In honor of Valentine’s Day, I have a poll for you. Below, I’ve listed a number of Casanova spots that are pretty romantic or seductive or sexy or naughty. If I were to write an article on the top five sexy Casanova spots in Venice, which would you pick? Please send comments!
1. Erberia: C and other dandies walked here very early in the morning to show off the women they spent the night with or to check out others’ conquests
2. Campiello Barozzi/Casanova’s casino: his “pleasure apartments,” decorated with pornographic tiles, mirrors, a water closet, and a blind dumbwaiter
3. Painting Academy: where couples went, not to see artists, but to check out nude models; C wrote a report on it for the State Inquisition
4. Al Buso restaurant: Casanova was spied on here; it’s possibly named “buso” meaning “hole” because this was where people caught the ferry to the red light district
5. Calle de le Carozze/house of Savorgnan sisters: where C lost his virginity to two sisters
6. Campo San Rocco: C used to pass under the window of a prostitute who lived here; he later caught her posing as a nun who could be “bought”
7. Statue of Colleoni: Where C met his lover, the nun. She was often disguised so she could sneak out of the convent on Murano
8. Church of the Gesuiti: C was dumped on these steps after he was kicked out of the seminary for being in the bed of another boy
9. Barbaria de le Tole/house with Francesca Buschini: C lived with a seamstress here and they kept chickens in the garret
10. Church of Santa Giustina: C came here to get the best gossip from a nun–on his potential lover, a nun
11. Neighborhood of San Iseppo/location of former gardens: C brought pre-pubescent Barbarina for a picnic and watched her climb a tree, so he could look up her skirt
12. Teatro Michiel di San Cassiano: C wrote reports for the State Inquisition on the lewd behavior here after the lights were turned out for the performance
13. Church of San Samuele: C’s first sermon, where he received love letters in the collection plate, and his second sermon, when he passed out in the middle of it
14. Corte del Duca Sforza/house of Teresa Imer: C conceived his daughter Sophie here while visiting his old friend and neighbor (and possibly half-sister) Teresa
Corte del Duca Sforza
Im voting for Erberia and Al Buso
I would say #1 Campiello Barozzi pleasure apartments, #2 Erberia for the strutting procession and the anticipation, #3 the Teatro Michiel di San Cassiano for the sneaky gropings and trysts, #4 the Painting Academy for the voyeuristic couples, and #5 Calle de le Carozze for C’s forever lost virginity. Of course it was to two sisters!! I would expect nothing less.
Calle de le Carozze, for a boy’s first time, and the Painting Academy, because pulchritude is such sweet fun.
7. Statue of Colleoni
Knowing a bit of the story, this would be my vote.
I can only imagine how sexy M would be in breeches and boots enveloped in a cloak and sporting a tri-corn hat.
I can picture her leaning against the statue with an impish grin on her lips waiting to start the evenings romp.