Smooth Sailin'

~Venezia~

For our last big trip in Italy, Katie and I went to Venice for a weekend!  Venice is listed as one of the most romantic cities in the world and after being there, I can see why.  While it would be difficult to find specific things within the city because of the winded, slightly complicated streets, finding the main attractions such as St. Mark's and the Rialto Bridge was simple because of many helpful signs posted throughout the city.  

Rialto Bridge

Venice is comprised of a total of 118 small islands separated by canals and connected by bridges.  Because of this, all of the transportation within Venice is done either by boat or on foot.  However, there are only a few bridges that connect different islands, so there is lots of walking done.  There is also a Vaporetto, or water bus that transports people to the different islands.  For tourists, there are also many gondolas, but for 80 euros a ride, I decided that the gondolas weren't for me!  

Gondola

Vaporetto

There are many churches in Venice, but the most prominent by far is St. Mark's Basilica.  The inside and ceiling look as if they are made of gold!  It also contains the four bronze horses of St. Mark, that we have heard about in art class.  Also in St. Mark's Square, Katie and I went to the top of St. Mark's Campanile, a 323 foot tall tower that provides beautiful panoramic views of the city of Venice.  

St. Mark's Basilica

Interior of St. Mark's

Horses of St. Mark

St. Mark's Square

View from St. Mark's Campanile

St. Mark's Campanile

 Venice is also known for its long history of participation in Carnivale.  Carnivale in Venice began as a celebration of a victory of the "Serenissima Republic" over the Patriarch of Aquileia in 1162.  In this celebration, people wear elaborate masks and dance in St. Mark's square as a way to preserve the image of Venice in the world.  Because of this, mask shops line the streets of Venice.  One specific type of mask, called the "Medico della peste" was even wore by doctors during the plague to prevent them from breathing in the disease themselves because of its long beak.  

 

Katie and I went to some farther away islands, including Murano and Burano.  Murano is known for its glass blowing and Burano, characterized by its bright colored buildings is known for its lace making.  To get to these islands, we got to ride on a water bus.  It was surprisingly smoother than I expected!  

Glass work on Murano

Another glass sculpture

View in Murano

Lace work in Burano

View of houses in Burano

"Road sign"

 

While exploring the small streets of Venice, Katie and I also stumbled on two really unique shops.  The first was a graphic design store with many cool screen prints of things.  The other was owned by an elderly gentleman who loved to share his passion for his unique works.  He made wooden "puzzles" that used light and shadow to make things 3-D when some of the pieces were moved.  For example, he had one piece of the St. Mark Basilica and when you push some pieces out and leave some in their original place, it created the illusion of the real building, with columns and arches.  

"Puzzle" store

The weather in Venice was slightly unpredictable.  Two of the nights we stayed there, we experienced raging thunderstorms, but the days were absolutely gorgeous.  On the hot days, I really appreciated how many fresh fruit markets lined the streets.  Being on the coast and right on the Adriatic Sea, typical Venetian dishes include fresh seafood in their pasta.  The tastes and views of Venice were both great and I loved the atmosphere here.  Venice is truly a city like none other and has landed among my favorite cities in Italy.

Fruit stand

Tiny streets in Venice!