Going to Italy. looking for Mike Frantz

[The_Glass_Cove]

Hi. I plan on travelling to Italy in the future and e-mailed Mike to see what info on places he could provide. I havn't heard back, does anyone know if he is around? Anyone else with suggestions on where to go. I want to go to Venice and Murano. Thanks so Much.

Nancy

[Ofilia_Cinta]

Wow, Nancy- where NOT to go in Venice and Murano is an easier question to answer! How long are you going? What are your primary interrests- ie. shopping, art, museums, photography, food? When are you going, because if it is when they they expect aqua alta (high tide) you definately need rubber boots! Definately take SEVERAL pairs of comfortable walking shoes! You will walk till you drop if you take advantage of your time there.

In Burano, you have the pretty colorful homes to see with all kinds of lace to buy. Casey made some references to the different quailties on our "Greetings From Murano" posts (last October).

Lido has a beach area for bathing (but will depend on when you go) as well as a golf course.

Murano- don't miss any of it! It's as small or as big as you want it to be! Don't take a "tour" there. Explore on your own. The boat "bus" (vaperato) fairs are very cheap. I knowticed the "tour" stops are very "directed" to certain shops, and would result in a biased excursion. The glass shops and galleries are galore and overwhelming to take all in one day! Relax and take your time. Don't wait to go to any restaurant if you are in a hurry or extra hungry- allow plenty of time.

You should definately see the Bead Museum there (at the Museo stop) and next to it is a shop by Davide Penso, a local bead maker with his own style (vs the traditional stuff) who speaks great English and can give your recommendations of places while you are there. There is a little gift store next to Davide's that will sell rod and bags of murrina. Do you like engraved glass? If so let me know and I will look up the shop and artist name for you who is between the Museo stop and the last stop of the island (Venier).


In Venice proper, it is great to just decide what your priorities are based on your time there. Then, whatever time you have left, you can explore more by simply wondering about. I cannot even think of a place I did not enjoy (even the "stinky" ones )- regardless how lost I was!! A definate as far as a lampwork shop to see is Vittorio Costantini's shop (closed on Saturday). Many times you will catch him working and his work is far superior to the standard tourist stuff produced. His shop is near the vaperato stop, Fondamente Nove, that is the last stop before leaving for Cemetary Island and subsequently, Murano. His shop is on Calle Fumo. I'll have to look up the exact address. It is a tiny shop you will not see until you are smack in front of it!

Near Piazza San Marco, is Venice's Bead Museum at Palazzo Rota. If you go around asking where the "bead museum" is, they look at you like you're nuts- even the ones who are a few doors away! It will be best to have the exact address. I'll search for it when I go home later tonight. The first floor is a store, the next is a lace museum, the 3rd is the murrina exhibit (totally awsome- they give you a magnifying glass to view the displays before you go upstairs) and the top floor is large glass sculptures by various Italian artist.

These are what are prominant in my head. Others, I am sure, can give you further ideas of things to see.

Enjoy, Ofilia

[Emiko]

In my opinion, Burano wasn't worth going. Just colorful houses and laces, and most laces are made in
China. The real ones that are made by old ladies in Burano are really expensive.

A little correction on Ofilia's posting.
The museum in Murano is not a bead museum but a glass museum. It is very small and it doesn't take too long to see through.

The address of Vittorio Costantini's shop is Calle del fumo 5311. I think that he said it is usually open during Saturday morning but closed in the afternoon and on Sunday.

The bead museum in Venice is kind of hard to find. I don't have the address, but from the Piazza San Marco you take a small side street next to a restaurant named Quadri and take a right (at a street I don't remember the name) and it is at the end. I didn't get to see the museum because it was closed on Sunday.

[Ofilia_Cinta]

Okay, Emiko busted me! I never got to see the inside of Murano's museum! Every time I tried to go, it was closed. I swear, everything seems to close early, and forget about squeezing sites in at lunch time because they close for long siestas! Okay, they are not called "siestas" in Italian, but they are the same principal. The point was, it's good to check it out if you're doing the tourist thing.

