The Italian Job

Venice is sinking approximately 6 cm a decade. You can see how the city is sinking by the numerous stairs and steps that are now under water.

Venice Grand Canal.

Sinking steps.

The city is an archipelago of 170 different islands.  There are no cars, trucks, trains or bikes in the city.  Only boats.  Due to the many canals, most bridges have stairs and as a result you can only get around by walking (or by boat). 

View of islands.

The fire department arrives by boat.

Construction supplies arrive by boat, too!

The famous Rialto Bridge.

The entire city is rock and water.  There is no grass (that I could find!).  I wonder where all the Chihuahuas go?

The canals are surrounded by old palaces and the age of some of these buildings is showing. 

Aging Venetian palaces.

Side canal.

The main square in Venice is the San Marco Piazza.  It is surrounded by the Doge's Palace and Basilica San Marco.  The Basilica is a grand church that is filled with gold.  The four large domes of the church interior are covered in small gold squares and frescos.  I loved how the gold sparkled and the mystery of how the artists created such intricate work.  It was unlike any church I have seen so far in Europe.

San Marco Piazza: Not sure who is outnumbered - the tourists or the pigeons?

St. Mark's Cathedral.

The Doge was the ancient ruler of the city.  His palace is also filled with gold.  Golden walls, golden ceilings and the famous Golden Stairway.  No expense was spared for the Doge.  I viewed the old prisons hidden under the palace including the Bridge of Sighs where many prisoners crossed to meet their fate.

Ceiling of the Golden Stairway.

A trip to Venice would not be complete without a gondola ride.  The gondola drivers all wear striped shirts, and they have their work cut out for them.  The canals are very busy and we often hit traffic jams of other gondolas, water taxis and personal boats.

My gondola.

Gondola traffic jam.

The gondola drivers must wind their way through the traffic, duck for the low bridges and they even use their feet to push off the walls. 

Gondolier ducking under a bridge and using his foot.

Don't fall in!

Thankfully I wasn't in the Titanic - there were no lifejackets and we hit a lot of walls and smashed other boats!  Good thing my driver was so good looking otherwise I may have wanted my money back.

Smashingly handsome Gondolier.

The view from the canal is very unique.  There are wooden doors on the water that are rotting.  Garages to enter houses from the water exist, just like in the movies.  There is a quiet and slow pace to Venice with the lack of cars.  The Grand Canal is noisy with motor boats and vaporettos (steamer boats that ferry people from place to place) but once you duck into the side canals, the silence is a pleasing respite.

Rotten doors.

Canal garage entrance.

Walking in Venice is a maze of side streets, piazzas and dead ends.  It is better to go without a map.  On all the buildings there are arrows pointed to where you want to go.  Just follow the arrows and you can get anywhere in the city.  I really appreciate this nice touch.  As a tourist it feels very liberating to put your map into your pocket and leave it there for a day or two.

Venice is a place that should be on your bucket list; it is a 'must see'.  You don't need to spend too much time among the canals.  Two days is enough.  There are hoards and hoards of tourist shops selling masquerade masks, gondola hats, and Murano glass. 

The merchants of Venice are a plenty.

Every shop has the same product that must be mass produced in China.  It ruins the special, unique feel of Venice so make sure you take the canal less travelled.