Venice follows its own rhythm, so it’s no surprise that after-work habits here are unique. In the early evening Venetians often drift between tiny bacari — traditional wine bars — sampling small plates known as cicchetti with a glass of wine. If you want the house pour, ask for un’ombra. For a taste of history and authentic cicchetti, seek out the 15th-century Antico Dolo on the far side of the Rialto Bridge.
Rustic Italian cicchetti toasties © Zkruger | Dreamstime.com
The cafés that cluster around Piazza San Marco are reliable spots to meet clients and wrap up the day’s discussions over a glass of wine. Caffè Florian, often cited as Italy’s oldest café, charms with lavish Neo-Baroque interiors, attentive silver-tray service and a postcard-perfect setting where late light sparkles on St. Mark’s mosaics. If you prefer something quieter without the view, use the elegant bar at the rear. Nearby Caffè Quadri — whose upstairs restaurant has a Michelin star — and Caffè Lavena date from the 1700s and retain refined atmospheres. To please local guests, choose a Veneto wine such as an amarone from Valpolicella (Bertani is a solid choice) or a sparkling Prosecco from Conegliano-Valdobbiadene.
Each of these cafés boasts a storied clientele — from Casanova, who favored Florian because it admitted women, to Charles Dickens — yet none is more famous than Harry’s Bar. This landmark is celebrated for inventing the Bellini cocktail and for serving very dry martinis.
For genuinely Venetian cuisine, venture off the main tourist routes. Osteria ae Botti, near the Palanca vaporetto stop, offers brick-vaulted dining rooms with well-spaced tables and classic cicchetti at the bar. Close to the Rialto in a beautifully preserved building with frescoes, La Porta d’Acqua specializes in traditional Italian plates and excellent local seafood. Also near the market, Taverna del Campiello Remer is known for artfully presented seafood.
To impress clients, book a table overlooking the Grand Canal in a 15th-century palazzo that is a national monument. L’Alcova, within the splendid Ca’ Sagredo Hotel, serves an innovative menu rooted in Venetian ingredients — be sure to try scampi flambéed in brandy.
Venice is not famed for a wild nightlife, but it offers refined evening options. The Venice Jazz Club features quartets playing jazz standards most nights from about 9–11 p.m., except during January and August, at Piazza San Barnaba. Nearby, the long-running nightclub Piccolo Mondo has drawn celebrities for decades. Venice is broadly gay-friendly, though it does not concentrate nightlife into a single dominant neighborhood.
To experience one of Europe’s great opera houses, book ahead or ask your concierge about performances at La Fenice. Alternatively, attend a Baroque concert in one of Venice’s restored churches. If your schedule leaves little time for sightseeing, consider an after-hours tour to enjoy St. Mark’s Basilica with far fewer people, or extend the day with a vaporetto ride on Line 1 down the Grand Canal to see palaces illuminated and reflected in the water.