Venice is a beautiful city by day, and is equally magnificent at night. It has an assortment of nigh time entertainment to offer tourists, right from the classical music that echoes in hallowed operatic halls, to the nightspots that are frequented by the young.
Mostly, the partying scene is not as prolific as in other cities, as the tone of the city is somewhat more cultured in its aspect. There are numerous classical concerts that are held by churches and theatres alike, where harmonious notes waft on the breeze to listeners outside.
In the early evenings, the Venetian nightlife mainly revolves around bars and cafes where people congregate to have a quick round of drinks before having dinner. Piazza San Marco is perhaps the most crowded and is well worth a visit during these hours. There is a famous place known as the Café Florian, said to have served Casanova during his flight from the Doge’s Palace. Another place to witness an interesting event is the Café Chioggia, where the band strikes up a medley of tunes.
Campo Santa Margherita is one of the top favorites among the youth of Venice. This location has numerous exciting nightspots, such as the Margaret Duchamp, an unusually titled bar with a large terrace. Apart from Campo Santa Margherita, there is also the Campo SanBartolomeo near the Rialto Bridge and adjacent to that, the Campo San Luca. Those with a decidedly sweet tooth should definitely visit the Campo Santo Stefano, a place famous for its excellent ice cream parlours.
Venice does not have a comprehensive party scene because of the city’s issues with noise pollution. However, during the summer, Lido is the place to live it up Hollywood style, as quite a few well known celebrities frequent this club. The local youth flock to Mestre, a club with ample space and therefore fewer noise concerns. Some prefer to commute to Padua where the nightspots are more raucous. However, within the confines of Venice, there is the Disco Club Piccolo Mondo, Dorsoduro and another called, Calle Contarini-Corfu.
Near the train station, there is Cannaregio, Casanova Disco Club and Lista di Spagna. These transform daily from simple bars and restaurants into pulsating discos at ten in the night. Expect all kinds of music, as a variety is played here.
Venice also has a liberal sprinkling of casinos within the city, and these provide alternate entertainment to partying. The casinos expect a certain dress code, and target the glamorous and rich crowd.
Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Venice, Italy rentals and Amsterdam accommodation.
