The European vacation posts continue…
On the first day of our second week in Europe, we took the high speed train from Florence to Venice. If you need to catch up, Rome Part I is here, Rome Part II is here, and Florence is here.
It’s not easy to navigate Venice with lots of luggage. We exited the train station, boarded a vaporetto (water taxi), and then walked through winding little streets and over at least three bridges before we arrived at our place.
Once the owner left, I panicked. How would we ever find our way around? The paper map we had was useless. Thank goodness for Google maps and an international data plan. Even with navigation, we got lost.
But I learned that getting lost is the best way to experience Venice. How lost can you get, anyway? You’re bound to reach the water at some point.
Our first day consisted of getting lost, and finding gems like this spiral stairway.
On day two, we went on the last of our four walking tours in Italy. Our guide was a native Venetian, and her pride in and love for her city was contagious. We began our tour at the Rialto Fish Market. Our guide pointed out her favorite stalls for produce, meat, and seafood. There was even a stall selling horse meat, although our new friend was not a fan.
I think this is grumpyfish. It tastes kinda bitter.
We walked through the city with our guide for a few hours, learning many interesting facts about her unique home. There are 378 bridges in Venice, for instance, and even lifelong residents can’t claim to have walked over all of them.
According to our guide, there are 55,000 Venetians, and on any given day the city is teeming with more tourists than residents. Its population is declining due to a number of factors, including cost of living, job shortages, and the difficulty in getting on and off the island to work on the mainland. The population is also aging, as young adults are leaving for a more family friendly environment. I can’t imagine maneuvering a stroller up and down those 378 bridges!
For visitors, however, Venice is magical.
Where else does the front of the city hospital look like this?
Our tour included a gondola ride, and we coasted through narrow canals. Even Venice has traffic jams, though.
Steering a gondola is tough work, and turning a corner can be dangerous when you are the smallest vessel on the water. Fortunately, traffic mirrors help.
No blind turns here!
We wove in and out of narrow canals, where I could almost touch buildings on both sides.
All canals lead to the Grand Canal, the main thoroughfare of Venice.
After our ride, we toured the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), which is next to St. Mark’s Basilica in St. Mark’s Square. The architecture of both buildings is markedly different from the structures we saw in Rome and Florence.
The domes in the background are part of the basilica.
The doge was the leader of Venice, and doges ruled from 697 to 1797. Each doge ruled for life, and was typically a member of an elite and powerful Venetian family. The palace had everything: the doge’s apartments, council chambers, courts, and prisons.
The entire legal process could take place in one spot. Any citizen could report a crime by slipping a piece of paper in these mail slots in the palace:
The trial, verdict, and sentencing took place in the palace, and the convicted were then ushered below to the prisons. They would cross over the Bridge of Sighs as they walked to their execution, and take one final look at their city.
Here’s a view of the Bridge of Sighs from the free side:
That evening after dinner, we headed back to St. Mark’s Square. The Piazza is the principal public square in Venice, and is known for its pigeons. During the day, the square is full of tourists, but the birds may outnumber them. It’s against the law to feed the pigeons, but plenty of idiots still do it. Why, people? I felt like we were in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
At night, however, the piazza is lovely. The pigeons have flown off to wherever pigeons go, and three small orchestras take turns making music for the people milling around or sitting at tables. While Matt and the kids were stoked for the gondola ride, I wanted to drink a bellini in the piazza while listening to music. To me, that is the quintessential Venetian experience.
We did it, paying the exorbitant drink prices for the privilege of sitting at a table in front of an orchestra. While fourteen euros for James’ soda was insane (that’s over $15), it was completely worth it. To sit in a centuries old square with my three favorite people, sipping my bellini and listening to Sinatra’s “My Way”…that is what this trip was all about.
St. Mark’s Basilica is behind us; this is the best pic I could get of the building without the hoards of people and pigeons in front of it during the day.
On our final day in Venice, we bought a 24-hour vaporetto pass, and took to the water. First we took a quick trip to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore; we ascended the bell tower at the church for fabulous views of Venice.
The huge building on the right is the Doge’s Palace, and the domes of the Basilica are behind it. The church’s bell tower is on the left.
