Local Insight: The Venetian Ghetto, established in 1516, is the world’s first ghetto. The name comes from the Venetian word “geto,” meaning foundry, as the area was previously a copper-casting site. This neighborhood became a center of Jewish life and culture, its tall buildings a result of restricted space.

The ritual of “cicchetti” is the heart of Venetian social life. Locals gather in bacari wine bars for small, creative bites and an ombra (glass of wine) before lunch or dinner. It’s not just food; it’s a centuries-old tradition of community and conversation.

Murano glassmakers were once forbidden to leave the Republic under penalty of death, guarding secrets that made Venetian glass the most prized in Europe. Today, masters like those you can meet still use techniques passed down through generations in their family workshops.

Venice’s true magic lies beyond St. Mark’s Square. It’s in the quiet calli where laundry hangs between palaces, in the clink of glasses at a bacaro, and in the hands of an artisan shaping molten glass. These experiences connect you to the living, breathing city.