The opening of Venice Biennale: three days of schmoozing, semiotic theory and ‘spritz’ – that’s the fluro orange combo of Aperol, prosecco and soda water by the way.

The Biennale is to contemporary art what Cannes is to film, and it’s every bit as glamorous. Artists, dealers, curators and gallery-owners from all over the world descend on Venice every two years to see and be seen at the 88 national pavilions (Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe, and almost everyone in between) as well as 50 'collateral events', specially curated exhibitions dotted around the city. And not just any city. A floating Disneyland of such perfectly distressed, relentless beauty it might need a new adjective to do it justice. Obscenery, maybe?

Alongside the heavyweights of contemporary art like Ai WeiWei and Cindy Sherman, a new generation of YBAs are showing their stuff like Ed Atkins and Helen Marten. And then there’s the never-ending parties. With events hosted on secret islands, super-yachts and even ‘Peckham-on-sea’ (the arty area of South-East London has it’s own ‘Palazzo’ pop-up this year), I have spent the last 72 hours existing solely on a diet of prosecco, ham and cheese. And some art of course.

The Venice Biennale is open June 1 until Nov 24, 2023

Kate stayed in Venice courtesy of HostelBookers