Venice

Date: June 7, 2018 – June 11, 2018
Location: Venice, Italy

After Florence we took a train to Venice. Venice is unlike any other place since it is made up of over 100 small islands. No cars or bicycles are allowed so you either walk everywhere on the little paths or take a boat.

The largest canal through Venice is the Grand Canal and there are four bridges that connect the neighborhoods of San Polo and San Marco.

Here is the Ponte di Rialto bridge that was built in 1592.

Here is the Ponte degli Scalzi that is close to the train station.

The Ponte dell’Accademia bridge was getting renovated when we were there. The fourth bridge over the Grand Canal is Ponte della Constituzione. That bridge is the newest and was completed in 2008.

Just over the Ponte di Rialto bridge in San Polo is the Rialto Market. The market has fresh produce as well as a fish market and we went each morning to buy fresh fish for dinner.

We cooked salmon one night and shrimp another. The shrimp were huge. That is a lemon next to them for a size comparison.

We were planning to do tuna steaks on our final night in Venice; unfortunately, we discovered the market was closed when we arrived. We knew that it was closed on Monday, but after checking the times again, the market is also listed as closed on Sunday. The market is open from 7:30 am to noon Tuesday through Saturday.

There are many shops in Venice and everywhere you look there are masks that are being sold. During the Venice Carnival, the weeks leading up to lent, people buy and wear many of the masks. Some are simple and others are very elaborate, but all are hand-painted.

And of course, one of the most famous parts about Venice are the gondolas; there are everywhere and are more elaborate than I expected. A gondola ride is expensive, though, at €80 for 30 minutes during the day, and €100 at night. The gondolas can hold up to six people.

Continuing around the city, we then went to Piazza San Marco. Here is the Basilica di San Marco.

The plaza also houses Torre dell’Orologio, with a 15th-century clock that tracks the lunar phases.

Here is Arsenale’s main gate to what was Venice’s shipyard.

Venice and all of the little pathways and bridges were very enjoyable.