Venice and Vicenza with Kids

As a designer and champagne dealer, I travel for work often—but this Easter, I needed quality time with my daughters, ideally somewhere warm, and with a pool. But when spring didn’t show up, I turned to a place that never disappoints: Venice. The city has always felt magical to me—I go often for work and still remember the awe of my first visit. I wanted my kids to see it through my eyes. When you travel with children, stick to what you love. They’ll feel it.

I booked a last-minute trip, trusting that my favorite spots would still welcome us. In Italy, they usually do. Italians love regulars, and they love kids even more. Traveling with children here feels easy. We’re a family of four: our daughters, ages 6 and 8, my wife and me. I surprised them right after landing with the best possible arrival: a Venetian water taxi. If there’s one right move in Venice, it’s hopping straight into a water taxi. After 20 minutes, you glide past bridges and canals—and watch your kids’ faces light up. It’s unforgettable. Worth every cent of the €140 it cost.

We stayed near Zattere, in a studio apartment with a view of the canal—a perfect location, just five minutes from the Accademia Bridge, which to me is the center of Venice. (Side note: I just returned from another trip to Venice and Vicenza for work and discovered the amazing Palazzo dei Fiori by Room Mate. I’ve already booked it again for a few future stays—just because I love it that much.) Our first stop was the Venice Venice Hotel—now a favorite—right on the Grand Canal. Owned by the Golden Goose brand, it’s an interesting mix of design and art, with a restaurant that serves the best Americano I’ve ever had. Don’t miss their lunch menu, served from 11am to 5pm. This place has become a personal tradition. From there walk, explore, and of course… gelato. Let your kids discover what a city with no cars feels like. There’s nothing like it.

That evening we had dinner at Vini da Arturo, a tiny cozy place that feels like home. The same team, Ernesto and Hanni, have been running it for decades, with a menu that hasn’t changed (only the prices have). Think pasta, meat, and a perfect mixed salad plate. They hand you the celebrity photo albums, and when your kids recognize the stars who’ve eaten there—even their Netflix heroes—it’s a special kind of magic. At the table, I overheard a waiter chatting with a guest who was considering another glass of wine. Hanni said, “There’s no driving in Venice, so…” And he’s right.

After dinner, we strolled to Piazza San Marco, which remains romantic and timeless, and listened to live piano music at Caffè Florian under the stars. I sent my wife and daughters ahead, while I found a flower vendor nearby and surprised them with red roses. One of those moments you remember not for its grandeur, but for its warmth. An Americano, some olives and chips, and the music in the background—perfection. A gentle walk home. The perfect end to our first day.

There are a few places I’d travel to just for lunch or dinner, and one of them is All’Arco—a tiny spot near the Rialto Bridge serving Venetian cicchetti: bread with all sorts of toppings. At All’Arco, Matteo Pinto performs pure magic. The menu changes hourly, driven by his inspiration. It’s the best seafood experience you’ll ever have, and it’s just on bread, but for me, it’s gastronomic heaven. Go for cicchetti and ask for the fish platter—it’s next level, and some of the finest street food you may ever try. It’s more than a snack—it’s a late breakfast/early lunch combo that fills you up completely.

Palazzo Fortuny is another favorite—a chic and very feminine space, full of Venetian flair and amazing art to explore. Mariano Fortuny was a visionary Spanish designer and artist known for his innovations in fashion, lighting, and textile design, and his palazzo in Venice—once his home and studio—is worth visiting for its rich blend of art, history, and timeless elegance preserved in a magical Venetian setting. And since there’s no driving in Venice, an Americano after lunch just feels right. A hidden gem: Hotel Flora. Down a small street between all the haute couture shops, you’ll find one of Venice’s most romantic courtyards. An Americano or two (they offer both classic and unique variations), and you’ll find yourself lingering. It’s unforgettable. Last drink: Palazzo Gritti. A place where I feel like a martini is the best choice. Waiters are perfectly dressed, as are the hotel guests—always some level of celebrity—and the vibe is unforgettable. Just make sure not to arrive in a T-shirt or looking like a tourist.

Time to leave Venice—but do it in style. Book a water taxi and surprise the kids again. This time, head to Palazzo Gritti for breakfast. Yes, it’s usually only for hotel guests… but it depends. Show up for a drink the day before, chat, be charming. Dress up. If the weather’s good, everyone will be on the terrace, leaving the elegant indoor hall empty. That’s your chance. The buffet breakfast, posh decor, roses everywhere, and a small window overlooking a gondola traffic jam—pure magic for a few hours.

