Giudecca: the luxury of voluntary exile in Venice
Two theories try to clarify the origin of its name. the Giudecca, the island where the Jewish community lived , the first ghetto , is one of them. The other refers to the place where those who had accounts pending with the justice for committing petty crimes (gudicatti). Whichever the right option is, it implies banishment from that aesthetic paradise that is Venice . But things have changed and now the main value of the secondary island set is that combination of haven of peace and proximity to St. Mark's Square . Ideal for a voluntary exile, something that in its day already thought Miguel Angel.
Barely 500 meters separated by water, the public water transport service transfers from Venice to the Giudecca in just six minutes . First stop: Zitelle . If you turn to the left you can start a tour of the island from west to east with the Hotel Cipriani as the first place to visit. Many movie stars prefer to move here to spend the night in the city, despite having other options closer in the lido , headquarters of Venice Film Festival and of the Red carpet who tread religiously. This hotel, founded by the hospitality entrepreneur Giuseppe Cypriani , how much with the famous casanova garden , where he Venetian seducer par excellence selected his victims . Justly George Clooney you feel at home in his facilities. The wooden benches strategically located under the trees continue to invite the game of courtship. And the Oro restaurant can complete the evening.
31 Caneletto: il bacino di San Marco with the dogana dalla punta della giudecca
To justify the visit to the vast majority of mortals who cannot afford to sleep in it, there is the Cip's Club, a bar and restaurant with terrace over the water that ensures the same views admired by the most relevant artists of Italian painting. That is where for a few months it has been served The cocktail that last year he created for them the protagonist of Gravity when he presented the film in the city. In the adjoining warehouse that recalls the industrial past of the area, the Cipriani celebrate parties and events Every two for three. At the bottom of Casanova's garden, which faces the southern end of this narrow island, you can admire the silent lagoon . It ensures a few moments of true peace.
A bar and restaurant with a terrace on the water
Following the front of the island, just a few meters away from Cip's Club, there is another five-star hotel, the Hotel Bauer Palladio, and along the way we come across two interesting exhibition spaces. One of them is the House of three oci (The house of the three crosses), a construction from a century and neo-gothic style Transformed into an exhibition hall a couple of years ago. Without the need to visit its temporary exhibitions, the façade is already one of the most photographable in itself. more discreet is Zuecca Project Space , which serves as a parallel venue for the biennials of architecture and art that alternate every summer in Venice.
Going east, you have to stop at Harry's Dolci, the little brother of the famous Harry's Bar. Both are part of Giuseppe Cipriani's empire, but this restaurant exemplifies the values of the Giudecca: uncrowded Venetian luxury , which makes the place even more exclusive. Without a doubt, VIPs stay at Harry's Dolci
Harry's Dolci, the restaurant that exemplifies the values of the Giudecca
In the case of Fortuny Showrrom, the original is located on this Venetian island, while the branch is in New York. Almost a century ago, the Granada fashion and textile industry giant Mariano Fortuny he bought this space from his friend John Stucky , owner of the mill next to the end of this route. He was a old convent that once closed Napoleon Bonaparte . Since then and to this day they lock themselves in it lots of secrets of the careful production of the prestigious company. From time to time open its facilities and interior gardens to the public.
They open their facilities and interior gardens to the public
To finish the tour at its eastern end, we make a final stop at one of the jewels of the Giudecca, the Hilton Molino Stucky hotel. It is a huge neo-Gothic style brick construction built in the XIX century , in full industrial effervescence that lasted on the island until World War II. Its owner was a food industry entrepreneur, John Stucky , who made the place the largest pasta factory from all over Italy . The luxury hotel chain that Paris Hilton will one day inherit has created an architectural wonder here after various modifications by German Ernst Wullekopf. Inside you can find a exhibition room and on the roof terrace an ideal terrace to have a Spritz with Aperol , the quintessential italian appetizer , and one pool with views open until late at night.
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A luxurious and exclusive hotel with open views of Venice