13/05/2026
Med zlatimi mozaiki in tihim šepetom kadila smo iz bazilike svetega Marka, kjer se je ravno začenjala poroka, odpeketali proti Doževi palači — v svet Tintoreta, Veroneseja in Caravaggia. Tu se zgodovina še vedno močno odbija od temnih sten in težkih stropov.
Pomisleki se porajajo ob zgodbah in legendah.
Je Tintoretto res računal svoje delo na vsako naslikano glavo?
Se je sveti Marko res sprehajal po laguni?
Nekaterih zadev Benečanov ni dobro spraševati. Oni vedo! Ali preprosto hočejo verjeti.
Čez Most vzdihljajev, po poteh nekdanjih zapornikov, tudi Casanove in dožev, nato pa ven v živ utrip mesta, proti Caffè Florian, kjer se srečujejo turisti, golobi, prosecco ter stoletja beneške elegance in prestiža.
Naprej v vrtinec ljudi proti mostu Rialto in mimo najstarejše cerkve do tržnice, kjer Benetke še vedno dišijo po laguni — po svežih majskih rdečih jagodah, sladkih češnjah in artičokah s Sant’Erasma.
Med stojnicami in glasovi prodajalcev iz restavracij prihaja vonj svežih rib, belega vina in česna, ki človeka skoraj prisili, da se ustavi.
Nekoliko smo se. Za kos pizze, seveda.
Potem čez mostove in kanale do vrhunske zbirke Peggy Guggenheim — od Dalíja, Picassa, Ernsta in Moora ... do nove razstave londonske kolekcije, ki bo v Benetkah gostovala do 19. oktobra 2026.
Benetke v času Bienala res dihajo drugače. Malo bolj umetniško. Malo bolj noro.
Skoraj mimogrede še v cerkev na pretresljivo razstavo O Lamb of God, nato pa na izjemno izkušnjo Marine Abramović — Transformacija energije (razstava do 19.10.26), kjer obiskovalec ni več samo opazovalec, ampak postane del razstavnih del in poglobljen del samega sebe.
Za las zamujeno zapiranje Museo Correr, ki ponuja odlično arheološko zbirko, v svojem sestavnem delu knjižnice Marciane pa običajno vsak mesec novo razstavo. Tam v kotu, na drugi strani te ogromneee stavbe, pa še zanimiv zgodovinski del Avstro-Ogrske.
Še en večerni skok v Doževo palačo. Le zakaj? Naj ostane skrivnost.
In ponovno rahlo blodenje po callah in caletah.
Mimo majhnih knjigarn s starimi knjigami, delavnic beneških mask, dišečih take-away pašt in tihih trgov, kjer perilo še vedno po domače visi med okni.
Počasi do Santa Maria Formose in nato proti trenutnemu beneškemu domu.
Jutri je nov dan.
In Bienale bo Benetkam ponovno nadel svoj nekoliko kaotično glamurozen obraz ter ponudil še nešteto priložnosti za srečanja z odličnimi deli, nenavadnimi idejami in lepoto, ki jo tukaj človek sreča skoraj za vsakim vogalom ✨
P. S.
Domačini nad nami obiskovalci niso vedno najbolj navdušeni.
Noge pa od hoje cvetijo kot beneški balkon sredi maja.
-----
Amid golden mosaics and the soft whisper of incense, we wandered out of St. Mark’s Basilica, where a wedding ceremony was just beginning, and made our way toward the Doge’s Palace — into the world of Tintoretto, Veronese, and Caravaggio. Here, history still seems to echo from the dark walls and heavy ceilings.
Questions and doubts begin to appear through the stories and legends.
Did Tintoretto really charge for his paintings by the number of heads he painted?
Did Saint Mark truly walk across the lagoon?
Some things are simply better not asked of Venetians. They know. Or perhaps they simply choose to believe.
Across the Bridge of Sighs, along the paths once walked by prisoners — Casanova among them — and by doges, we stepped back into the vibrant pulse of the city, toward Caffè Florian, where tourists, pigeons, prosecco, and centuries of Venetian elegance and prestige still meet.
Then onward into the whirl of people toward the Rialto Bridge and past the city’s oldest church to the market, where Venice still carries the scent of the lagoon — fresh May strawberries, sweet cherries, and Sant’Erasmo artichokes.
Between the market stalls and the voices of the vendors drift the aromas of fresh fish, white wine, and garlic from nearby restaurants, enough to make almost anyone stop for a moment.
And so we did. For a slice of pizza, naturally.
Then across bridges and canals to the magnificent Peggy Guggenheim Collection — from Dalí, Picasso, Ernst, and Moore to the new exhibition from the London collection, which will remain in Venice until the end of October 2026.
Venice during the Biennale truly breathes differently. A little more artistic. A little more chaotic.
Almost casually, we stepped into a church for the deeply moving exhibition O Lamb of God, and then continued on to Marina Abramović’s remarkable Transformation of Energy, where the visitor is no longer merely an observer, but becomes part of the artwork — and perhaps more deeply connected to themselves.
We narrowly missed the closing time of Museo Correr, home to an excellent archaeological collection, while the Marciana Library section usually hosts a new exhibition each month. Hidden away in one corner of that enormous building is also a fascinating historical section dedicated to the Austro-Hungarian period.
One more evening return to the Doge’s Palace. Why exactly? Let it remain a secret.
And then once again, gentle wandering through the calli and narrow alleyways. Past tiny bookstores filled with old books, workshops crafting Venetian masks, fragrant takeaway pasta shops, and quiet little squares where laundry still hangs between the windows in the old Venetian way.
Slowly toward Santa Maria Formosa, and then back to our temporary Venetian home.
Tomorrow is a new day.
And the Biennale will once again give Venice its slightly chaotic yet glamorous face, offering countless new encounters with extraordinary works, unusual ideas, and the kind of beauty one discovers here around almost every corner ✨
P.S.
The locals are not always especially delighted with us visitors.
And our legs, after all the walking, are blooming like a Venetian balcony in the middle of May.
