Getting Lost and other Venice, Italy Things to Do Tips

Getting lost!

This is very easy to do in Venice. All you need is a guide book which tells you that you really shouldn't miss the famous such-and-such while in Venice.
You then set out from your hotel to find the famous such-and-such, but leave your guide book behind. (Only those who have mastered the art of getting lost - like I have- can take their guidebook along).

You then try to rely on your inner sense of direction and after a very short time and
just a few turns in the narrow alleys in Venice, you've made it: You're lost!

When trying to find your way back you'll discover so many beautiful corners
and smaller churches, that getting lost will prove to be one of the best
experiences in Venice.
(Even if you never find the famous such-and-such).

Just be careful: Some of the smaller alleys end quite abruptly at a canal,
don't fall in.

I don't know how many churches there are in Venice, I've read
more than 200.The most famous is probably the Basilica San Marco,
but I found the smaller, lesser-know churches equally attractive, sometimes
even more so. Somehow they seemed more alive.

In some of these smaller churches you have to pay an entrance fee, usually
between 2 or 3 Euro, but even when they were free I liked to leave a donation,as it must cost a fortune to upkeep these churches.

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Right next to the train station there is a large church, Chiesa dei Scalzi.
You pass it when you walk down towards the Rialto bridge. I went in and
was stunned by the altar. It reminded me of the old paper theatres, in which
the stage was built on several levels, so that the effect would look three-
dimensional. That's how the altar is built. Huge, of course, and built in several
levels towards the back of the church, complete with small windows.
I'm afraid I'm not doing a good job in describing this,if you have the chance go and see for yourself. I thought it looked great!

Something I saw in a church for the first time were the candles there.
Usually in a church you pay 50 cent or one Euro and light a candle
and say a prayer. In this church the candles were lit by batteries,
after I had paid I could take a new candle and attach it on a battery
and it was lit. I don't know how long they are "burning", I didn't stay to
watch.

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Address: Next to the train station

Another church I really liked is the San Giacomo dell' Orio.
Very plain from the outside, but in an unusual, round shape -
Romanesque - and not on any of the busy routes through Venice.
It's on the Campo San Giacomo da Orio.

I was surprised by the colours and the light inside.
It was very early in the morning , the doors were open, so I went into the church and looked around if I had to pay an entrance fee , but didn't see anything. Only when I left did I notice that officially the church opens at 10 o'clock and from then on you have to pay.

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Address: Campo San Giacomo da Orio

The church I liked best is the Chiesa de Carmini at Campo Santo Margherita. The inside is dominated by the colours red and gold, red pillars carry wooden statues. The effect was stunning!

There is also a statue of the Madonna with child, all in white, surrounded by golden angels.
This church was free, for only 20 cent I could borrow a leaflet with some explanations. I was too impressed to make any notes, so I cannot tell you the name of any of the artists there.

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Address: Campo Santa Margherita

Just a few meters behind the Basilica San Marco there is the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. In any other city this would have been the major church.
It is huge!
When we were there, hardly any other tourists had found their way there, so it seemed even larger. There had been a long line in front of San Marco's, and here, just a short distance away, we were almost on our own.

This church is like an art gallery! Have a look at Bellini's art there.

A wonderful glass window gives a very special light. I tried to take a picture of the window, but my camera wasn't good enough. The picture turned out to be too dark and didn't do justice to the wonderful light and colour effect of the window.

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Address: Castello 6363

The Jewish Museum in Venice is in the former Jewish area, at Campo di Gheto Novo.The
word "ghetto" in many other languages actually comes from this old Venetian word "gheto".

You can see the museum on your own, but need to book a tour if you want to see the synagogues. When I was there, three Italian school classes were having a guided tour of the museum and the synagogues, which made the museum very crowded.

Religious items and beautiful silverware is on display.Since the few words I know in Italian would never have been enough for an Italian tour of the synagogues, I stayed in the museum only.

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One side of the campo outside the museum is dedicated to a Holocaust memorial. Names are written behind a fence and iron plates are attached to the wall, showing scenes of the Holocaust.
I was there twice, the first time in the afternoon and the next day in early morning. Both times it was very quiet there, not too many tourists.

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