Molly Watanabe: Venice, Italy
I know how lucky I am to have three amazing cities to call home. The only downside is that this means I have three amazing cities to miss at any given time. There are worse problems to have, I know! Being able to call Honolulu, New York and Venice home is a gift. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but the newest addition, Venice, Italy, is, understandably, top of the list.
The whole city is like a dream: an island in the middle of a lagoon, beautiful bridges, boats, buildings dating back to the 13th century, incredible food and the famous Italian light that gave way to so many legendary artists—it’s hard not to fall in love. Being able to enjoy living there like my own approximation of a Venetian has been an amazing experience that I only hope to get better and better at.
Because Venice is free of cars, it’s naturally the perfect walking city, and I love this fact. Not only do I love walking, but I don’t love driving. I love the hourlong boat ride that takes me from Marco Polo Airport to the Arsenale stop in the Castello sestiere, where my apartment is a short walk away and everything I need—markets, coffee bars, incredible restaurants—is close by. My neighborhood is where La Biennale di Venezia is held every other year, which lends it the distinction of being well-visited, but not trampled over by tourists to the city carrying selfie sticks (at least not yet, anyway!). Castello also has the benefit of providing easy access to some of the 100-plus islands that make up the Venetian chain, including Lido (where the Venice International Film Festival is held), Murano, Burano, Torcello (Locanda Cipriani, a favorite haunt of Ernest Hemingway’s, is not to be missed!) and San Giorgio Maggiore, to name a few.
While I could easily stay in my neighborhood and be quite happy, there is, of course, so much more to explore throughout Venice. I love a visit to the Rialto Market, where the market traditions extend back to 1097 and the seafood and produce are incredibly fresh. Going to the market also means crossing over the Rialto Bridge, which is one of the most celebrated views in the city. Another favorite view is the one from the Ponte dell’Accademia, which I try to enjoy when going to the Collezione Peggy Guggenheim in the Dorsoduro sestiere, which is Peggy Guggenheim’s former home that now houses her art collection.
Eating in Venice is an adventure, but it’s good to know what you’re doing—otherwise it’s very easy to eat badly. One of my favorite ways to spend a day is to visit some of the many bacari in the city, which are small bars that serve cicchetti (small bites similar to tapas) and wine. You can drink and snack and roam from bar to bar. I love Cantina Do Mori, which opened in 1462 and was said to have been a favorite of Giacomo Casanova. Harry’s Bar near Piazza San Marco, known for being the birthplace of the Bellini, is a must for any visit to the city. I’m lucky to have the renowned Al Covo minutes from my apartment. One of my other favorites is Paradiso Perduto in the Cannaregio sestiere where they serve traditional Venetian favorites like fritto misto and spaghetti con le seppie nero.
One of the best things about being a part-time resident is having more chances to visit Venice in the off-season. Walking through Piazza San Marco, the famous Venetian square, when very few people are there really makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time. It’s truly magical.