Giol Servane

The Venetian trattoria of your dreams, a restaurant at the end of the world, rent a floor of a sublime Renaissance palazzo on the Grand Canal, marvel at the interior of Saint Mark's Basilica after hours, sleep beneath a Tiepolo fresco, learn where to find the best gelato in Venice, pick up a pair of those famous gondolier slippers, and eat the best panini, get the Clock Tower on Saint Mark's Square all to yourself for an ultra-chic aperitivo hour, and rent a traditional boat without a license so you can cruise along the canals like a native…30 exceptional experiences in Venice that, among other things, will let you to escape the hoards of tourists ravaging La Serenissima …The “Soul of” collection is a new approach to the art of traveling that's all about vagabonding around town, chance encounters, and unforgettable experiences. Guides for those who want to unlock the hidden doors of a city, feel out its heartbeat, plumb every last nook and cranny to uncover its soul. Created by Fany Péchiodat in collaboration with the publisher Thomas Jonglez, the collection will continue to expand with new cities in 2020: Rome, Bali, New York, Berlin ...Every guide in the “Soul of” collection includes:- the 30 best experiences a city has to offer- interviews with those who give the city its spirit- illustrations that capture the city's soul

A sumptuous tour through the private homes, castles, hotels, traditions and legends of the Italian town known as the crown jewel of the DolomitesThe setting for numerous films from The Pink Panther to For Your Eyes Only, a refuge for writers including Hemingway and Montanelli, and a haven for international celebrities, the magic of Cortina d’Ampezzo sparkles anew as it plans to cohost the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Discovered by tourists, including the Italian and Belgian royal families, at the beginning of the 20th century, Cortina’s appeal has spread worldwide thanks in part to its hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics.This volume is an unprecedented and gorgeously illustrated tale of the “Queen of the Dolomites,” born out of love for her inimitable style, for her history and for the protection of her spaces. It is a grand tour through the most beautiful and lesser-known localities of the Ampezzo valley, with an exceptional guide—author Servane Giol—who takes us on a journey to discover private homes, castles, malgas (mountain huts), hotels, folklore traditions, ancient legends, examples of excellence in food and wine and recipes typical to the region.Divided into two chapters, Summer and Winter, the book showcases photography of some of the magnificent valley’s most exclusive places, including the “humble” abodes of Italy’s famous families. Contemporary sensibilities mingle with rustic roots. From wood-paneled cabins to floral-painted furniture, home-cooked feasts and traditional dress, this publication richly cultivates the sights, smells, tastes, textures and sounds of life in Italy’s leading mountainside destination.Servane Giol is the cultural director of the Alliance Française of Venice. Her book Soul of Venice (2020) received the silver medal at the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards. She has previously published Venice: A Private Invitation (Flammarion, 2022).

Step inside the most breathtaking residences in this dazzling declaration of love to the beauty and craftsmanship of Venice. Venice has a thousand reflections of silk, marble, mirror, and light. In an intimate and informed invitation to the city, Servane Giol guides us through a maze of canals, secluded campos, and narrow alleyways to meet some of Venice's most creative residents, opening the door to private historic palazzi, as well as more recently restored houses and apartments owned by a new generation of artists and designers drawn to Venice's radiant beauty, energy, and lifestyle. Whether it is in interior design, glassmaking, shoemaking, or the restoration of historic monuments, her circle of talented friends have brought a renewed vibrancy and elegance to the city, giving visibility to some of Venice's most elegant traditional crafts and passionately safeguarding them for future generations. Organized around the rich materials and textures of the city's densely woven fabric of history and celebrating the artisan's skill at every turn, this visually stunning love letter to the secret beauties of Venice, captured by photographer Mattia Aquila, is both a revelation and unique reminder to all those who wish to recall the golden iridescent silence of their first sight of the mythical city that floats between sky and sea.