This Week I'm going to look at Venice. The city on water and housing the world's most artistic masterpieces per Km square. To truly experience Venice you need to forgo cars and roads for small streets and boats. With more bridges than you can walk over its definitely a 'walking city'.
Below is a view from the Rialto bridge, the most famous and I believe largest bridge in Venice, surrounded by shops selling masks and Murano Venetian glass, it's definitely worth a visit, but beware of Pick pockets in the crowded areas.
Theres so much to see, another attraction has to be the the Bridge
of Sighs (as pictured above) said to be named after prisoner's sad sighs as
they walked over it? Theres also the Doge's palace, the Doge,
considered a kind of Mayor (but more important) of Venice, almost the
Governor of Venice, back when it stood as its own city (and country) to
the rest of Italy.
Of course any of the main iconic images of Venice involve gondalas, Italy's answer to punting, the gondalas are the ultimate cliche way to take a tour of Venice. They are beautiful and dotted aorund the city- be sure to look for them in the Grand Canal- with men in striped t-shirts (playing up to te stereotype!) waiting to take you around Venice. Be prepared to haggle though as they're expensive!
Finally theres San Marco Piazza, or St Mark's square. The most famous square in Venice (think James bond, Casino Royale) full of pigeons and tourists, but also of artists and musicians and street performers. In Februaury you can see more masked people than normal as its Festival time! There is also San Marco Basilica, the church in St Mark's square, which was completed in 1617 and is beautiful on the outside and inside. As with other churches in Itlay, such as the Vatican, which I mentioned in my Rome post
here, you will need to cover up certain areas, when entering.
For a trip away I would recommend about 4 or five days to completely see everything, but if you want to stay longer (and in the summer) theres the Lido of Venice, or Lido De Jesolo, a short boat ride away and with lovely sandy beaches.
There are two airports, Treviso or Marco Polo or the main station; Santa Lucia, which is near to the Grand Canal. It is very accessible and a beautiful city, more so than Paris, in my opinion.
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