Venice
Venice is built on one hundred and seventeen small
islands, and holds one hundred and fifty canals, connected by an amazing four
hundred and nine bridges, of which only three cross the main canal. The area it
covers is a mere 284 miles (458 kilometres). Although thecity appears small, it
is really quite extensive for its size with a fair number of Venice restaurants
and Venice hotels (off peak) to choose from. While most tour guides don’t
recommend getting lost in the majority of cities during your Venice vacation,
Venice is the place to get hopelessly lost for a day. However, Venice isn’t all
cities and crowded streets. Through the mysterious alleyways leading off from
the city, endless mazes of backstreets and deserted squares, on your Venice
trip, you'll find that this city is a perfect place to walk for hours on end,
pretending to know where you are.
The unique Venice activities you'll discover during a walk around town are
plentiful. The now-famous watery villages on rafts of wooden posts driven into
the soil, laid the foundations for the floating palaces of today
The traditional date of Venice's birth is given as 25 March 421, but there is
little evidence to support this belief. The population is roughly 63,000 people,
but there is belief that Venice will, over time, lose most of its population and
become merely a large theme park, purely for the entertainment of camera-clad
tourists on their very first Venice trip. People with big bums walk around
everywhere.
Venice is always in celebrating something, although
Venice is a particularly busy vacation city in the flourishing months of spring,
especially around Easter. Venice hotel accommodations are one of the most
difficult things to find around peak time, as well as around Christmas, New
Year, and festival Carnevale in February. Like Italy 's other great tourist
areas, Venice is not at its worst in summer. Although it'scrowded, there are
many other special Venice activities on offer. The most extraordinary time of
year to visit is late March into May, with clear spring days and fewer crowds.
September is also extraordinary in terms of weather, but October is quieter.
Flooding occurs in November and December, and winter can be unpleasantly cold -
although seeing Venice under a layer of snow can cast the aura of a fairy tale.
Vaporetto (water bus) is the most amazing method of getting around Venice; you
won’t find too many public transport routes as unforgettable as vaporetto. Get
yourself a travel pass to ride the exclusive vaporetto -
single tickets don't come cheap, and are less economical if you plan to
spend days touring Venice and exploring every nook and cranny.
The classic gondola ride with the opera-warbling operator is pretty touristy and
expensive but the traghetto is a commuter gondola that crosses the Grand Canal
at strategic points. It's quite a balance test for newbies, as you have to
stand. Water taxis (motorboats) are almost as expensive as gondolas, but their
pilots don't wear stripper shirts and bellow out 'O Sole Mio'.
The famous willy wonka-villages of Venice post a threat to the historical
buildings, which are slowly sinking into the marshy ground. It is believed that
if construction work does not continue, these buildings may, in turn, pose a
threat to the safety of locals and tourists. It has been said that “When this
precious place sinks, the world will be the poorer”, and also stated that Venice
has a bleak future. Looking on the optimistic side, the villages are beautiful
today, and are still open to being admired for years to come.
Regular buses (yes, they do exist) run from one place to another, but it's
probably the least exciting way to get around the city. Obviously, don't bring
the to Venice - you'll just be paying to leave it in a car park for the
duration, and in a few car parks you’ll find yourself with a large fine
afterwards. Taxis - the regular four-wheeled variety -
do operate from Piazzale Roma.
And who can forget the romantic side of Venice? Although it can be
excruciatingly hot and stuffy in summer, when the tourists flock, it is
nonetheless one of the most romantic cities for lovestruck Venice vacationers.
With the image of an inky-blue sky laden in a full moon and dotted with stars;
above a glowing cityscape, seen from a tiled square bordered by Italian words
and Pizza outlets, it’s no wonder.
Like every tourist location, it’s not just tourists from the surrounding
countries who visit; all kinds of people can be found, cameras at the ready, in
Venice. The attractions in Venice include many remarkable structures, such as an
impressive array of bronze work, tapestries and paintings from the 5th to 6th
century, as well as a whole handful of amazing buildings and galleries
showcasing the artistic side of Venice.
If you are looking for the upbeat bars and tasty Venice restaurants, you cannot
go wrong with the area surrounding Campo di Santa Margherita in Dorsoduro. There
you will find an pubs, trendy bars that do the limbo, and just plain fun. The
area is frequented by students from the University and is buzzing with life all
day with market stalls of fish and vegetables and all night with full tables
outside the cafés and bars.
The sea surrounds Venice, so Venetian cuisine is extremely abundant in seafood
dishes (fish-haters beware). Pasta can be a little different in Venice than
traditional Italian *****ng as many imagine it; you order lots of noodles
with a dab of sauce. Risotti are also a very popular part of local culinary
history, and delicious with fresh fish or seafood.