Then, take the vaporetto (yes, the bus without tires) to Piazzale Roma to pick up a rental car. Renting a car in Venice always feels strange. Forty-five minutes later, we checked into Villa Michelangelo, near Vicenza. I’m an architect—and as any good student knows, you can’t miss Andrea Palladio and his legacy. Andrea Palladio was a 16th-century Italian architect whose harmonious, proportion-driven designs and revival of classical Roman architecture laid the foundation for Western architectural standards, profoundly influencing everything from European palaces to American government buildings. Villa La Rotonda, Teatro Olimpico or the Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza are must-sees.  

And here’s a travel win: I found Villa Michelangelo on Booking.com, drawn in by its glass façade. There are only two executive suites—I highly recommend booking one of them. The calm is unforgettable. With mountain views and total serenity, it’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay in your room for hours. The suite itself is stunning: soaring ceilings, a full glass wall framing the forested mountains with mist rising gently from the valley—like something out of a dream. The interior feels like a luxurious alpine sanatorium from another era—serene, spacious, and thoughtfully designed, with stone columns, elegant iron handrails, and a touch of Roman grace. There are daybeds so perfectly placed and inviting, you’ll find yourself reading for hours. I never thought I’d care about a daybed—until this place changed my mind. Pure relaxation after the intensity of Venice.

For dinner, we went to Trattoria Lovise—home of the best ravioli in the world. Yes, the best. The dough is much larger than usual, yet at least twice as thin—almost transparent—giving you a subtle preview of the filling. Whether it’s ricotta and spinach, sweet pumpkin, or truffle-infused, each variation is delicately wrapped and generously dressed in melted butter and sage. The look is elegant, the aroma irresistible, and the taste unforgettable. I highly recommend ordering the mixed plate of all flavors—you’ll almost always get a few extra pieces as a delightful surprise. I was introduced to it through friends, who are like family—and in Italy, family is everything. We were lucky enough to sit at the chef’s table overlooking the kitchen and the “gratis table,” where family and friends are served off-menu, dish after dish. Picture a perfectly grilled tuna steak, seared just right to keep the inside tender and moist. There’s also calamari, pure and simple as nature intended—lightly grilled and served alongside a soft bed of creamy polenta. The kitchen is helmed by a strong, older woman who runs the show while chatting nonstop. Our table was served by equally elegant older ladies speaking only Italian. You won’t find this kind of experience anywhere else. It’s a bit outside the city, mostly locals eat there—the best compliment of all. Save this one for something truly authentic.

The next day: stops at Villa La Rotonda, Teatro Olimpico, and Basilica Palladiana. First up, Villa La Rotonda, where Palladio’s vision of perfect symmetry comes to life in a hilltop villa offering serene views and architectural harmony. From there, step into the enchanting Teatro Olimpico, the world’s oldest indoor theater, where illusion and architecture merge in a stunning fixed-perspective stage set that tricks the eye and stirs the imagination. Finally, wander through the Basilica Palladiana, a civic Renaissance gem reimagined with soaring loggias and a distinctive copper roof, now home to rotating art exhibitions that breathe new life into its historic grandeur. Then a quick coffee, and on to La Meneghina, a wine and champagne bar in Vicenza run by the brother duo, Andrea and Alberto. They serve only grower champagne and French wine—no Aperol, no spritz, no prosecco. And the wine list has more than 1500 entries. Download it and study before you go there. The food? Insane improvised seafood plates—eel, tuna, calamari—easily Michelin-star level. A must-see, must-taste kind of spot. Food and wine is a 10/10. And as we are in Italy, the kids’ pasta is not on the menu, but arrives before you ask for it. And happy parents can focus on champagne. 

We headed back to the hotel—our suite was so nice, and since the Saudi Arabian Gran Prix was on (my family are huge F1 fans) we stayed in to watch. Around dinner, I went back into Vicenza to Pizza dei Signori, where Matteo Grandi, a Michelin-starred chef, just opened a new pizza place. They serve four types of pizza, including a low-carb option. It’s a must-visit. I really had to convince them to give me takeaway—they are so quality-focused they insist you have to eat straight away—but even after a 10-minute drive, it was an insane next level pizza. A classic salami, margherita, and some super salmon pizzas are still on my mind. The low-carb pizza has nearly no base—so thin, even compared to Neapolitan, it’s way thinner. The others were classic or even quite thick. And the smell… you can clearly see that the Michelin-star cafe behind it is taking care of every single ingredient involved in this recipe. And you feel it.On our last day, we did some “window shopping” for Palladian villas. Not quite in our budget yet, but that doesn’t stop us from manifesting it. We picked three villas within a short driving distance from a list of Palladian villas and went to check them out. We paused at Villa Saraceno, which is one of the earliest works of Andrea Palladio. It was my favorite—with its simple yet aristocratic vibe and an unusually asymmetrical design for Palladio. We wandered into the back garden and set up our supermercato picnic: the finest San Daniele prosciutto and other Italian goodies. We sat there and imagined the villa was ours. And for a moment, it truly felt like it was.