Giro di bacari a Venezia - Venice's "Bacari"

Are you in Venice and don't know where you could go to get something to drink with your friends after University? No worries, it doesn't seem like it but the city is full of cool and cheap bars where you could spend your night out.

That is to say, there is a particular type of bar in Venice which is called Bacari. These are bars, mostly decorated in rustic style, which sell drinks and little appetisers. In a larger Bacari you can also sit down and eat dinner, just like in a normal restaurant, however, in most Bacari, you order something to drink at the bar (for example "un 'ombra", a small glass of house wine )and look for a few "Cicheti" (small filled rolls or deep-fat fried food ).

Spritz and Cicheti in Osteria Al Squero

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The name 'Bacarao' has an interesting origin, there are actually two theories, both of them very interesting. Some say that is comes from the the Greek god of wine and the intoxication Bacchus, but it could also come from the Venetian expression "far bàcara", which literally means "go to party".

So that you don't stumble into the wrong bar, I'll make a note of a few of my favourites, that you can then try out for yourselves. Let's just assume that you arrive at the Piazzale Roma in Venice want to do a "Giro", or a tour, of all the Bacari in the city. Let's go!

Bacareto Da Lele

Oh Lele, how often have I sought you out, to flee from exam stress for one short hour or, on the other hand, to celebrate having passed exams (and that's mostly around 2 p. m. )?! When you are in Venice, Lele becomes your constant friend and companion. Ultimately, it is the first Bacaro that greets you when you arrive in the lagoon city. As soon as you arrive at Piazzale Roma, go in the direction of Giardino Papadopoli, cross two small bridges and voila, you are already at the Campo dei Tolentini, where this little bar, where some of those outside look like Lagers from restaurants, is located.

Lele at noon

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This Bacaro is probably the smallest of its kind, because you can't sit down inside (and even when standing, not more than five people can fit in). So you order something and enjoy it and then go outside to the Fondamenta or the Chiesa dei Tolentini steps. Lele offers different types of House wine, that are between 60c and 1. 50 euro per glass (no, you didn't misread that! ). Otherwise there is small Panini with different types of fresh sausage and vegetables, such as "Taglieri", small wooden boards that are covered with salami, parmesan and bread.

Wine and sandwiches at Lele

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Bacaro Quebrado

Should you come to Venice by train, then Santa Lucia station is your final destination. As soon as you leave the station building cross over the white bridge, which leads you to the other side of the Grand Canal, il Ponte degli Scalzi. From there it is is only a short distance to this wonderful Bacaro, which isn't the most famous, but is all the more unexpected for it.

How to get from the train station (don't underestimate the density of Calli Venice! )

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It is a speciality in this bar that, during Aperitif-Time (so between 18:30 and 20:00), a Happy Hour offers wine, spritz and prosecco for only 3 euros and you have unlimited access to a small (but very fine! ) buffet. There there are always different types of grilled vegetables, sandwich rolls and a large bowl of pasta. Normally the pasta is prepared with ragu, garlic, oil and chili or tomato. On Fridays or on special occasions (such as Karneval or other Venetian holidays) there is Pasta with fish specialties (Vongole, Cozze, Gamberri, etc. ) And all that for only 3 euro!

Buffet with pasta and sandwiches, of course

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But hurry, because if you arrive late then everything has already gone. It's best to come straight away at 18:30 or at the latest 19:00, as after that it becomes hard to get hold of anything fresh.

Don't be startled by the owner, he is crazy, but really nice and obliging. Once he made an extra plate of fresh pasta just for me, because I don't eat fish and on this particular evening there was only pasta with fish at the buffet.

Campo Santa Margherita

Not far away from Lele (about 5 minutes walking), the famous Campo Santa Margherita is located. In any case it's famous with all young people who have been to Venice. In this place Venice's particular nightlife takes shape. You can find a large number of bars scattered across the whole Campo, that all have more or less the same prices. But the first bars (when you arrive from Campo San Pantalon) are actually the best. Straight after the bridge is Chet, the most reasonable bar. But on the other hand the quality of the cocktails isn't exactly good. When you want something more stylish, then just keep going for another 50 meters and you'll come across the bar Do Draghi, my favourite in "Campo".

The interior of the bar Do Draghi

Soruce

The Aperol Spritzer is particularly good here, but all other types of wine too and the delicious Cicheti (but the latter is not at all as cheap as in other bars).

Other interesting bars are the Skillà Bar or the Caffè Rosso, where above al the coffee tastes delicious. But the Tramezzini in Rosso is also far from bad.

Caffè Rosso at Campo Santa Margherita at noon

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Osteria Al Squero

From "Campo" you can keep heading south and then you either arrive at Academia adn the Guggenheim Museum or to Zattere. We are going to take the second option and go to a bar near Zattere on the Fondamenta Nani, directly opposite the Squero di San Trovaso, the well-known gondola-workshop where you can see how the typical Venetian gondola is produced.