A typically Venetian specialty, cichetti (cheh-keht-tee) are small portions of
food served in bacari (Venetian style wine bars) scattered all over the city,
usually with an ombra, which is a small glass of wine. When you go out for
cichetti , you will eat standing up, hopefully in a crowded room (some of the
best are dark and gloomy looking: but don't let looks deceive, they serve
wonderful food and drink just the same). Mosey up to the bar, where all the
cichetti will be displayed before you. A typical cichetto (this is the singular)
might be a square of polenta cornmeal with a dab of bacala mantecato (creamed
cod fish) on top, or a small slice of bread with a slice of local sopressa
salami, or a ball of rice stuffed with an olive and deep fried. Or else order a
topino, which is a tiny sandwich often cut in front of you al momento.
Summon the bartender, order your glass of wine and point to your choice of
several cichetti, which will then be served to you. The bartender will keep your
tab going and present it to you when you are ready to leave.
Top Ten Things to Do in Venice
Collezione Peggy Guggenheim (Peggy Guggenheim
Collection) - Housed in the former Venetian home of Peggy Guggenheim, the Peggy
Guggenheim Collection is one of the most outstanding art collections in the
world. Visitors to the home -- Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, which sits on the Grand
Canal in Venice, can browse through works by Jackson Pollock, Max Ernst (whom
Peggy Guggenheim was once married to), Picasso, Chagill, Delvaux, Salvador Dali,
Duchamp, and Mondrian. Also on site is a garden of modern sculpture with
Giacometti, a museum shop, and a cafe overlooking the sculpture garden. 704
Dorsoduro, I-30123, Ph: +39 041 2405411
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto - Possibly built
around 421, Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto, also called San Giacometo, is
considered the oldest church in Venice. Highlights include the great clock, the
Gothic Portico (one of the last remaining examples in the city), and the
interior design.
Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica) –
Finished in 1094, Basilica di San Marco houses a number of otherworldly relics
from all over the world and the icon of the Madonna of Nicopeia. Other points of
interest include: the atrium, the baptistery, Pala d'Oro, and the Marciano
Museum and the Loggia dei Cavalli. San Marco 328, Ph: +39 041 2708311
Palazzo Pisani - Located between the Bridge of
Rialto and the Ca'Foscari's Vault, Palazzo Pisani stands at one of the most
beautiful points along the Grand Canal. The architecture is significant, due in
part, to the palace’s façade, which features two levels of Gothic mulliones
windows. Inside, Baroque decoration can be found throughout by the best Venetian
artists of the XVIIIth Century such as Giuseppe Angeli, Gaspere Diziani,
Giambattista Tiepoloi, and Jacopo Guarana. Other points of interest include the
grand staircase, antique furnishings, and the palace's art collections.
Torre dell'Orologio (The Clock Tower) - Also known
as St. Mark’s Clock Tower or the Moors Clock Tower, The Clock displays the
current phase of the moon, the dominant sign of the zodiac, and of course, the
time of day. The Clock Tower is 500 years old and it is one of Venice’s top
tourist attractions. Torre dell'Orologio sits on St. Mark's Square – the heart
of Venice. Guided tours take place at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and at 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Canal Grande (The Grand Canal) - Grand views,
galleries, museums, and beautiful Venetian Gothic style palaces -- these are
just a few of the sights visitors will see while floating down the Grand Canal
in a vaporetto (Venice waterbus). Another way to explore the Grand Canal is by
Gondola or motorboat. The Grand Canal begins at Piazetta San Marco and ends at
the rail station.
Museo Storico Navale (Naval History Museum) – Some
of the most interesting items are on display at Museo Storico Navale such as a
lavish gondola that belonged to Peggy Guggenheim and several sheds where several
historic barges are displayed. The Museum has three floors featuring everything
from Second World War torpedoes and artillery pieces to decorative 17th and 18th
century gondola prows. Campo San Biago, Castello 2148, Ph: +39 041 5200276.
San Rocco – San Rocco features canvases by
Tintoretto. Works can be found throughout the entire space – in the upper and
lower halls, a grand hallway, and in a separate room which includes Tintoretto’s
Crucifixion. Campo San Rosso, San Polo, Ph: +39 041 5234864.
St. Mark’s Square – St. Marks Square is the heart
of Venice. Tourists flock to the square to explore many of the city’s main
attractions (located here or in close proximity) including St. Marks Basilica,
Doge’s Palace, Torre dell’Orologio (Clock Tower), and Piazetta San Marco, to
name a few.
San Zaccaria – San Zaccaria is a Gothic church that
also houses a number of works of art. One of the major works that can be found
here is Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna Enthroned. Works by Tintoretto, Anthony Van
Dyck, Bassano, Il Vecchio, and Titian can also be found here as well as the
frescoes of Andrea al Castagno. Campo San Zaccaria, Castello, Ph: +39 041
5221257.
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