Looking a bit to the west from the tower:
Next we rode over to Murano and Burano, two islands in the northern end of Venetian lagoon. Murano is famous for its glass making, and we spent about an hour or so wandering in and out of shops. I didn’t think it was worth the time; Murano glass is readily available in plenty of shops in Venice. We did get to see a little glass making, and this cool sculpture.
I loved the colorful buildings of Burano, but that was about it. To be fair, we did not take the time to explore the island past the main tourist drag, and we were tired and hungry. After a bunch of photos and a quick lunch, we headed back.
Do you know how long I had to stand in this alley to get a photo without people walking by?
One more shot as we ran to catch the next boat!
Thoughts on Venice
I loved Venice, although it had the most touristy feel of any of our stops. We stayed in an apartment in a residential neighborhood, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the “real” Venice. It saddens me that such a beautiful city has become so overrun with visitors who hop off the cruise ship for a few hours. To truly experience Venice, one needs to explore the quiet streets and canals beyond the crowded gondola stops and piazzas.
Our apartment was on the third floor of this building; the balcony was off of the master bedroom. There was a nosy old woman in the house directly opposite ours; I caught her looking at me on more than one occasion. Curtains were a definite must.
When the food was good, it was amazing. Seafood is featured in dishes much more so than it was in Rome or Florence, although the kids could still get pasta and pizza. The sea bass ravioli I had on the second night was the best meal I had during the entire trip; I still think about it and drool a little. Of course there was the gelato, although we only had it three times. We opted for tiramisu after dinner instead. Final gelato count for ten days in Italy: 17.
Like in Rome and Florence, there was major construction happening in Venice. The Rialto Bridge, the oldest bridge in the Grand Canal, is over 425 years old. It is undergoing a massive renovation at a cost of over five million euros. It’s disappointing to visit such a landmark only to find it half covered in tarp, but I do prefer my bridges sound and sturdy.
The left half of the bridge is covered in tarp that has a facade painted on it. It’s not fooling anyone, but it does look better than a plain white one would.
Here are a few final photos of Venice before we say “Ciao!” to Italy and head into the Swiss Alps.
As we wandered the city, we stumbled on this gondola boatyard (Squero di San Trovaso), one of only three in Venice. While new gondolas are made occasionally, this shop mainly does repairs and restorations.
I took this photo when we were standing in the Fish Market; I love the contrast between a 500 year old tradition and modern technology.
Even gondoliers need their cell phones!
A final view of the city as we cruise down the Grand Canal, on our way to the train station.
See you next time in the Alps…
The husband walked by as I was reading this post and I informed him that I want to go back to Italy. These pictures are so gorgeous. All that beautiful architecture! I’m swooning right now. (We never made it to Venice, and now I really wish we had) Can’t wait to see the Alps, too!
Well, you’ll just have to go back and visit Venice. And I’m posting my Alps recap in about five minutes…
Love! What an amazing glimpse of Venice you got and shared with us! It’s true that the best part is getting lost (and then getting some gelato to help you find your way!)
Exactly! And being lost with a gelato in hand is not so bad.
So, seeing your pictures and reading your words, to me, is as good as being there. Even though I have a passport. I’d have loved to have your doggie bag from dinner along the way, too.
We had no doggie bags, Eli! We ate it ALL. I would have been happy to share a bottle of wine with you though.
I would love to get lost in Venice! It looks like a magical place 🙂
It really is. And so easy to get lost in…
This city is fascinating to me – the history, the water. I love these posts, except for the fact that they make me want to go there! 🙂 Love that you splurged to sit and listen to that orchestra – great picture, too!
Thanks, Lisa. I love that we splurged too. We may never be back there as a family of four, so it was totally worth it!
Ok remember when I said that I love these travel posts? OMG I so so do. I want to go to Venice. I just booked a trip to Florida for October (Legoland and then Anna Maria Island) (or Anne Maria Island) (whatever) but wow. And the Alps? That’s next??? To the women in Venice on cell phones and the traffic jams on the water. I was there and love this so much.
Yep, the Alps are next – that’s the last stop! I’ve heard Legoland is amazing – you’ll have the best time.
B R E A T H T A K I N G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know, right?
Wow! It sounds like a magical place!!
http://www.artadorned.com
It really was!
