Cipriani, The Very Best in Venice

Venice is famous for a number of things: The Bridge of Sighs, Carnival, gondolas rowed by men in striped shirts…but one thing will earn a greater place of honor in your heart than any of those: the Bellini at Cipriani.

Cipriani, the famed hotel situated across the water from St. Mark’s Square, is one of the world’s most beautiful and exclusive. It’s also one of the most expensive. For those of us who can’t possibly fathom a $900 a night hotel room (and that’s for the smaller ones), the Cipriani has a few other amenities that are just as memorable but far more affordable.

First, the Bellini! Sipped at sunset, watching the lingering light tickle Venice pink, it is an experience not to be missed. This drink was created 1943 at Harry's Bar (part of the Cipriani and famously frequented by Hemingway) in honor of the painter Geovani Bellini. Giuseppi Cipriani was the inventor, leaving an imbibable legacy that demands reverence and honor. The original recipe was made with fresh pureed white peaches and just a hint of raspberry or cherry juice to give the drink a pink glow. Here’s how to make a Cipriani Bellini:

2/3 cup white peach puree
1 teaspoon raspberry puree
1 bottle chilled Italian sparkling wine such as Prosecco or Asti Spumante Brut

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons puree in the bottom of each flute and add 2 - 3 drops of the raspberry puree. Add sparkling wine and serve.

Second, Cip’s Club, the more casual dining establishment within the Cipriani compound which sits on a dock facing Venice. The view is unrivaled! And the Il "Fritoin" di pesce e zucchine, salsa al rafano (Fried seafood with fried zucchini, horseradish sauce), or “Fritto Misto”, is a lesson in why Italy in renowned for its cuisine.

Finally, even if you can’t stay at the hotel, you can spend the afternoon there sipping Bellinis and floating in the only swimming pool in Venice. Filled with filtered sea water and heated to a constant 80 degrees, the water is like almost everything else in Italy, and especially at the Cipriani; warm, inviting, luxuriant, and addictive.