A game of French roulette played in an aristocratic renaissance palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal: an experience which only Venice can offer. For centuries, the lagoon city has been both a center of artistic excellence and water bound pleasure dome; animated by concerts, theatrical performances, festivals, carnivals and gala events. The Venetians fun-loving spirit is, indeed, legendary. Today, both curious tourists and professional gamblers can take a flutter at the Municipal Casinò at Ca' Vendramin, the 17th century palazzo where Richard Wagner spent the last days of his life, or head to Ca' Noghera, close to the city's Marco Polo airport, where, in 1999, Italy's first American-style casino was built.
The Carlo Goldoni theatre stands in the vicinity of the city's Rialto Bridge, the subject of one of the most frequently posted picture postcards from Venice. In 1752, Francesco Vendramin, the owner of the San Luca theatre, employed Carlo Goldoni, at the time already considered the city's most important playwright, as his artistic director. It was not until 1875, more than a century later, that the playhouse was renamed in Goldoni's honor, in recognition of the writer's ability to capture the spirit of eighteenth century Venice on stage. Today the theatre, one of many in the city, is used to stage productions by the Carlo Goldoni Teatro Stabile del Veneto theatre company. A recently restored 19th century statue of Carlo Goldoni takes pride of place in Campo S. Bartolomeo, just steps away from the Rialto bridge.
Within easy reach of the theatre named after Goldoni, we come to the beautiful 15th century house where the playwright was born. Visitors access the museum-house via the ornate, Gothic façade rich in quadrifora, to enter rooms containing antique stages sets, a library, and historic archives, as well as an impressive collection of 18th century paintings and period furniture. The rooms on the first floor of the building illustrate the main themes of Carlo Goldoni's comedies.
In search of a peaceful corner of Venice, far from the crowds of the Rialto Bridge, we head to Campo San Giacomo dall Orio: a large open space, centered around the church to which it owes its name. Here, whilst adults sit and chat on the benches, children are free to run around and play.
An entirely different atmosphere pervades Piazza San Marco: this square is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, all eager to finally see the spectacular St Mark's Basilica, the Clock Tower, the Doge's Palace and Correr Museum in person. It was in St Mark's Square that the city's first coffee houses were opened and it was here that some of the most influential 18th century writers, philosophers and artists used to exchange ideas, opinions, and indulge in some good old fashioned gossip. Famous personages to have graced the tables of Venice's historic coffee houses over the centuries include Casanova, Goethe, Proust, Byron, D'Annunzio, Rousseau and, in more recent times, Ernest Hemingway.
Not to be missed: a trip to the Gran Teatro La Fenice, Venice's most important theatre. Twice burnt to cinders (in 1836 and 1996) and twice rebuilt and reopened (1837 and 2003), the Fenice Theatre provides a magnificent display of sumptuous stucco work and gold. Outside performance times, the playhouse is open to the general public for guided tours, which include a visit backstage.
In the 1980's, on Venice's Lido, on Lungomare D'Annunzio, one of Italy's largest planetariums was built. Head quarters of the Venetian Astrophile Association, which requested its construction, the structure is open to the general public from October to May, free of charge.
