Emily Cooper finally arrives Venice In the meantime, Emily in Paris The Season 5 finale “Veni Vidi Venezia” shows Emily doing it right. She has luxury hotels, Grand Canal Terraces, and swooning gondola ride. Every restaurant, canal-side experience, and fashion week party Emily stumbles upon, I’ve experienced with my Italian companion. They’re all real—and absolutely worth it.
“I know you love Paris, but I think Venice is the most beautiful city in the world—and maybe the most romantic,” Marcello tells Emily, when they reunite in Venice. I couldn’t agree more as a Veneto native and lifelong Venice fan. My (new) Italian husband and myself sometimes hop on a train to Venice just to eat. cicchettiVisit a museum and hold hands as you navigate the maze of the city. Emily’s perfect outfit when she arrives on the mahogany boat in polka dots is pictured below. Stine Goya).
The St. Regis Venice
Emily and Marcello spend a night in a Grand Canal Suite at The St. Regis VeniceLily Collins, Ashley Park and other stars stayed at the same hotel during filming. We booked the same type of room, and it was among the best rooms in Venice. This hotel is made up of five restored Venetian palaces and has the largest outdoor terraces along Grand Canal. It’s no wonder that the waterfront shots look as good as they do on screen. Claude Monet stayed at the Hotel Britannia when it was called the Hotel Britannia. Today, the property is a museum with works by Ai Weiwei and Simon Berger. The St. Regis effortlessly blends Venetian history with modern luxury. Even the bathrooms are impressive: baths with Acqua di Parma bath salts and bubbly bath water became our nightly ritual.
Emily and Mindy eat breakfast together Gio’s On a sunny morning in Venice, the terrace is unbeatable. While the show skips a date night here, we indulged in Chef Giuseppe Ricci’s tasting menu—Venetian-Puglian dishes that were exceptional—and I discovered a new favorite wine, Bertani Soave Classico.
It’s also a great place for Aperol Spitzes. There is also a sweets stand with Esse Cookies (also called Buranei cookies), which I may have enjoyed wildly. For a more local take, order a Venetian spritz made with Select Aperitivo instead of Aperol—it’s less sweet, slightly bitter, and finished with a salty green olive.
Emily’s biggest regret was not being able to spend a romantic evening with her husband. Arts Bar Mindy. Each cocktail comes in a custom-made glass, designed by Berengo Studio and the bar staff. Emily would have enjoyed the Willful Dart served in a pink and white candy-striped glass, inspired by Eugenio Recuenco, the photographer whose work appears throughout the hotel.
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Water Taxis
Emily zips around Venice by water taxi—and here, “taxi” means a sleek mahogany boat piloted by a handsome Italian driver (I’m hardly the first to note it). This is a glamorous way to travel around the city. It does come at a cost. Locals depend on the traghetto—a standing gondola ferry across the Grand Canal—or the vaporettoVenice’s floating transport system. A water taxi, however, is well worth the money if you want to enjoy the Grand Canal.
Mask and Bar Ai Miracoli Shopping
Emily grabs gelato on the go Bar Ai Miracoli near Campo Santa Maria Nova—a convenient stop for a drink or something sweet, but ultimately a bit of a tourist trap with mediocre gelato. When I crave the real thing in Venice I’m willing to walk a bit farther. Bacaro del Gelato, Gelateria Nico The artisanal gelato in The Venice Venice Hotel is my obsession (especially the sunset views). Venice M’ArtA chic experience on the Grand Canal.
Emily shops in the area for Venetian carnival masques. Skip the plastic street carts, tourist stands and look for artisan ateliers who create masks specifically for Carnevale.
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Venice Fashion Week and Acqua Alta
Venice Fashion Week exists. It’s smaller, but it’s more intimate than Milan or Paris. The runway shows are held in historic palazzos. Focus is placed on Made in Italy and emerging designers, as well as sustainability and artisanal innovations. Marcello’s debut show is held at Chiesa di San Francesco della Vigna – a stunning Renaissance church – before the canals flood and send guests running for rain boots or ponchos.
