VENICE

An insider’s immersion into the Venice Biennale

14-19 April 2024

option to visit Friuli through 21 April

Scroll down for Day-by-Day Itinerary and Reading Suggestions

Our mission at Mad Rose Journeys remains to take you to the source — introducing you to the places and people creating the world's finest expressions of wine, food, and culture.

The centerpiece of this journey will be the 60th edition of the Biennale di Arte in Venice during its exclusive pre-opening days and before. This journey will fascinate those who have been to Venice and the Biennale, as well as those who have never attended. Join us as we shine a new light on this storied event, and open your eyes to the complex history of the historic city.

For over 120 years La Biennale di Venezia has been one of the most prestigious cultural events in the world. Established in 1895, the Biennale has an attendance today of over 500,000 visitors for the Art Exhibition. We will provide an investigation into how the Biennale has shaped Venice culturally, economically, politically, as well as environmentally.

You will meet the curators and artists during private pavilion tours, and hear firsthand about their work during lively exchanges over intimate meals, joined by winemakers from the Rosenthal Wine Merchant portfolio. You will tour the Biennale grounds - the Giardini and the Arsenale - as well as numerous hidden venues throughout the city. You will have private tours of the city's many modern and contemporary art-filled palazzos, galleries, and museums in the company of local experts.

Of course, in the Mad Rose Journeys tradition, you will delight in the finest wine and food, in the presence of the producers, each of whom proudly resides in Neal Rosenthal’s prestige portfolio. Restaurant venues will be selected to feature the centuries old culinary traditions of Venice with commentary on the wines of the surrounding viticultural regions.

Option to extend the journey to include a visit to the international city of Trieste, home to literary giants like James Joyce and Italo Svevo. We will explore the cellars of the finest wine producers of the Carso and venture further into Friuli.

Day One: Sunday, 14 April

Arrival and transfer to hotel, NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa.

A light lunch at the hotel or nearby on Murano

Today will be a day of exploring Murano, learning about its history, and walking its streets far beyond the tourist areas. Later we will begin our dive into the story of how the Biennale has shaped the city of Venice since the late 1800's with a local historian.

Time to rest and refresh followed by aperitivo and dinner together.

Day Two: Monday, 15 April

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, we will immerse ourselves in Murano glassmaking - particularly how this ancient art form is being employed by some of the leading contemporary artists of our time.

We will then boat across the lagoon to begin the first of two days immersing ourselves in the art museums, galleries, and special collections visits. During the days just before and during the Biennale, Venice welcomes numerous extraordinary art events, exhibitions, and performances brought to the city by galleries and arts organizations from around the world that are not a part of the event itself.

Lunch at Venissa.

Our visits will include:

· The Peggy Guggenheim Collection

· Palazzo Grassi - the Venice home of the famed Pinault Collection housed in a magnificent 18th Century palazzo.

· Punta della Dogana - another site for Special Exhibitions of the Pinault Collection

· Victoria Miro Gallery

· Teatrino di Palazzo Grassi

Return to the hotel for rest before the evening.

Aperitivo & dinner at Hostaria da Franz.

Day Three: Tuesday, 16 April

Breakfast at the hotel.

We will start our day with a visually striking experience of a different type -- the art of the natural world -- the Rialto fish market.

Lunch at Osterria del Squero.

This afternoon, we continue our art exploration of galleries, museums, and special exhibitions.

A short break this afternoon followed by an aperitivo and dinner.

Days Four/Five/Six:

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, 17-19 April

These days will be entirely devoted to the Biennale.

This, its 60th edition, is curated by Adriano Pedrosa under the theme Foreigners Everywhere.

We will tour the highlights of the Giardini, the traditional site of the Biennale since 1895 which today hosts 29 pavilions of foreign countries, some designed by famous architects such as Josef Hoffmann's Austria Pavilion, Gerrit Thomas Rietveld's Dutch pavilion, and the Finnish pavilion, designed by Alvar Aalto.

We will explore the Arsenale which is home to pavilions from counties not included in the Giardini.

These are the days we have guided walk-throughs of several pavilions from the African continent as well as several from the EU. We will meet their curators and artists and have time to talk with them about their artistic direction and the impact of being selected to be a part of the "Olympics of the art world."

These will be fast-paced and very full days of exploration and discovery but not without the great rewards to be found at the local tables. Dinner on Thursday will be at the exciting Local restaurant.

April 19: End of trip Venice-only program with escort to Venice train station or Venice airport.

FRIULI EXTENSION, April 19 - 21

A series of tastings with Rosenthal Wine Merchant growers such as Josko Gravner, Benjamin Zidarich, and Paolo Vodopivec. We will enjoy tasting menus with exciting wines at Friuli institutions such as Al Bagatto Trieste and Ristorante al Cacciatore.

The trip can end in Trieste with a transfer to the train station or airport or a return to Venice airport.