Venice Cocktail Week returns for a powerful second year

The only thing better than a week in Venice is a week in Venice during Venice Cocktail Week. Seriously. 

Returning for a second year, this fabulous festival runs from 26th September to 2nd October, and takes in all of the hotels, bars and historical coffee shops in the city worth knowing about.

There are 32 venues taking part and each has at least four tasty reasons to visit (see Venice Cocktail Week drinks, below). But there’s more. Throughout the week, the days are peppered with masterclasses led by local and international guests, as well as book and product launches and brilliant events such as tours of the historical cafés, a cocktail bar and bacari tour and the Rialto Market Experience.

As for the evenings, they’re all about the guest shifts. Of which there many, and we can’t bloody wait! On Monday 26th, Giulia Cuccurullo from The Artesian in London works her magic at Experimental Cocktail Club, while Emanuele Balestra from Hotel Barrière Le Majestic in Cannes will be charming guests at Palazzina The Bar. On the 27th Federico Pavan brings the glamour of The Donovan Bar in London to Il Mercante, and Angostura Global Ambassador Daniyel Jones will be over at The Bar, Aman.

The next day ‘The Maestro’ Salvatore Calabrese and Patrick Pistolesi will also be at The Bar at the Aman, with a not-to-be-missed double shift celebrating the Breakfast Martini with Cointreau, followed by a gondola performance. The list goes on, including stints from Giorgio Bargiani from The Connaught Bar in London, Oscar Buhre from Lucy Flower Shop in Stockholm and Martin Hudak from Maybe Sammy in Sydney. See venicecocktailweek.it for the full programme.

A selection of participating bars

Foodies will love the ‘mixo-gastronmonic’ dinners, taking in Scampi & Gin Tonic with Ginarte at the Rialto Fish Market (28th); Atmosphere of the East in Venice, comprising an aperitif, dinner and sound performance with cocktails by Samuele Ambrosi at Palazzine Grassi, and there’s Negroni & Moeche with Mauro Mahjoub and Manuel Bognolo in Bragozzo (30th).

It’s an action-packed, palate-pleasing, cocktail-loving corker of an event which has been meticulously planned by founder of Venice Cocktail Week and Florence Cocktail Week Paola Mencarelli, supported by Bianca Grisolia and the team. “The last edition, in December, gave us great emotions, and we received enormous support and participation from the entire city, which really surprised us,” Paola says. “This year, however, we decided to bring forward the dates with the idea of involving the city even more. In September, in fact, also the terraces and outdoor spaces will be open and available for events. With the warmer temperatures we wish to see a Venice that is more active than ever!”

For the full programme, see venicecocktailweek.it

Venice Cocktail Week – the drinks

Throughout the event, each of the 32 venues will be offering four, very special Venice Cocktail Week serves:

• The Signature Cocktail where they show off their creativity and style of the bar
• RiEsco a Bere Italiano Cocktail a love letter to Italy in a glass. This drink is one that shines a light on exclusively Italian companies participating in the RiEsco a Bere Italiano initiative.
• L ‘Aperitivo di Mezzogiorno this is Venice after all, so naturally one of the choices on the list should respect the tradition of the aperitif, a light, refreshing drink that can be enjoyed in the earlier parts of the day or for those who prefer not to go too heavy in the evening,
• Leon D’Oro in a city that hosts one of the biggest film festivals in the world, it makes sense that one of the cocktails should be inspired by the movies. This is another one where the creativity of the bar shines through.

Venice Cocktail Week – the hotel bars

1. Alchemia, Ca’ di Dio
2. Arts Bar, The St. Regis
3. Bar Gabbiano, Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice
4. Canova Bar, Baglioni Hotel Luna
5. Excess Venice Cocktail Food & Garden
6. Experimental Cocktail Club, Il Palazzo Experimental 
7. Il Caravellino, Hotel Saturnia & International
8. LPV Bar, Londra Palace Venezia
9. Palazzina The Bar, Palazzina Grassi
10. Sagra Rooftop, JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa (N)
11. Savor Restaurant Bar & Garden, Hotel Indigo Venice (N)
12. Skyline Rooftop Bar, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
13. Settimo Cielo Rooftop, Hotel Bauer Palazzo (N)
14. The Bar, Aman Venice 
15. Top of the Carlton Sky Lounge, Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal (N)
    

Venice Cocktail Week – the cocktail bars

16. Amo, Fondaco dei Tedeschi 
17. Ancòra (N)
18. Blue Drop
19. Caffè Florian  
20. Caffè Lavena  
21. Chet Bar
22. ChicBar, Taverna La Fenice
23. Grancaffè Quadri 
24. Hostaria in Certosa (N)
25. Il Mercante 
26. Marciano Pub Venezia (N)
27. Osteria I Rusteghi (N)
28. San Giorgio Cafè
29. Tarnowska’s American Bar
30. Terrazza Aperol
31. Time Social Bar 
32. Venissa – Il Bar (N)
    

See venicecocktailweek.it for full details and follow all the action @venicecocktailweekofficial

Photos: Martino Dini and Veronica Gaido