THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS and other Venice, Italy Things to Do Tips

Walking away from the Piazza San Marco we crossed a bridge so full of people that we could hardly move, we almost had to fight our way across
the crowds everywhere on this hot September day were starting to make us feel stressed, so we were happy to seek out the quiet back streets of Venice away from the shops and bustle and `major sights`,
it was sunset when we returned, and the golden light was magnificent, the whole mood had changed, people were more relaxed and strolling, laughing
the bridge we had fought our way across was empty, and as we stood on it and looked up the canal at last we could see why it had been so busy earlier, there was the famous bridge, The Bridge of Sighs
how glad we were that we hadnt tried to fight our way through to see it earlier in the day, in the quiet twilight it was easy to imagine the prisoners shuffling across it, chained, on the way to their cells, sighing as they went
such a beautiful bridge to carry so much unhappiness

Leave a Comment

Built in the late 16th century the Rialto is the most famous of the three bridges across the Grand Canal, standing on the bridge gives you classic views of Venice - how many have stood here before you ?
a row of shops crosses the bridge, when we visited they were all closed, possibly to ease congestion on the bridge, Venice was so busy that the bridge was constantly crowded, or perhaps we didnt visit the bridge during opening times
but this beautiful bridge is best appreciated from the Grand Canal, even better from a gondola

Leave a Comment

for almost a thousand years this has stood showing the world the wealth and glory of Venice, an amazingly beautiful building with its gilded domes and arches, and its fabulously intricate masonry, if you want to see inside during peak times you will have to queue for quite some time, we were there on a hot September day, too hot to queue for so long, it would be so busy inside and we knew we would want it all to ourselves, so we concentrated on the exterior, there is plenty to see there and we will return when Venice is quieter

Leave a Comment

What fabulous views there are from the top of the Campanille, but I didnt get to see them, the queues were far too long
originally built in the 9th century with many additions over the years the campanille collapsed in 1902 and was rebuilt in 1912 exactly copying the previous one, the bells are still rung, but only for the tourists, not to warn the people of Venice as they were in the days when this was a watchtower and lighthouse

Leave a Comment