Venice
DESTINATION GUIDE WITH AINA KARI
Venice Design City Guide: A Curated Journey with Aina Kari
Set within a labyrinth of canals, palazzos, and timeworn stone, Venice remains one of Europe’s most evocative design capitals, where history and contemporary culture exist in constant dialogue. Guided by Aina Kari, this curated Venice Design City Guide traces a path through the city’s most distinctive hotels, galleries, artisan workshops, restaurants, and cultural landmarks. From quiet ateliers and historic palaces to design-led boutiques and atmospheric cafés, each stop reveals a different facet of Venice’s layered identity and enduring craftsmanship. For travellers, drawn to art, architecture, and material culture, the guide offers an intimate perspective on a city where tradition and contemporary creativity unfold within the same narrow streets and sunlit canals. Through Aina Kari’s lens, Venice emerges as a living design landscape shaped by memory, texture, and timeless elegance.
February 2026
Words: designeers and AINA KARI
breakfast and coffee:
Pasticceria Rosa Salva
An institution in Venice, Rosa Salva is beloved for its refined pastries, impeccable coffee, and timeless interiors. Locals come early; designers linger longer. While many cafés chase trends, Rosa Salva remains quietly confident — and its tiramisu is widely considered among the best in the city.
favourite design museum:
SPARC* Spazio Arte Contemporane
Located in Campo Santo Stefano, SPARC* is one of Venice’s most intellectually rigorous contemporary art spaces. Known for experimental exhibitions and cross-disciplinary dialogue between art, architecture, and design, it attracts curators and designers seeking substance over spectacle. A must-visit during Venice’s design and art biennials for its thoughtful curation and quiet authority.
favourite ART GALLERY:
Fondazione Berengo
Fondazione Berengo is central to Venice’s contemporary glass renaissance. Based in Murano, it champions radical experimentation in glass through collaborations with leading artists and designers. The foundation’s exhibitions challenge traditional craft narratives, making it essential viewing for anyone interested in material innovation and collectible design.
Lunch:
Taverna al Remer
Hidden behind unassuming doors, Taverna al Remer is one of Venice’s best-kept secrets. This is cicchetti culture at its most authentic — generous plates, classic spritzes, and an atmosphere that feels like a private Venetian gathering. A place designers return to again and again.
fine dining:
VERO
Designed by Patricia Urquiola, VERO is where contemporary Italian cuisine meets architectural finesse. The interiors are warm, tactile, and distinctly modern — a perfect setting for refined dining that still feels relaxed. One of Venice’s most compelling design-driven restaurants.
Cocktail Bar:
Experimental Cocktail Club
Tucked into the Dorsoduro art district, Experimental Cocktail Club brings contemporary mixology to Venice with understated elegance. Expect moody interiors, expertly balanced cocktails, and a crowd that blends locals, creatives, and visiting design insiders. Ideal for aperitivo or a late evening stop.
a design hotel to stay in:
Venice Venice Hotel
Bold, intelligent, and unapologetically contemporary, Venice Venice Hotel challenges expectations of Venetian luxury. Its interiors fuse raw materials with refined detailing, creating a new visual language for the city. A favourite among creatives who value concept over convention.
Favourite Design Boutique / Concept Store:
Venice M’ART
Curated by the team behind Venice Venice Hotel, Venice M’ART is a sharp edit of art objects, design pieces, and cultural curiosities. The selection feels personal, contemporary, and deeply rooted in Venice’s creative spirit — ideal for finding something genuinely distinctive.
Venetian Heritage Everyone Should Know:
Fortuny Venezia
Fortuny is synonymous with Venetian artistry. From textiles to lighting, its legacy blends Moorish influence, alchemical colour processes, and timeless craftsmanship. A visit offers insight into Venice’s enduring influence on global decorative arts.
Outdoor Space for Tranquillity:
Giardino del Redentore
Overlooking the lagoon on Giudecca island, Giardino del Redentore is a serene escape from Venice’s intensity. Ideal for quiet reflection, sketching, or simply absorbing the city at a slower pace.
Art, Furniture & Design Objects
Boselli Venezia
Set within a beautifully restored 19th-century warehouse overlooking a canal, Boselli Venezia is a destination for collectors and design lovers. The space celebrates industrial archaeology while showcasing a refined selection of art, furniture, and design objects. A powerful example of Venice’s evolving design landscape.
Must-Visit Neighbourhood for Design Lovers:
Dorsoduro Art District
Stretching from the Guggenheim to the Gallerie dell’Accademia and onward to the Biennale, Dorsoduro is Venice’s creative heart. Narrow calli open onto galleries, studios, and cultural institutions, making it the city’s most rewarding area for slow exploration and visual discovery.
Best Sunset Spot:
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
As the sun sets over St Mark’s Basin, Santa Maria della Salute glows against the water, offering one of Venice’s most cinematic moments. A reminder that in Venice, beauty is often found simply by stopping.
Iconic Architectural Landmark:
Fondaco dei Tedeschi
A historic trading hub reimagined for contemporary use, Fondaco dei Tedeschi blends Renaissance architecture with modern interventions. Its rooftop terrace offers one of the most compelling views over the Grand Canal.
out of town adventure:
Sant’Erasmo Island
Known as Venice’s “vegetable garden,” Sant’Erasmo is perfect for cycling, birdwatching, and slow food discoveries. Visit in May for the purple artichoke festival, or anytime for vineyards, open skies, and a different rhythm of lagoon life.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
Fondazione Berengo FRANCESCO ALLEGRETTO
TAVERNA AL REMER FRANCESCO RUSSO
VENICE VENICE HOTEL FEDERICO TORRA
giardini del redentore Marco Valmarana
Fondaco Dei Tedeschi Marco Cappelletti
More from Aina Kari
Born of Fire and Glass: AINA KARI’s Venetian Craft Language
Founded by designer Marina Cighir, AINA KARI is a studio rooted near Venice, where centuries-old artisanal traditions intersect with a quietly poetic contemporary language. Drawing on Venetian glassmaking, marble carving, and hand-forged metal, AINA KARI creates sculptural objects that explore fragility and strength, tension and balance.
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