” Murano (well, we’re right now well into the Venice Glass Week). And on a bright morning and afternoon, you’ll notice that view stretching towards the Alpes in the distance. And because the colors are so clear and crisp in early autumn, the artists and painters went hunting for motives particularly in October. And they also loved gardens and garden gatherings. Plus, menus created with herbs and blossoms from the gardens.
There are actually two of these gardens that are open to visitors, and as this isn’t just a blog about San Zaccaria, but about exploring Venetian garden culture as well, today I’m taking you into a part of Venice where Titian and Tintoretto were living. You’ll see their favorite gardens, and even taste their favorite late summer - autumn drink and a typical menu of their time.