City guide: Venice for music lovers

Venice was made for music, and you can find music of all kinds here, but most of all you will find the music of Vivaldi. A native of Venice, a priest, music master of an orphanage and composer, Antonio Vivaldi died a pauper at the age of 63 in Vienna in 1741, his patron having pre-deceased him. He had been wildly fashionable in Venice, but demand for his style of baroque music had declined, and seeking patronage he travelled around Europe, before arriving in Vienna.

The house where he died is now part of the site of the Hotel Sacher, but it is sad that this quintessentially Venetian composer should end his days in Austria. And doubly sad that Vivaldi, having had a renaissance in the late 20th century, particularly for his Four Seasons, is now seen as hackneyed and fit only for lift music. But once in Venice, Vivaldi comes into his own again. Particularly at nights, when the narrow streets and bridges are so quiet and only the lap of water accompanies you, and you can picture the city of his day and find his music, and that of others, in the spectacular settings.

Best classical music setting

There are churches on many of the islands that have recitals and concerts, or the opera house, La Fenice, has a season of works by Vivaldi, Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and others. The setting of the restored opera house is wonderful, but even more spectacular is the main hall of the Scuola Grande di San Teordoro (www.scuolagrandesanteodoro.it), where performers dress in 18th-century costumes. There are also performances in some of the private palazzos.

Best places for other music

Want something else? Venice has venues for jazz, blues, soul, rock and even Mexican music. One of the most famous for jazz and salsa is Paradiso Perduto (Fondamenta della Misericordia, Cannaregio), plus there is an Irish pub and live music in many bacaros. Or try the BBar at the Bauer Hotel (San Marco 1459), hang-out of Daniel Craig, Sting and Al Pacino.

Other things to do in Venice

Get lost. Trying to find your way through the narrow streets, up and down on the bridges, you come across more churches and museums – we found a deconsecrated church with a display of stringed instruments and a workshop showing the construction of a violin. Could we find it again? Probably not. Then there are shops. Designer shops for the wealthy tourists, and no less expensive paper-makers and silk-weavers.

Best place to stay

ONE of the grandest hotels in Venice is the five-star Bauer Il Palazzo (www.bauerhotels.com). Positioned at the head of the Grand Canal, with views across to the Basilica della Salute and the island of Giudecca, it is a lavishly restored palace with Venetian silks on the walls and at the windows.

Best of all, it has a breakfast terrace on the seventh floor, where in summer you can luxuriate in the view and the splendid buffet, and watch the waitresses shoo away the pigeons – particularly ‘house’ pigeons Sophia and Gina, named after the two goddesses of Italian cinema, Loren and Lollobrigida.

Best place to eat

Eating like a Venetian means exploring the islands away from San Marco, where people actually live. One of the best for a glimpse of real Venetian life is Cannaregio, which contains the Jewish ghetto. Bacaro, the small bars, are a good bet for drinks and cichetti, tapas-like snacks, but if you must have a drink on the Piazza San Marco at the historic Cafe Florian, be warned, there’s a €10 per person cover charge “for the music”.

Best flights

Return flights from Edinburgh to Venice start at £115 through Jet2 (www.jet2.com).