I take a little blog break, come back, and you are in Venice?!?! How lucky for you! These pictures were amazing! One thing that struck me though was that you had to drive the gondola?!? I always assumed there was a guide for that. Driving those must be hard work!
Look forward to blogging with you some more!
Shae – we didn’t drive the gondola – my husband and I were sitting at the top, and the gondolier stood behind us. We’d be in the water if I had been driving!
And welcome back 🙂
Magical!! And, I agree with you that when you’re having a once in a lifetime experience, paying a little extra for it is totally worth it!!
That is definitely something I’ve learned with age – some things are completely worth the money.
I’ve been munching on my lunch and taking your “tour” nice and slow and reading and looking at these pics like I was in a class… a really interesting, fascinating class. And the teacher was awesome. And funny! And the pictures made me stop chewing and lean in, squint my eyes and gaze in amazement.
I am LOVING these posts!!
I’m so glad, Chris! I’m really enjoying writing them.
Having had water in my basement waaaaay too many times, pictures of Venice always make me nervous. I clearly need to go see it in person to get over my phobia! The Murano glass sculpture is beautiful! I love watching glass blowing.
And by the way, I applaud your dedication to gelato!
It’s nothing like water in your basement! I’m sure you can conquer that fear if you go; in fact, that is reason enough to take a trip.
Dana, Dana, Dana! Oh. My God. This is freaking amazing. The pictures are gorgeous. And what spectacular weather!!!! All my life – this is where I wanted to go (well, all of Italy, really). Oh, my mother went on and on about Venice. Did you go to Harry’s Bar? And overall, did Venice smell? I’ve always heard that it did. And the pigeons – holy crap, I think I would freak. I don’t like birds,. And the evening you described…with the Bellini’s and Frank Sinatra? Perfect – Well, I guess perfect would be George Clooney sailing , by:)..,.
We walked by Harry’s Bar, but it looked a little too swanky to bring in two teenagers in athletic gear. I did not notice any smell; I thought the city was fairly clean. The pigeons were freaky – we stayed away from the square during the day.
What a stunning city. That spiral staircase is gorgeous! Sadly I never made it to Venice — there was a train strike the day I was supposed to go — but I got to explore it a bit through your photos and words!
I hope you can get back one day, Bev!
This is my favorite post so far with the views. This is the area I would want to visit most, but I’ve got to see the alps to see which one wins. Did the tour guides mention how deep the water is going through the canal?
She did, but I forgot. Hold on…the average depth in about 16 feet, according to Google. You see so much wood on the piers that seem to be green and rotting, but the wood beams used to support buildings and bridges are never exposed to air, so they are really strong after decades. It’s amazing when you think about it!
i’m going to take a page from your book and do a walking tour next time I go on vacation. really great idea!
They were really great. And I booked all four with the same company, so we got a 10% discount.
Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for letting me travel vicariously with you!
My pleasure – you’re easy to travel with 🙂
17 gelatos! High five!
I’m surprised it’s so overrun with tourists over natives because wouldn’t the tourism industry be booming?
Either way, I have to get there if only for a ride in the canals – touching both walls!
And eating gelato.
I think the tourists from the cruise ships are what overruns the city – so many come for just a few hours. I was surprised at the volume. But at night, when all the cruisers go back to the ship…aaah. Lovely.
Such a refreshing post to wake up to! I feel as if I’ve popped into Venice for my morning coffee and am ready to head out on the water. Alas for me it’s a dog walk in the forest. Looking forward to the Alps.
We saw quite a few dogs in Venice…made me wonder whether any of them like to go for swims in the canals.
Thanks for taking me on a visit back to Italy to revisit all the wonderful places. Just makes me want to go back again. Caio.
So glad you enjoyed it! I want to go back too…
I’m loving all of these posts and taking mental notes…we just decided on a family trip to Italy in the Spring!!!! I will be contacting you for sure and re-reading ALL of these posts!!
I cannot wait for the pictures and notes on the Swiss Alps. When I saw the pics on FB I couldn’t believe my eyes!
I’m so excited for you Allie! I’d love to chat with you about anything you want to know.
Wow, Venice was absolutely beautiful and seriously Dana someday I definitely need to visit, too. And now I can’t wait to see the Swiss alps, too though 😉
Can’t wait to share our pics with you!