If there’s one thing that promises to be even better than Venice in the winter, it’s Venice in winter during its inaugural Cocktail Week. Imagine it: that majestic location, those amazing canals, the fantastic food – with the added bonus of specially created cocktails in 26 of the cities finest bars.
The week-long programme, running 13-19 December, kicked off yesterday but there’s plenty coming up to keep Venetians and its cocktail-loving guests busy. Like the daily masterclasses, book and product presentations, walking tours and tastings. That’s the day taken care of. In the evening there are more events, plus each bar has four specially priced Venice Cocktail Week creations on the menu: a unique Signature cocktail, a hot winter cocktail, a twist on a Spritz and one cocktail made exclusively with Italian products.
It’s been curated by Paola Mencarelli, Founder & Creative Director of Florence Cocktail Week which runs in September. And like the popular event she runs in Florence, this one brings some of Italy’s most respected bartenders to Venice including Patrick Pistolesi from DrinkKong and Matteo Zed from The Court in Rome and Benjamin Cavagna and Flavio Angiolillo from 1930 in Milan, as well as Alex Kratena from Tayer + Elementary In London, Maros Dzuru from Himkok in Oslo, Nico di Soto from Danico in Paris.
“The programme for Venice Cocktail Week showcases some of the best and biggest names in the international bar and cocktail scene, coming together in one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” she says. “The city of Venice has a long and rich culture of bars and cocktails, and now, the public has the opportunity for the first time to explore this via its bars and hotels and with the help of the world’s best and most respected visiting bartenders.”
For the full programme, see here
Participating bars:
Alchemia at Ca’ di Dio
Amo at Fonadaco dei Tedeschi
Arts Bar at The St. Regis
Bar Gabbiano at Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel
Bar Longhi at The Gritti Palace
Blue Bar at Hotel Excelsior
Blue Drop
Caffè Baglioni at the Baglioni Hotel Luna
Caffè Florian
Caffè Lavena
Chet Bar
ChicBar at Taverna La Fenice
Bar Dandolo at Hotel Danieli
Excess Venice Cocktail Food & Garden
Experimental Cocktail Club at Il Palazzo Experimental
Grancaffè Quadri
Il Caravellino Hotel at Hotel Saturnia & Intercontinental
Il Mercante
Londrabar at Hotel Londra Palace
Palazzina The Bar at Palazzina Grassi
San Giorgio Cafè
Skyline Rooftop Bar at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Tarnowska’s American Bar
Terrazza Aperol
The Bar at Aman Venice
Time Social Bar
Photograph of Paola Mencarelli: Veronica Gaido; locations: Martini Dini
