"Bellissima Serenissima" a Venice Travel Page by SFHulaGIrl

"I scarcely wake in the morning but I thank God that he has let me spend my days in Venice; and sometimes of an evening, when I go to the Piazzetta, I am afraid to shut my eyes, lest when I open them I should find it had all been a dream."

Rawdon Brown

Che hai sognato stanotte?

Venice

"Venice is a dream of soft waters."

Carl Sandburg

... the sound of footsteps echoing on its bridges, sleek black gondolas gliding silently through the canals, hundreds of pigeons swirling through San Marco, hidden campos, Murano glass jewelry in lustrous hues, a waking dream...

Since Venice was the first Italian city that I ever set foot in, returning there always feels like "coming home." Arriving by boat, especially at sunset, is something you'll never forget. The initial sight of the Campanile and the Winged Lion seemingly arising out of the sea makes my heart jump in my throat. Yet leaving Venice by boat is the most exquisite torture; to wait of your own volition for the boat that will transport you away from all this magnificence. As Venice fades into the distance and you strain ever harder for that final glimpse to etch in your memory, your heart will break.