| | Sep 19, 2005 - Venice | (click to enlarge)
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 | | show all 14 | | Bridge over Canal | | Canals of Venice | | Carl on the Grand Canal | | |
| We took the overnight train to Venice from Paris, which we learned was a great way to save on a night's accommodations but perhaps not a great way to get a full night of restful sleep. From the train station we took a Vaporettta (water bus) to a stop close to our hotel and then got to experience first hand the maze of streets that make up Venice as we slugged our backpacks through the various alleyways, piazzas, over canal bridges and stopping 3 or 4 times along the way for directions until we found our cute little B&B!
Venice truly is a place like no other city in the world. There are no streets for cars but instead canals filled with boats and gondolas. The streets are for pedestrians only and are filled with tourists and the odd local winding their way through the maze like pattern that sometimes makes you feel like a laboratory mouse caught in a science experiment. I am convinced everyone, including the locals, get lost in Venice which is half the fun of the destination. You never know what you are going to find around the next corner - another piazza with cafes, locals walking their dogs and a glorious old church or an alley way that takes dead ends at a canal forcing you to turn around and try a different route - the city is a living maze waiting to be explored.
Unfortunately our second day was non-stop rain but light enough that we could put on our jackets and still get out and enjoy the sites of Venice. We enjoyed a ferry ride down the Grand Canal, San Marco Square, Rialto Bridge, many a quiet piazza and getting lost in the streets and back alleys far from the tourist areas. We didn't unfortunately take a private gondola ride. These are incredibly expensive but would have been nice to do to experience the smaller canals by water. Our plan was to do this on our second day in Venice but with the constant rain the setting was just not right. I guess you always have to save something for the next visit right?
Enjoy our sample of photos posted here on the site from our 2 days in this famed city.
Carl's 10 Travel Tips for Venice
1. Purchase a detailed map of the city and don't go out without it - you will need it! When looking for your hotel or a restaurant and you are going by an address, note that building are not numbered in a sequential order as we are used to. This means that Castello 6499 may not be anywhere near Castello 6502.
2. An inexpensive way to see the Grand Canal is to take the #1 Vaporettta at a cost of 5 Euros per person from the Train Station all the way down the Grand Canal to San Marco. It is sure to be busy but try to get a seat at the front for the best views.
3. Take a gondola ride through the canals of the city. The city was built around these canals and although we due to weather we didn't get a chance to take one, I am sure it is well worth the high price you pay. If the cost is an issue try to meet another few people and all do it together splitting the fare.
4. Vaporetta are like a bus system in any other city, but in Venice are boats on the canals. These are the cheapest way for you to get around from one point to another and if you are not into a lot of walking you can buy a full day pass or a multi-day pass.
5. Venice is very expensive. When dining try to get off the beaten track where there are not so many tourists and more of the locals to find a more economical meal. If you enjoy seafood there is no shortage of it here although avoid purchasing it on Mondays when the fish market is closed and your seafood may not be quite as fresh as other days of the week.
6. Hotel accommodations are pricey too but small B&B accommodations can be much more economical. Although we didn't have a canal view, we thoroughly enjoyed ours called the B&B Campiello Santa Giustina at a cost of 95 Euros per night.
7. Pack light. Remember when you arrive that there are no roads or cars in Venice and unless you are staying somewhere that includes transfers you are going to have to venture through the maze of city streets with your entire luggage which, can be a taxing introduction to Venice for many.
8. How long do you plan for Venice? If your time is tight 2 -3 days should be good for you to see the major sights and get a good feel for this unique city. If you are only on a cruise and have the day it will still give you a great feel for what Venice is all about.
9. There are only 3 bridges to get you across the Grand Canal which divides the city into 2 parts. If you are walking somewhere and find you need to cross the canal and one of the 3 bridges is nowhere near, look for a traghetto found at the end of a passageway called Calle de Traghetto. Here you will find a boat that will take you across the canal for fifty cents.
10. Wander and get lost in the streets and alley ways that are far from St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge to get away from the densely packed streets of tourists and see where the locals live with the laundry hanging between buildings, refinished doors and unique door chimes and knockers.
www.carlhenderson.ca
www.imagestoframe.com
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