For centuries Venice has been producing some of the finest textiles in the world. From handwoven soprarizzo silk velvets, damasks and brocades to printed cotton fabrics, fine pleated silk and exquisite lace, the traditions, history and ongoing evolution of Venetian textiles are as rich and fascinating as the city itself.

This trip takes us into the workshops, showrooms and archives of some of the most significant Venetian textile families, businesses and collections to hear the stories and see the stunning fabrics of this beautiful textile city.

Suitable for textile enthusiasts including weavers, textile designers and interior designers, this trip is limited to a maximum of 8 participants.

Itinerary

Day 1

Checkin at Hotel Saturnia in San Marco and join us for an aperitivo followed by dinner.

Days 2-3

The Venetian tradition of handwoven velvets dates back to the 13th century, and at the industry’s peak, thousands of looms were producing these luxurious fabrics here. Tessitura Bevilacqua are now the last velvet hand weavers of Venice, still weaving their exceptional textile art on 18th century antique looms and presenting their fabrics in their showroom on the Grand Canal.

The Luigi Bevilacqua weaving mill opened in 1875, but the Bevilacqua family can trace their heritage in textiles back to 1499. They continue to weave and sell fabrics as they have for hundreds of years, and the small beautiful shops of Mario Bevilacqua are still run by members of the family. These shops display some of the family’s textile artefacts and tapestries, as well as cushions, table runners, tassels, trimmings and fabric samples.

We begin with a visit to the Luigi Bevilacqua weaving mill and showroom, followed by the Mario Bevilacqua shop on Campo Santa Maria del Giglio.

During a guided visit of Museo Fortuny we’ll be introduced to the wonderful world of late 19th to early 20th century textile, fashion and lighting designer Mariano Fortuny. Housed in the 15th century Venetian Gothic palace Palazzo Pesaro Orfei, this recently refurbished museum is the former home and atelier of Fortuny and his wife, muse and collaborator Henriette Negrin. In addition to the superb interiors, the museum houses fantastic textile displays including Fortuny and Negrin’s pleated and printed silk, velvet and cotton fabric creations.

Venetian textile company Rubelli have been designing and manufacturing exceptional fabrics since the end of the 19th century on 18th century handlooms and modern mechanical looms. Rubelli moved their manufacturing from Venice to Cucciago near Como in the nineties, and the showroom and historical archives of the Rubelli Foundation are now housed in the original Rubelli family home in Venice, palazzo Ca ‘Pisani Rubelli.

Our visit to Rubelli will include a presentation of selected historical fabrics, drawings and photographs from the extensive historical archive, plus the opportunity to view the current collections in Rubelli’s beautiful showrooms.

The Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo houses the Study Centre of the History of Textiles, Costumes & Perfume. Our guided visit will include the main rooms of the palazzo which evoke the life of 17th and 18th century Venetian nobility.

We’ll schedule our visits for the mornings and early afternoons, allowing free time to explore Venice in the afternoons and evenings.

Day 4

Midweek we take a day trip to the island of Burano to explore the incredible lacemaking tradition of this small community. Walking from our hotel to Fondamenta Nove, we take a 50 minute public ferry ride to Burano.

Burano is a charming and very colourful island famous for the exquisite needle lace made by its residents. We visit the lace museum Museo del Merletto to discover the history of Burano lace and see centuries old lace displayed alongside more contemporary textiles.

Following lunch we take a guided visit of Martina Vidal Atelier, designers and makers of fine linen and Burano lace. Martina Vidal Atelier includes a private historical lace collection plus an extensive showroom of beautiful contemporary and traditional home decor items, clothing and accessories inspired by Venice.

After free time to wander the streets of this small island, we return to Venice by ferry and walk to our hotel.

Days 5-6

We head to Venice’s Dorsoduro district for a guided visit of the spectacular art museum Gallerie dell’Accademia, highlighting the textiles present in this collection of masterpieces of Venetian painting from the 12th - 18th centuries.

