The Bàcari and the Taverns of Rialto

The Bàcari and the Taverns of Rialto

Strolling around the Rialto area, on either side of the famous bridge, you may find alleyways with odd names: Aquila Nera (Black Eagle), Leon Bianco (White Lion), Do Spade (Two Swords), Simia (Monkey), and many more. These names originate from a number of taverns and inns that don’t exist anymore.
Osterie, malvasie, bàcari: let’s discover some interesting facts about the old wine shops of Venice!

The fish market in Venice

The fish market in Venice

The Rialto fish market has almost one thousand years of history: thousands of tons of fish were and still are sold and bought here. Our journey starts however in the wholesale market – off limits to outsiders – where negotiations take place early in the morning before the fish is then transported with special boats, called ‘topi’ over to the retail market and meticulously displayed on ice.