It’s a mural not a canvas.
Art history degree holder here.
That’s its charm for me. At the end of a busy day it feels like coming home. I’m also the kinda guy who gets up at dawn to watch the garbagemen making their rounds, or see the Coca-cola barge making its deliveries, before heading over to St. Marks to join the hoi polloi and wander the alleys.
BTW - if you like the off-beat, as I do, take the #13 vaporetto to the walled Isla di San Michele, the cemetery island. Fascinating place if, like me you find gravestones interesting. You can visit with Stravinsky, Diaghilev, Ezra Pound, and Christian Doppler (yes that one). Back on the mainland, near the dock, check out Osteria alla Frasca, a good spot for lunch.
BTW2 - In Milan I always tell visitors to check out what’s going on at the opera house, La Scala. Go to the box office and see if you can get rush seats. If you do, wear your very best, but don’t worry, unless you’re supermodels you won’t attract much attention in the lobby, it’s a Gorgio Armani catalog come to life. And the space is awesome too.
BTW3 - Check for tix to the opera in Venice, La Fenice, too. A great evening out. If you go, get a Bellini or a Negroni nearby at Harry’s Bar where Hemingway used to knock them back. But don’t eat there, Venice has better options for dinner.
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I had been talking about the Tintoretto painting of the Last Supper in Venice,
not Da Vinci’s mural of the Last Supper in Milan.
There had been a miscommunication because I had not read what the OP had said about wanting to visit Milan in his first post. I was focused on the Last Supper oil painting on canvas in Venice, because this thread was titled “Venice in Feb?”
I don’t always read the entire OP. That’s my error. I post from a smartphone. I don’t always feel like reading every single word in an OP.
I had been erasing my replies because they were based on my error, but I can only remove one a day. I think I will leave the posts as they are, now.
Thank you for explaining. It’s a relief to know I don’t have to slap my head and yell “What?!” again.
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Another plus for the Guidecca is less tourist trappy restaurant feel. La Palanca, Sando, Osteria al Squero are just neighborhood places, simple food well made, a glass of wine, not a tuxedoed server in sight.
As for getting lost in Milan, in the age of the smartphone you can’t get lost in a Moroccan Souk.
If you’re adept with your smart phone, when your over by the Piazza San Marco looking for fuel navigate over to Da Mamo. Good food value. Better than it has to be. https://www.damamo.it/
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I’ve considered staying in Giudecca before. One year I was taking an Italian class in Venice, and a number of my classmates were college-age or thereabouts, in Venice for at least several weeks. A few were staying on Giudecca because it was less expensive, and the (very short) commute didn’t seem to impact their visit in any negative way.
I stay between Arsenale and Francesco della Vigna these days, near Rio Santa Giustina.
sorry for leading you down that particular garden path by the same error!
Hahaha, no worries. The path led me to a deep Last Supper Dive.
Another Venetian Last Supper.
And, all these other Last Suppers through the ages, around the world.
thanks, unfortunately, la scala has been sold out since we started planning however we do have tickets for la fenice. the rush ticket process seems time-consuming so we’ll probably just take a tour.
I’ve never stayed near the Arsenale, but I agree with your general principle about not staying centrally (my choice is always to stay in Cannaregio (no doubt something about being near to the Jewish ghetto speaks to me). And there is plenty of bad food in Venice and hordes of tourists, especially near the Piazza San Marco and along the Grand Canal. But there is no impossible parking, as there is no parking at all, and to my mind, it remains an incredibly special place because of that, for sure, and also for how it has been able to maintain its own culture in spite of the hordes of tourists.
I will always opt for walking in Venice, nothing is that far, and you will find yourself in the dark, walking across completely unpopulated stretches of “streets” (no cars), across little bridges, the occasional boat floating by, on your way to a restaurant in the middle of seemingly nowhere that is one of those restaurants on everyone here’s list. I don’t think the cooking in general in Italy is very creative (in the way, for example, Spanish cooking often is). In Rome, you basically get the traditional Roman cooking, and in Venice, you get the traditional Venetian cooking. It can be really good, though, especially if fish/seafood is your thing. My pescatarian godson and I ate very well at the places I mentioned above.
