| Page Views: 194 Last Visit to Venice: May, 2008 | VENICE, ITALY by Phalaenopsis03 - last update: Nov 2, 2009 |
My first visit to Venice was in June 2001. Venice's grandeur and magnificence was quite moving to me and I was just simply awe-struck by everything I saw, like any first-time tourist to the city would feel. Being that this was my first time there, I considered the trip more of an orientation experience. My travel partner and I walked through the narrow alleyways with the expectation of "getting lost". Ironically however, we could never really get lost. There was always a sign pointing us to the direction of either St. Mark's Square or the Rialto Bridge, a relief in some respects.
My second visit to Venezia came in June 2003 as part of a port stop on my Mediterranean cruise. My travel goal for the city was to absorb more of the sites and further explore what the Venetian lagoon had to offer, i.e., Burano and Murano. I found Burano quite charming with its colorful homes and tradition of lace-making. Murano, however, was quite drab and not so picturesque, but its famed glass-blowing history more than compensated for its lackluster scenery. |
| "The Good Life" @ St. Mark's Square, 5.08 |
My third and most recent visit to the magical city in May of 2008 proved just as exciting and unique as my previous trips. Albeit, a relaxing journey with my new beau that had with it some surprises. One of the many things I appreciated from this particular excursion was the ability to just sit back and relax. This time around, I didn't feel compelled to walk here and there or see this and that. Part of the charm of Venice is just being able to absorb the brilliant setting before you without really doing much of anything - equally as enjoyable, although can be quite costly. Two coffees and one dessert to share at Cafe Lavena in St. Mark's Square cost me 41.70 euros, the approximate equivalent to $68. But considering where we were and being serenaded by a six-piece orchestra, I suppose it was a little price to pay for such a priceless Venetian experience.
During this trip, for the first time I saw St. Mark's Square flooded. It had been raining inconsistently during the days prior and so the water in the lagoon had risen. And within three hours of setting foot on the square, water had come up several inches above ground that people were removing their shoes and walking barefoot through the square (not recommended). For us to even set foot on St. Mark's Basilica, we had to walk on makeshift bridges (see photos in my Travelogues below). Thankfully, as fast as the water had increased, it wasn't too long until it receded. So my question is, "Is Venice really sinking?"
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Quick Facts on Venice:
Population: 306,439
Area: 457.5 sq km (178 sq mi)
Country: Italy
Main language: Italian
Time: GMT/UTC +1
Telephone Area Code: 041 (the area code is an intrinsic part of the number and must be used at all times)www.lonelyplanet.com |
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| Pros: | "Magical and romantic..." | | Cons: | "Expensive!" |
 Phalaenopsis03's Venice Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | VENICE, 2008: A Night Out | May, 2008 |  6 | | VENICE, 2008: Cityscapes (part I) | May, 2008 | 8 | | VENICE, 2008: Cityscapes (part II) | May, 2008 | 8 | | VENICE, 2003: Cityscapes (part I) | June, 2003 | 8 | | VENICE, 2003: Cityscapes (part II) | June, 2003 | 8 | | VENICE, 2003: Views from the Bell Tower | June, 2003 | 8 | | VENICE, 2003: Burano | June, 2003 | 8 | | VENICE, 2003: Murano | June, 2003 | 8 | | VENICE, 2001 | June, 2001 | 1 | | REMARKABLE VENICE (random photos) | - | 7 |
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