VENICE WINTER TRAVEL DIARY STYLED BY ZALANDO

words by MAREK BARTEK
photography MATAN BELLEMAKERS

The holiday limbo is over! We’ve made it back to the office, caught up on all the work, and shared our very achievable resolutions with our colleagues. But with this sudden surge of productivity, it seems only perfectly logical that we are starting to dream of escaping the routine for just a little longer. 

If your December was just as hectic as mine, and you didn’t have time to plan a week-long ski trip in the Alps, I might just have a solution for you—a weekend getaway in Italy. Known for its beaches, sunny weather, and wine, I am fully aware it is more of a summer destination, but there are cities in Italy that are just as charming in winter. And this time around, I visited Venice. 

Located in the lagoon in Northeast Italy, it has everything from turquoise waters reflecting stunning architecture to the views of Dolomites. Though the weather normally isn’t as harsh, it still can get relatively cold. And so, when it came to packing my bags, I quickly realised it was important to keep in mind not only style but also functionality of the items. Luckily Zalando provided me with some amazing pieces, and so here is my little weekend tour guide and styling tips when visiting Venice. 

SATURDAY

I arrived the night before, took a boat from the airport (this is what I call dolce vita), and checked into the Palazzo Nani, located in a historical building by the Cannaregio canal. Original 17th century fresco paintings on the ceiling mixed with modern design showed a true homage to Venetian heritage and innovation. I’ve been to Venice once before, many years ago. Being back was a funny feeling – the city seemed familiar but at the same time I was eager to wander around the city and re-explore it. Having only a weekend, I didn’t want to waste any of my precious time. 

I got up early, headed for breakfast at the hotel and then back to my room where I planned out the outfit. My first day in Venice, I actually decided not to spend in Venice but rather the islands nearby. Weather was sunny, without a single cloud. It wasn’t freezing cold, but being out the entire day, traveling by boat multiple times and walking a lot, I wanted to make sure to wear something warm and easy to move in. I opted for a turtleneck sweater by ADOLFO DOMINGUEZ and paired it with ALL SAINTS straight leg jeans. Normally, I wear a bit more loose fitting trousers but in this case, a tighter pair of denim seemed like a smarter option to keep myself warm. I threw on a leather jacket with a high collar, packed all the necessary stuff into a small crossbody bag, both from ALL SAINTS, and finished the look with a pair of TOM FORD sunglasses. 

Out of the hotel and on the go, I took a stroll through the streets of Venice to Fondamente Nove, a ferry stop to all the islands nearby. First stop, Murano! Famous for its glass craft, you really can tell they’re proud of it, and rightfully so. From the Museo del Vetro (glass museum) to glass shops on every corner, there’s nothing else left but to appreciate the centuries old skill and heritage. And while most glassmakers like to keep their secrets private, there are a couple of businesses open to show visitors how it’s done. But Murano is not just glass. The island is a smaller, quieter version of Venice, full of beautiful views and houses I’d move to in a heartbeat, among them Palazzo Da Mula. 

From Murano, I took another boat. The destination was supposed to be Burano but I decided to get out one stop earlier and ended up on Burano’s neighbouring island Mazzorbo. I found it almost hilarious. They are so close you can reach Burano just by crossing a bridge, but while Burano is the perfect instagramable island, Mazzorbo presents the complete opposite. It’s peaceful, without any attractions. The architecture isn’t necessarily outstanding but I loved this island. You really get a sense of the Italian way of life. Laundry hanging outside of small houses, locals sitting on a bench by the canal and smoking cigarettes or walking dogs, and a church surrounded by a vineyard. It really felt almost like a scene from a book.

I walked around until I came to the bridge and crossed to the other side of touristy Burano. You could tell it’s the right location for social media content. On every step, you could see people posing against the background of colourful houses, and yes, I was one of them. There is not much to do on the island itself, rather than just walking around and admiring the surroundings. Is it then worthy of visiting, you may ask, and the answer is yes! Back at the port, and there was one more island I couldn’t skip—Torcello. A tiny island north of Burano. If you ask me where I would want to live if I moved to Venice, it would be on a tiny Torcello. There are barely any residents on the island today, but historically it was one of the first inhabited islands in the lagoon and is now considered a parent island of Venice. Among the sightseeing recommendations are Ponte del diavolo, a bridge without parapets, and Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta with its Venetian-Byzantine mosaics. 

