From Sicily to Venice: my first encounter with the city that changed my life

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I’m Federica, born and raised in a small town in Eastern Sicily, which I left to study languages right here in Venice.

So, I arrived when I was still a young girl. I had always dreamed of living in this magical city, even as a child, though I never imagined it would one day become home. After a fascinating time working in the world of fashion retail—and the lucky encounter with Alberto, the great love of my life—I realized that Venice was meant to be part of my destiny.

It welcomed me with open arms—or better said, with open calli. And even today, after many years, it continues to give me so much, both professionally and personally.

My first memory of the lagoon

I still remember with deep tenderness my very first time in the lagoon: I hopped on Vaporetto Line 1, crossing the Grand Canal all the way to Punta della Dogana. The reflection of the water dancing on those ancient palazzi left me breathless.

Today this might seem obvious, but imagine a girl in her early twenties, in a time when social media didn’t yet exist, on a nearly empty boat on a Monday morning in early September—I felt free, confident… but I never could have imagined all that Venice would end up giving me.

A city that reveals itself only if you live it

To me, Venice is the city of a thousand faces and a thousand colors, of boundless and overwhelming beauty. A beauty that leaves you speechless—not something you can explain, but only experience.

It’s a city that’s both fragile and powerful, bound to itself, and yet always free to express its inexhaustible elegance. Only by living it day after day can you truly learn to love it. And today, for me, it’s much more than just a city—it’s home.

Would you like to discover the Venice I know?

A place close to my heart: Le Zattere.

I couldn’t write the first entry of this blog without mentioning Le Zattere, as they have meant practically everything in my Venetian life. My first student apartment, my first aperitifs, the morning rush to make it to class on time, the little kiosk where I first met Alberto—in short, life itself.

My latest discovery: The Orto Garden of the Santissimo Redentore Convent

Recently restored thanks to the efforts of the Venice Gardens Foundation. A magical and peaceful place, perfect for escaping the city’s hustle and reconnecting with oneself.

My go-to drink!

Definitely at Cocktail Bar Experimental, with its elegant and sophisticated interior design curated by the fantastic Cristina Celestino. And, for the record, I’m definitely a French Sour kind of person…

#735Diary

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