Acqua alta It is a natural phenomena that has always played a role in Venetian society. These tidal events are typically brief—when water levels reach about 47 inches, they last less than an hour and a half on average. The city is navigable even during high tide via designated pedestrian routes. When winter comes, the city is navigable by designated pedestrian routes. acqua alta Rubber boots are a good idea, but they’re also easy to find once you get there.
Moro Restaurant
Marcello brings Emily to Moro RestaurantThe location scouts were right. It’s easily one of the most beautiful—and delicious—places to dine in Venice right now. Restaurant Davide Bisetto & Tim Ricci is situated in a grand palace, with mint green parasols shading an oasis garden. The menu features the finest Venetian cuisine: seafood, homemade pastas and natural wines.
Emily and Marcello enjoy tiramisu together, with Marcello pointing out that ladyfingers is what Marcello calls them. Saviardi It is pronounced as sah voo-AR-dee in Italian. It is thought that the dessert originated in Treviso, a nearby city, in the late 1800s. If you’re not committing to a full meal, stop by Di Moro Café instead for tiramisu and coffee—an especially perfect pairing after a visit to Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti on the Grand Canal.
Piazza San Marco
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Emily walks around Piazza San Marco. Anyone visiting Venice for the first-time will start their trip here. It’s beautiful. St. Mark’s Square is also called St. Mark’s Square. It’s the main public square of the city and has some of its most iconic buildings like St. Mark’s Basilica or the Doge’s Palace. Napoleon called this “the most beautiful drawing room in the world.”
Emily wanders through Piazza San Marco—where most first-time visitors to Venice begin, and for good reason. Also called St. Mark’s Square or the main meeting place of the city, this is where you’ll find icons like St. Mark’s Basilica as well as the Doge’s Palace. Napoleon called it the “world’s most beautiful living room.” She passes Caffè Florian, frequented by Lord Byron, Ernest Hemingway and other famous writers, is a must-see. We only wish that we had seen Emily enjoying an espresso date at Grancaffè Quadri, now celebrating its 250th anniversary—and a personal favorite of mine.
Gondolas
Nico, Mindy Marcello and Emily go on a gondola trip. The gondola ride is expensive (between $85 and $110 for 30 minutes), but it’s a magical experience. Some clichés are worth it, at least once.
Hotel Danieli
The fashion week finale party takes place atop Hotel DanieliThe property offers sweeping views of the lagoon. The iconic property will be reopened by mid-spring. Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice—perfectly timed for a visit before summer crowds arrive. Located just steps from Piazza San Marco, the hotel overlooks the lagoon, and under Four Seasons, its rooftop terrace is set to become an even more spectacular spot for events—or a spritz with friends.
Hotel Danieli is a Luxury Collection hotel
What Emily Missed
Venice needs time. Emily didn’t get to experience some of the quintessential Venice experiences. To be fair, it wasn’t for very long. Gillian Longworth McGuireThe Castello sestiere was not visited by the group, according to a resident of Venice. She also designs trips for Venice and Rome. She says that it is the quietest and most residential part of the city. They should have had dinner at Al Covo The following are some examples of how to use Nevodi—and a spritz on the via Garibaldi to watch a sunset from the Riva Ca’ di Dio.”
Emily has never been to a proper Bacaro for cicchetti and a spritz—or an ombraVenice’s tiny glass of red wine. The current obsession of mine is Bacaro Risorto The wine list is excellent. baccalà mantecatoVenetians love. I also love Ai do Leoni The following are some examples of how to use cicchetti And drinks beyond the classic Select Spritz (though for me, a Select will always be my favorite).
I expected her to get a pair Friulane shoes. If you are in Venice, I recommend that you visit my favorite store. QuoramiThe last remaining artisan maker. Since centuries, these silk velvet slippers made from recycled bicycle tire have been worn by Veneto gondoliers.
Living in Veneto means I get to return again and again—and it’s reminded me that Venice isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a living, evolving city. Even Emily Cooper couldn’t capture that in just 45 minutes.