The address for the Venice bead shop/museum, which by the way is called "Palazzo Rota", is on the street San Marco #834. It is on a corner with big glass windows and lots of beads and beaded jewelry in them. Their telephone is 39-041-2718750.

Vittorio Costantini's phone is 39-041-5222265. I only brought up the Saturday thing because I thought I remembered someone mentioning something about Saturdays on our Murano post. There is nothing worse then trying to visit a particular place, when it happens to be the last day possible for your visit and then you find it closed. So having the numbers may help you plan ahead just in case. The 39#'s may be for long distance portion of dialing. Your hotel will let you know.

Having Davide Penso as a local who can point you in directions of interrest, will be helpful as his Engish is very good. At least he was for another friend of mine who looked him up when visiting.

Have a great time! Ofilia

[Debby_Weaver]

Go to Vittorio Costantini's shop if at all possible - and get a piece , if you can. We did and I am so glad! The next place we saw his work was on Michelson's glass page and then in the Corning museum.

His work is absolutely wonderful! And he, his wife, and his son were delightful! He did wonder why all the American women made beads! And he wondered if I knew Kristina Logan.
Debby

[Emiko]

Further correction on Ofilia.
The name of the "bus" stop by Vittorio's shop is Fondamente Nuove and the water bus is called Vaporetto.

Places that deal with toursits don't close during siesta while the shops for local people close. But it is true that things in Murano close early. It is dead at night.

Watch out for general strike which occurs often in Italy. Not only trains stop, but museums, libraries, post offices, banks, and some stores and shops close. We got that in Firenze and we could see nothing but churches on the day.

Bring or get a detailed map which shows all the small streets in Venice. It is sometimes (or often) hard to find places and easy to get lost.

[Vince]

If you don't speak Italian, the key words to listen for in getting forewarned about a general strike are "sciopero generale", (pronounced as "shop-ero gener-ah-lay") which, as Emiko says, can happen often in Italy. Most things will shut down, especially public transportation and other public services.

Vince

[The_Glass_Cove]

WOW! Thanks you all so very much. I'll have a rolodex filled before I go. My daughter just moved to Switzerland for a year, so while I'm visiting her, we're going to slip down to Italy. It should be a blast! I've printed off all the responses, it was great. Thanks again.


nancy

[Ofilia_Cinta]

Shop, Shop, Shop!!
The most fun I had in Venice was shopping/window shopping/people watching. It's an adventure to see so many things indigenous to the region. If you are into haute coutour- you're at home. If you like glass, 'nough said. If you like sexy lingerie- Victoria Secret's has got NOTHING on Venice!! If you like books, there are many who carry them in various languages even in bi or tri lingual versions.

If you like antiquities- there is no end. Shoes- you better have tiny feet as is common in Europe (my question is where along the genetic pool line did American women get the "Amazon" feet? ). Fabric stores have many beautiful samples of tapestry and tassles. I even found Mexican jumping beans at one of the kiosk! They called them "fagioli saltimbanco"- (spell-check Emiko?? ) How the heck did they pass those thru customs??

Stopping in local grocery stores give you a sample how the locals shop. You can find everything from vacuume sealed octopus, wine in a box (Kathy and Casey coined the name "Box-O-Wine"! ), to delicious Swiss chocolate (for some reason, we had a hard time finding garlic at the local Coop ).

I also saw at a kiosk a copy for sale of the movie "Room With a View" which depicts the city very romantically. Another movie I recommend that show a lot of the scenery (in an earlier period) is "Wings of a Dove". It made much more sense to me watching it again after returning. The scenes of Cemetery Island were particulary interresting, as I did not get a chance to go but had really wanted to. The movie touches on romanticism, costumes, masks and the intimacy of the tight canals. All in all Venice islands have a sensuality only appreciated best being there. Take things in stride if you can. Don't rush through it. It's truly one of the top two experiences of my lifetime!

Ofilia