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The Legend of Casanova
The irreverent and legendary figure of Giacomo Casanova is famous all over the world, so much so that his name has become synonymous with womanizers and libertines.
His legend was born and grew in Venice, although Casanova’s adventures touched most of Europe and its courts. In any case, we can explore the main places that feature in his life along the canals of Venice. Let’s take a look at a few, starting from the beginning.
Casanova was born in Calle Malipiero, at a stone’s throw from Palazzo Grassi: on the facade of one of the buildings you will find a plaque commemorating the event of the 2nd April 1725. But if you want to know where he used to make his first date for most of his illicit affairs, you will need to go to one of the most famous places in the city: Rialto. In fact the whole San Marco area was very often frequented by Giacomo who used to sit in the Caffè Florian, still one of the most exclusive bars in the city today. In addition, a few hundred yards from there was another place that Casanova also used to love: the Ridotto gambling house where he spent hours with the Venetian nobility or dated his lovers!
The many misadventures of this figure also included some time in jail when Casanova was arrested for adultery, only to escape and seek refuge in Paris. The prison where he was held was the famous Piombi dungeons beneath the Doge’s Palace. We can still visit the prison today, and it is one of the most authentic and evocative places in the whole city!
Being genious is the secret