da Canova presso hotel Baglioni Ristorante San Marco 1243 30124 VE Tel. : 041 5289840 website : www.bongusto.net/canova

Molto elegante, all'altezza del blasone dell'albergo in cui si trova, il ristorante del Luna Baglioni propone piatti curati di gastronomia internazionale e veneziana

da italian cooking & living
Hotel Luna Baglioni
If you are an incurable romantic like me, winter is the ideal season to go to Venice, the dream city that will remind you of Casanova's passionate encounters and Venetian intrigues.

My advice is that you should stay at the enchanting Hotel Luna Baglioni. This five star hotel is an historical Venetian Palazzo and the oldest hotel in the city dating back to the year 1118, when it hosted the Templar Knights that were visiting the Venetian Republic. The hotel is mentioned in the chronicles from the XV century and called "Locanda della Luna," the "Moon Hotel". Today, its modern name is a combination of its old name and the hotel chain it belongs to (the Baglioni's). In the eighteenth century, the hotel was completely redecorated, and some of the original masterpieces still grace the walls and the ceilings of various rooms. Through the years, Luna Baglioni has been renovated and modern comforts have been added to precious antiques.

Though the hotel is by definition grand, with marble, Venetian chandeliers, and guilded mirrors, when you enter the lobby you immediately get an intimate, cozy feeling, due in large part to the romantic fireplace with the cracking fire and the friendly but professional attitude of the staff.

The bedrooms are large, comfortable and very lavishly decorated. The spacious marble bathrooms invite you to have a long bubble bath after a day passed strolling down the narrow streets and bridges. My husband and I really felt like royalty when, in the morning, we would have a wonderful buffet breakfast in a salon decorated by priceless frescoes, painted by the followers of the great painter Tiepolo.

You should try the hotel's restaurant, Ristorante Canova where we had an unforgettable dinner of Venetian specialties and fine wines served by an attentive staff. I was seduced by the elegant ambiance and by the impeccable table, set with fine linens, precious china, and crystal.

The hotel is very conveniently located just a few steps from Saint Mark's Square, Harry's Bar, and from the fashionable shopping area of Venice, via 24 maggio. Location is another advantage that we had the chance to appreciate. When we were in Venice there was very high tide ("acqua alta" happens several times during winter) that flooded Saint Mark's Square, many of the little streets and several of the major hotels. Though you can walk on wooden catwalks around and in the hotels, the situation might be unpleasant. The Luna Baglioni is located on a higher point so we were able to go around keep our feet dry all the time.

If you like to travel with warmer weather, Venice hosts other magnificent events that should not be missed. The Venice Film Festival begins around the end of August and ends the beginning of September. Many are the chances to run into celebrities in the little glass shops or on the vaporettos.