Campiello de Barbaria, Castello

During our last visit, I wanted to stay somewhere small, somewhere locally owned, somewhere comfortable, somewhere quiet and somewhere convenient. 

 

We picked Castello's Alloggi Barbaria, mostly because I've had so much fun and learned so much about Venice by following Fausto's brilliant blog (you can read it here). 

 

We were delighted to be staying there - and this is a great opportunity to publicly acknowledge Fausto and his team's warm hospitality, their love for their city and professionalism.  Thanks for having us, Fausto and team.  We loved staying with you.

 

Every morning, I'd be up with the sparrows, and wild to be out exploring the city. 

 

I'd throw open the shutters and listen to the distant church bells, before an uncharacteristically speedy shower and a bolted-down breakfast.  

Then, I'd drag my husband purposefully from Alloggi Barbaria down the Calle del Capucine, into the nearby Campiello Barbaria.  Here's what the Campiello looks like early in the morning:

Campiello de Barbaria, Castello, Venice

And this is what it looks like facing the opposite direction:

 

Campiello de Barbaria, Castello, Venice

 

Campiello de Barbaria, Castello 

We'd take a left out of the campiello into Calle Cafetier, follow it on to Calle Barbaria de le Tole (so called because the alley used to filled with warehouses where planks of wood or 'tole' were stored). 

 We'd pass the ornate Ospadaletto (with its baroque facade by Longhena) as we walked toward Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo (I prefer its shorter local name of Campo San Zanipolo).  I always liked being out and about early so I could stop to enjoy the Ospadeletto.

It's in a long, narrow alley and it's hard to photograph the building in its entirety, or to stand back and admire it once the rest of the city is up and about.

 

 

And here are two details of the facade:

 

And then we'd stop for a second breakfast of coffee and a warm pastry at Rosa Salva (just because we could!) before starting our day in earnest...