It may be that “off the beaten trail” and “undiscovered” is not the way to go in Venice (as you still can in the countryside of Italy, I reckon). Tables seem to stay around in Venice forever, if they are good ones.
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here’s one you missed!
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One of the most wonderful times I had in Venice was in February. Many fewer tourists. I remember walking through St Mark’s one foggy evening and seeing pre-Lent partygoers appear through the fog in gorgeous costumes and masks, clearly on their way to celebrations. It is an indelible image.
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Russell Norman had some old articles about eating off the tourist track in Venice (he had a restaurant in London that specialized in Venetian food) – might be worth a look for approach if not ideas. Maybe also Elizabeth Minchilli. Katie parla also lists Venice as a place she has food tours
When first I started traveling, I used to like Rick Steves’ approach - he has a Venice book as well as an Eating in Italy book in case you want to take a look.
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Its not uncommon for me to walk away from a hotel or restaurant that has a Rick Steves sticker. They tend to have been dumbed down to a low denominator.
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Not familiar with the stickers, as my experience with his books is about 20-30 years old.
(ETA: Do you have a similar reaction to other stickers? eg Michelin Bib?)
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Interestingly, my favourite and only memorable meal from my first visit to Venice, when I was a teenager, was at an Italian cafeteria/ hot table that must have been geared to tourists or Italians watching their budget. I still have their business card somewhere. The name of the cafeteria was Le Chat Qui Rit, despite being located in Venice. 
Edit: well, I’ll be damned. Le Chat Qui Rit is still in business.
Now it’s a fairly expensive restaurant. No hot table.
The options are Á la carte/ Alla Carta or Tasting Menu.
…
I love a good hot table/ Tavola Calda in Toronto. There are still a couple dozen Italian hot tables in business in the Greater Toronto Area, but they have been largely disappearing from the core and 2 older italian neighborhoods downtown. They’re easier to find in suburbs that have a significant Italian population.
I haven’t explored Tavola Calda in Italy on my last 3 visits, as an adult.
I used Chowhound and Google a lot on my last visit to Italy in 2017. Apart from Roscioli and Bonci Pizza in Rome, I don’t think that my results using Google, Instagram, Chowhound, and TripAdvisor were that much better than winging it and browsing menus in person.
Now I’m not traveling as much, or I’m armchair travelling. LOL. I like winging it more, to some degree. I use Google Maps and queries on Reddit sometimes (here in Ontario)
thanks! the links are old but some of the restaurants are still in business so I’m starting to check them out. I reserved the kindle version of Minchilli’s book on the nypl site, and will probably have one of their two digital copies by the time we leave.
and it turns out katie has a Venice guide!
and a Milan guide!
she recommends Macelleria Popolare in milan, my kinda place:
https://g.co/kgs/yo7sdnb
best,
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thanks to everyone for all the help! Right now we’re holding reservations at vini da gigio and osteria alle testiere. I’m thinking one night we’ll have drinks and Cicchetti, this place is on the list https://www.h2novenezia.it/en/ and we’ll figure out the rest when we get there.
best,
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I just returned mine after checking before I linked it for you, so you should have a copy soon.
Yes, that’s how I also discovered she does tours there. Iirc she’s pretty interactive on IG if you have questions.
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You won’t go wrong at those two, though Al Covo is hands down my favorite spot in Venice. Alas, Testiere doesn’t take reservations for one (I get it; it’s small), so I’ve only eaten there once. Had a really nice meal there. I find vini da gigio kinda soulless, but it’s been a while since I ate there, so I’ll be interested in your take. I also love Antiche Carampane. I’ve never actually eaten in the restauarant; they set up a few tables outside, and it’s a charming street, in the middle of nowhere. Family run. My kinda place. But in February, inside will probably be best. 
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