Returning to Venice was magical. The sunset covered the entire city in golden hues and the rays reflected on the snow covered Dolomites in the back. I returned to the hotel, and changed to go out for dinner and an evening walk. Dinner in a city like Venice definitely made me want to dress up at least a bit. I switched denim for ADOLFO DOMINGUEZ wide suit trousers, and a turtleneck for a shirt by B.YOUNG. I layered it with FILIPPA K short sleeved knit and finished the look with a long oversized INWEAR coat. I grabbed the bag with all my stuff already packed in it and off I went. 

Being vegan in Italy isn’t an easy task per se, but it is definitely doable. Sometimes you rely on the hospitality of people, who are more than happy to prepare something simple for you. Other times you can go to a place like Ristorante da Mario alla Fava, which on top of great selection of seafood meals, has a full vegan menu. Though everything was delicious, the special mention needs to go to desserts. Ice cream with strawberries sounds simple enough but it was beyond, and so was the second dessert I had (yes, you heard me right), which was hazelnut spaghetti with vanilla cream and chocolate crumbs. After eating like this, there was nothing else to do but to walk at least a bit, before going to bed. 

SUNDAY

I woke up early, this time into a cloudy morning. The plan for Sunday was Venice itself. You could just tell that it was a colder day. Outfit preparations were, therefore, crucial. I started off with ADOLFO DOMINGUEZ trousers and paired them with an OYSHO thermo turtleneck. On top of it went HELMUT LANG zip-up cardigan, which proved to be an incredibly smart choice. The hoodie that, if zipped all the way to the top, could’ve been transformed into a balaclava was perfect, especially when it got windy. ALL SAINTS leather jacket and a bag, and I was ready to go. 

I took a boat which went around Venice. It wasn’t the fastest route but the views were definitely worth it. I ended up on San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island with an art-filled, bright white church and breathtaking views of the most iconic part of Venice, San Marco tower and Doge's Palace. 

From there, it was just a 5 minute boat ride to the centre of Venice. Piazza San Marco is something not to be skipped, no matter how touristy it gets. You don’t have to be an architecture lover to admire what this square has to offer. From the 16th century arcade building, which once served as housing for Venetian highest officials to San Marco’s basilica mixing Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic styles, first built in the 9th century. Attached to it is the Doge’s Palace. Now a museum, it is a Gothic building with Renaissance elements. Though it was originally built around the same time as the basilica, it was burned down by the unhappy citizens. Both of these landmarks are available for a visit, though I can only recommend getting a ticket prior to your arrival. PS to our catholic friends, if you decide to go to the service on Sunday, there is a side entrance to the basilica. It is free, which means you get to both fulfil your religious obligations and admire the impressive interior. 

Behind Doge’s Palace is the Bridge of Sighs. Instead of fighting for a spot for a photo from Ponte della Paglia, there is a less crowded bridge on the other side. To be completely honest, other than the San Marco area, I didn’t really have a clear plan of where to go because I knew that everywhere it’s going to be pretty much picture perfect. And so the wandering through the city continued. I went a bit more to the east, walked through the narrow streets and then slowly turned around and aimed for the San Polo area. I crossed the iconic Rialto bridge, and continued until I made my way back to the hotel. 

Though my day wasn’t really planned out, I made some exciting plans for the evening. You can’t go to a place like Venice and not participate in the cultural life. Christian Arming, one of Austria’s most famous conductors, had a concert in Teatro Malibran, which only meant I had to go. Long story short — wow. The theatre was magnificent, the concert itself unforgettable, and the cherry on the top was the audience clapping to the rhythm of the last song. For this special occasion, I decided to keep the trousers and cardigan, but upscale the look with a MARC O’POLO shirt and PIER ONE tie. And, of course, switched the leather jacket for the coat.

Before returning back to the hotel, I had one more thing I had to do—get pizza! Yet again, the choices for vegans were limited but thank god for Pizzeria L’Angelo, the cutest takeaway place with an amazing selection of pizza for literally everyone. There is no better way to finish off a weekend in Italy than with some good food and a glass of wine.

My dear Venice, I will be back! I don’t know when yet but I definitely will be!