Walking through Dorsoduro we then take a short ferry ride to the island of Giudecca, where we visit the Fortuny fabric showroom and private garden surrounding the factory. Fortuny still produce their printed fabrics on the original machines of Mariano Fortuny’s 100 year old factory, the last operating factory in Venice.

Taking the ferry back to Dorsoduro and following lunch, we visit the beautiful Venezia Studium store. Venetia Studium are the exclusive manufacturers and distributers of the iconic Fortuny lamps. They also produce a range of furnishing and fashion items including cushions, gowns and scarves in pleated silk and printed silk velvet, inspired by the designs of Mariano Fortuny.

We’ll also explore the Dorsoduro district which includes many interesting stores and ateliers as well as the Peggy Guggenheim museum.

For our last full day in Venice we head to the San Polo and Canareggio districts, home to many of the artisans and working ateliers of the city.

The small, exceptional boutique of Tabinotabi is located not far from the Rialto Bridge. Tabinotabi create classic, elegant clothing and accessories with their own fabric and yarn derived from algae and natural cellulose fibres. Their business is grounded in a strong eco-sustainable philosophy, informing their entire production process. They are part of an emerging scene in Venice of creatives and manufacturers who are adopting sustainability at the core of their business.

Following Tabinotabi we’ll visit ateliers and stores of San Polo and Canareggio artisans including the all important Venetian glassmakers. We’ll be scheduling our visits for the mornings and early afternoons, allowing free time to explore Venice in the afternoons and evenings.

Day 7

Checkout of our San Marco hotel, transfers to Venice Santa Lucia train station and final farewells.

Accommodation

We’ll be staying at the 4 star Hotel Saturnia in the San Marco area. Shared rooms consist of 1 double bed or 2 singles beds with a small space separating them. Floorspace is a premium in Venice and hotel rooms in this city, although very comfortable are typically smaller than other major cities.

San Marco is centrally located within walking distance of Venice’s main sights and the various districts we will visit.

Getting around

Except where noted in the itinerary we will be walking to all locations for visits and activities. There are 4 bridges with steps over the Grand Canal and several small bridges with steps over the small canals of the city. Our visits range from 5 minutes to 30 minutes walk from the hotel. During longer walks we’ll stop along the route for a caffè or refreshment at local bars.

Venice’s vaporetti (waterbuses or ferries) are the city’s public transportation. As such they can sometimes be crowded or require waiting at ferry stops. Many Venice locals choose to walk where possible and take the vaporetti to reach the islands. This can be the most efficient way to get around and is also a wonderful way to enjoy this beautiful city.

Inclusions

• Accommodation – 6 nights at Hotel Saturnia in San Marco, Venice

• Meals – 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 aperitivi, 2 dinners, caffè & refreshments

• Transportation – Vaporetto (local waterbus or ferry) between Venice and the islands of Burano and Giudecca. Vaporetto transfers from San Marco to Santa Lucia train station.

• Museum entries – Museo Fortuny, Palazzo Mocenigo Museum of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume, Museo del Merletto lace museum Burano and Gallerie dell’Accademia.

• Textile archive, showroom, store and atelier visits - Luigi Bevilacqua mill and showroom, Rubelli historical archive and showroom, Fortuny factory garden and showroom, Martina Vidal showroom and historical collection, Venetia Studium Fortuny store, Mario Bevilacqua shop, Jesurum linen store and Tabinotabi boutique.

• Visits to selected stores and ateliers including Venetian glass.

• Guides – Access to a local Italian guide for assistance during the trip. Guided visits of Museo Fortuny, Palazzo Mocenigo Museum of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume, and Gallerie dell’Accademia.

Cost

US$5150Shared Room / US$5995 Individual Room

Booking

A US$250 deposit payment is required to reserve your place in this trip. Final payment is due 90 days prior to the trip start date. Please ensure you read the specific Booking Terms and Conditions for this trip below as well as our Covid-19 Policy.

Register your interest below and we’ll contact you when bookings for this trip open.