Cicchetti in the bacari
Venetians eat standing up. In the bacari, the old wine bars round the Rialto and along the canals of Cannaregio, the counters are lined with cicchetti, small bites of salt cod, sardines, meatballs and cheese on bread, to go with a small glass of wine.
- What it is
- Walk
- Time to allow
- 2 to 3 hours
- Cost
- What you eat, or a food tour
- Best time
- Late morning or early evening, when the bars fill up
Venice this week
Why the bacari is worth it
The bacaro is the Venetian wine bar, plain and often standing room only, where wine is served by the small glass, an ombra, and the cicchetti are laid out on the counter.
Some have served the Rialto market for centuries, and a giro di ombre, a round of the bars, is still how many Venetians spend an evening.
What to see
Baccalà mantecato
Salt cod whipped with oil into a cream, on bread or polenta.
Sarde in saor
Fried sardines in sweet and sour onions, a dish of sailors.
Polpette
Fried meatballs, a favourite of the bars of Cannaregio.
The spritz
White wine, soda and a bitter, the drink of the Venetian evening.
How to do it well
- Point at what you want and pay by the piece.
- Go at the hour of the aperitivo, from about six, when the bars fill up.
- The streets round the Rialto market and the Fondamenta della Misericordia have the most bars.
Where it is
Address
Round the Rialto market and along the canals of Cannaregio
Nearest station
Rialto Mercato or Ca' d'Oro, on the vaporetto
Museums and sights nearby
- Ca' Pesaro300 m
- Teatro La Fenice600 m
- Basilica dei Frari600 m
- St Mark's Basilica650 m
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: Cicchetti in the bacari
Cicchetti in the bacari: common questions
- What are cicchetti?
- Small bites, usually on bread, served in the bacari of Venice with a glass of wine.
- What is an ombra?
- A small glass of wine, from the shade, ombra, where the wine sellers of St Mark's Square once kept their casks.
- How much time do you need for the bacari?
- Allow 2 to 3 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about the bacari
Rating from Google
Things to do near the bacari
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 6Cross the Rialto Bridge and shop at the market200 m awayWalk, 45 to 90 minutes, free to walk
- 14See modern art and Japanese armour at Ca' Pesaro300 m awayMuseum, 1 to 2 hours, ticket
- 12Visit La Fenice, Venice's opera house600 m awayShow, 45 to 60 minutes, ticket for the visit, or for a performance
- 7See Titian's Assumption at the Frari600 m awayChurch, 45 to 75 minutes, ticket
Artists to see near the bacari
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Ca' Pesaro, 300 m away
Basilica dei Frari, 600 m away
Where to eat near the bacari
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Cantina Do Mori4.4Bacaro, Rialto0 m away
- Cantina Do Spade4.4Bacaro, Rialto50 m away
- Trattoria alla Madonna3.9Trattoria, Rialto100 m away
- Trattoria Antiche Carampane4.4Trattoria, Rialto250 m away
Hotels near the bacari
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Aman Venice4.8Five-star hotel, Grand Canal300 m away
- The St. Regis Venice4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal800 m away
- The Gritti Palace4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal800 m away
- Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel4.5Five-star hotel, Riva degli Schiavoni850 m away