View of the workshop

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This bar offers quite special Cichetti, some are offered with peculiar ingredients. With salami, dried tomatoes, scampi, homemade spreads, bacon, mushrooms, salmon, nuts, spinach, red cabbage, brie etc. The cooks always discover something new! Check them out, they not only have a good view of the gondolas, but one on a full stomach!

El Chioschetto

This charming little bar is located in the middle of the Fondamenta Zattere, where you have a breathtaking view of the Giudecca island and the Hilton Hotel. You can look out from the Zattere but also to the Marghera, the industrial port of Venice, where you always get a strange and somewhat surreal feeling (you will understand why when you go there! )

Visit El Chioschetto at sunset, it is beautiful!; )

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To drink you can get wine, beer or spritz ( most people tend to go for the latter, although it's the same throughout Venice). There are also little things to eat, but no Cicheti, only Tramezzini or Panini (they are not the same! ), which also don't taste bad. But in case of doubt I would always decide to go for Cicheti from Al Squero. El Chioschetto is obviously a bar for spritz.

Bacarando in Corte dell'Orso

Our tour continues on in the direction Rialto. The best route to take is over the Accademia bridge, which is shorter (in my opinion the way over the Basilica dei Frari is more beautiful, but also "more dangerous", because there is a big risk of losing one's way). When you have crossed over the bridge, you will reach Campo Santo Stefano and simply keep following the yellow signs which direct you to Rialto.

Yellow signposts will help you go in the right direction

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When you have arrived at Campo San Bartolomeo, don't go on to the bridge, but in the opposite direction through a "sotoportego", a type of passage with arches. You turn left straight afterwards and then right. The Bacaro is only a minute away from the main square, but the route goes through a kind of labyrinth, that is formed from the narrow Venetian alleys. If you do not find it straight away, everyone from Venice knows this bar.

When you see this door in front of you, then you have found the Bacaro

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The bar is very elegantly furnished and really is a fine restaurant. But on the ground floor there is a glass cabinet full of exquisite Cicheti and if you're lucky, you can sit with your glass of wine on the comfortable leather sofa which is in the next room.

There are often special events with live music organised here, where the shop is filled to capacity. Then, many people simply stand in the narrow alleys slurping their drinks while listening to the music or chatting with friends.

Al Remer

I have a real highlight for you here. Because in this one-of-a-kind bar there is Happy Hour with buffet and entrance to the Grand Canal. From Campo San Bartolomeo (before the Rialto bridge) follow the main street in the direction of the train station ("stazione", the signs will help you). A few meters after the shoe shop Bata turn left onto the narrow Calle Remer and follow it until you reach this:

Campiello Remer in front of the Taverna with a view on the Canal Grande and the Rialto-Market

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This bar is fundamentally very expensive (unaffordable for students, just like nearly every normal restaurant in Venice), but every day between 17:30 and 19:30 there is a happy hour, where you pay 5 euros for a glass of wine (maybe also beer or something else, I don't know, because in Venice everyone only ever drinks wine! ) and then you have access to a small buffet with pasta, rice, salad, and sandwich rolls.

The Happy-Hour-Buffet in Reme

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A truly one-of-a-kind bar because of this special offer and above all their romantic atmosphere and their first class access to the Grand Canal.

Paradiso Perduto

This delightful bar is located in the middle of Cannaregio, the oldest part of the city of Venice, and is the beginning of a series of bars and bacari on the notorious Fondamenta della Misericordia. In any case, you have to have a look at Paradiso on Monday evening, because there is really good live music which brings the whole bar to quail. If you would like something to eat, then it's best to arrive a little earlier, or to reserve by telephoning, because in the evening it is always completely full. It is always impossible to eat on Mondays, even to get a drink you will have to wait 10 minutes.

Paradiso Perduto is especially known for its seafood specialties

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Al Timon

A little further along the Fondamenta della Misericordia is the Bacaro Al Timon (between these you will see numerous other bacari, but these two are the best in the area). As in the other bars which I have described, there is also good wine and delicious Cicheti in Timon, but how this shop really distinguishes itself is with the boat that is part of the furnishings. You can not only sit in the bar or outside on the Fondamenta, but also on a wooden boat that swings on the canal. It is particularly beautiful in the warm months to sit on the boat with your aperol-spritz and enjoy the last rays of sun in the evening.

View of the Timon and the Fondamenta della Misericordia

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Most of the bacari that I have described have no website of their own, so you could find information and reviews on TripAdvisor. You can find this type of bar all over Venice, but outside of the lagoon city this culture is not widespread (other than imitations perhaps). So enjoy your stay and visit as many bacari as possible, because everyone has their own tastes and and likings for particular things.

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