Venice

Sorry but is is a long post as I've got so behind with this blog I've decided to combine the three nights in Venice into the one post.

Arriving in Venice was just what we expected except the sun still wasn’t shining much to the disappointment of Rylan who is hoping to get some colour back on his skin after eight months in Scotland.

Our first challenge was to find our accommodation. Our host had given a map so we used that to find the apartment. I think we only took one wrong turn and we found the accommodation without too much problem. 

Our apartment is the ground floor apartment right on a canal and we frequently have gondolas and water taxis pass by which is quite a unique experience.

As could can imagine Venice is like a maze and there is no direct route to anything and it’s not even really logical to think that you can turn down the next street to get back on track because more than likely that the street will take you to a canal…with no bridge. Quite often you have to cross back and forth over canals to get to your destination.

Our first destination was the Rialto Bridge which is the most famous bridge in Venice. All the way the streets are packed we people and there are little shops all along the way. After what seemed like the longest time we turned a corner and there was the bridge, although it was almost invisible under the sea of people that were on it either crossing or stopping to take photos from it.  It’s a huge marble (as everything is in Italy) bridge that is divided into three sections. And is the main thoroughfare from the centre island to San Marco Square. We stopped for a drink on the Grand Canal and watching water buses, taxis and gondolas go by.

After our drink we started off again for this time looking for San Marco Square. It was pretty easy to find as there are quite a few signs directing you there. Still twisting and turning we arrived at a tunnel and as we walked through we enter a huge square and there was music playing and now we really have arrived in Venice.

As we entered the square we faced the museum and to our left is the stunning St Mark’s Basilica. It’s a huge church that is adorned with frescoes, columns and statues. The square is huge and it’s swarming with people. You just stand and the edge with your jaw dropping just a bit.

Since meeting up with Rylan everything seems to be about food so we had to find somewhere to have some lunch. After lunch we spent the rest of the day exploring the streets and canals. We go lost quite a few times but that was okay because while Google Maps is not 100% reliable when you get into the really narrow streets, it’s good enough to keep you fairly well on track.

We just keep wandering and marvelling at this city until quite late into the evening so it was late when we got back to the apartment. Our apartment is another that you access through a courtyard and although it is tighter than our one in Milan it’s position is quite good.

The next morning, we woke looking forward a trip to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. The first two I have heard about but not the third. It was a tour that lasted about 4 ½ hours. Once again we navigated our way through the maze and this time it seemed a lot easier. We found a a place to eat that was part of a large hotel and it was nice to find something that was a bit more like what we eat for breakfast at home. I’m not sure if I mentioned this before but the Italians are not big on breakfast.

The first island we visited was Murano which is famous for it’s beautiful blown glass. We watched a demonstration of glassblowing and the guy made is so easy. He was obviously and very skilled man and we were told he had been in training for 25 years. The first item he made was a vase and the second was a horse which I found more impressive. It took him about five minutes.

Next we had a little time to explore the island but not much though. We only had about 20 minutes so it really wasn't long enough. Like Venice it is a series of islands connected by canals.

Next stop was Burano which is famous for lace making. Burano is probably the most colourful town I’ve ever seen. It is very cheerful with its bright coloured houses. Everyone is painted in a bright bold colour and you can’t help but smile when you see them. You would think with the clash of all the colours it would look awful but somehow it works.

We only had forty minutes to explore this island and it’s really not long enough. From the dock you approach a square and you think there is not much there but as you round the corner there is a long wide street the is lined with shops that are mostly filled with textiles.

From this street you can see church tower which has a terrible lean. It seems that Italy is full of only structure that appear to be falling over. I’ve got to the point that I don’t seem to be able to take a straight photo. This photo of this tower is definitely the tower and me. 

Our next stop was Torcello. This island is very different to the others and apparently it was the first island that was settled on and Venice came later. 

There are not a lot of inhabitants on this island and the main attraction is the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta. Unfortunately we didn't make i that far. As we walked along the canal we came to a lovely stone bridge over the canal.

We decided to stop for lunch and chose a restaurant that had a beautiful setting and the food was delicious. We ran out of time to explore the island and toyed with the idea of staying longer and catching the water bus back instead of our tour but then decided against it. Rylan went back the next day and said it didn’t take very long so see the whole island so maybe it was a good idea. For anyone coming to Venice I wold advise against a tour as you don’t get enough time at each island. Rylan said catching the waterbus was really easy and you could spend as much time as you wanted.

When we got back to Venice we decided we would take the obligatory gondola ride. 

These are expensive but a fun and very relaxing thing to do. Our gondolier was lovely and he took us on a tour that lasted longer the 30 minutes we paid for. The skill of the gondoliers is amazing the way the navigate their way around the canal as some of them are pretty tight. Obviously they can’t see around corners and they don’t have a horn so they call out so that anyone coming from another direction knows that they are coming.

The next day Terry and I decided on a tour of St Mark Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Our guide was excellent telling the history of the church and it’s construction. The basilica is impressive from the outside with its beautiful frescoes depicting the history of the church. Inside it gets even better. The entire church is adorned with amazing mosaics with lots of gold that shimmers as you look up at each image. Like many churches you’re are not allowed to take photos.

After the basilica we were taken to the Doge’s Palace. This is the historical parliament building and it decorated with the most amazing artworks on every wall and ceiling. Our guide was obviously in his element in this building and I found out later that he is an art historian. You enter into a central courtyard and it is obvious by the styles the each wing was built in a different era as the style of the facade is quite different.

We were taken through the various rooms where people sat and waited before addressing parliament. Quite impressive waiting rooms. Finally, we entered that parliament hall where all 2000 parliamentarians would sit at once.

Prior to the 13 and 14 century a prison was created on the ground floor of the palace but they ran out of room and created a new prison across the canal. To connect the two, they built a covered bridge from the palace to the prison and in this is called the bridge of sighs. It’s called this as there is a small window where the prisoners would sigh as they got their last glimpse of the free world.

With the tour over we had also received a free ticket to the museum. Another impressive building filled with artifacts. If there is one thing the Italians do well, it’s history. This photo is probably my favourite bust/sculpture because the subjects are often sad, wistful or stern but they never seem to be happy like this one.

That’s about it for Venice. It’s an intriguing and fun place to visit, never really quite knowing where you are and ending up in areas that you have seen before. It’s definitely a place to visit if you are in Italy.