| Page Views: 135 Last Visit to Venice: February, 2007 | Venice - Northern Italy by pure1942 - last update: Mar 8, 2008 |
Venice is Venice. There is no other comparable city in the world. Stockholm is known as the Venice of the north but in reality there are really no similarities between the two cities apart from the fact that both cities comprise of a series of islands. The fact that Venice comprises about 117 islands compared with the 14 of Stockholm (excluding the Stockholm archipelago) gives you an indication of the uniqueness of Venice. No where else gives you the same initial sense of wonder and amazement as you step onto one of the Venice vaparetto water taxis and are taken down the Grand Canal towards the centre of Venice. "How can a city grow up out of the water and marsh land surrounding this area of the Venetoand why?" are questions you will undoubtably ask yourself as you take in your first glimpses of the houses and buildings which straddle the Grand Canal on both sides. |
|  | Getting around Venice The best way to get around Venice is to walk, which itself is an adventure. The city itself is quiet small but the maze of alleys and narrow streets, not to mention the many 'dead ends' leading up to the waterways, mean that you can send hours wandering around the cobblestone streets. It can be quiet confusing to walk around Venice but this is part of the charm of the place. The city has around 150 canals and around 400 bridges but only three bridges cross the Grand Canal, including the famous Rialto Bridge. In order to cross at any other point, you will need to acquire the services of a 'traghetto' (a public gondola) to get you from one side of the canal to the other.
As there are no cars in the main part of te city the main public mode of transport are the vaporetti (water buses), which travel through the wide canals and connect the city centre to the large islands in the bay. |
| | Sights of Venice Every visitor to Venice will make straight for St. Mark's Square - Piazza San Marco. The Piazza is the main central focus point in the city and contains the amazing Basilica San Marco and The Doge Palace.
The Grand Canal itself is a main attraction and trips up and down the canal pass by magnificent churches such as Santa Maria della Salute, a breathtaking Baroque church which stands proudly at the entrance to the Grand Canal. On a trip along the canal you will also pass underneath the Rialto Bridge one of Venice's most famous landmarks. The Bridge is the oldest bridge in Venice. Another inmpressive bridge in Venice is the Bridge of Sighs. This enclosed bridge passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. |
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pure1942's Venice Travel Tips
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 Comments for pure1942 about Venice | | | | |
HORSCHECK Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:14 UTC
Great start here. Keep up the good work. ;-) |
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