Venice was as astounding as anyone would suspect. It's aging architecture, location on the Adriatic, and flow bring everything together to make for a postcard looking shot every time one would turn the corner. And, if you're looking to take great photographs, only wait a few minutes and a gondola will come right around the corner, making your perfect picture even that much more classic.
Having just recently given an architectural presentation with a good friend of mine in the fall semester on the history of Venice, this was truly an experience to be had. This entry does not go into depth of all of the fantastic food we ate, the pastries we indulged in, nor the countless amounts of gelato we consumed.
This trip was a getaway for Maryann and I from our already getaway of a semester. We decided to take a trip by ourselves to a place that we have always wanted to visit. Albeit that it is the very closest in Italy we could get to, it was a great trip and something we will never forget. In total, we spent three days on the island of Venice itself, and one day at Alberoni beach - a small island very near to Venice. Here is a recap of our experience:
Day 1: April 10, 2009
After having arrive to our camping sight in Treviso, the closest city on the mainland, the night prior, we started our day ready to take on the tourist hot spot of Venice. First we purchased our boat ticket that would allow us to go to and from Venice as often as we liked within an allotted time period. Although this ticket was 25 euro for three days, it was entirely worth it considering the amount of bus changes and travel time it took to get to the camp sight. Once we had arrived, we started by wandering aimlessly (which was truly a treat in itself) until we found ourselves at the Ponte de Rialto (or Rialto Bridge), the most famous bridge that was not constructed by Palladio or Michelangelo, oddly enough, but Nicolò Barattieri. After enjoying our stay near the bridge for quite some time on a nearby dock, we finally decided to venture to the famed Piazza San Marco to see Napoleon's work and all the hype. So. Many. Tourists. Being Easter weekend, Venice was packed and, sadly enough, was too crowded to see Saint Mark's Basilica from the inside. On the exterior, it is as grand as imagined. St. Mark's square borders the Adriatic, and countless amounts of gondolas dock there. Finding a dock with no gondola, Maryann and I sat and watched the Adriatic, and were amazed at the fact that we were in Venice. Wandering for the remainder of the day finally brought us back to the campsite for some food.
Day 2: April 11, 2009
Our first day of breakfast pastries! We eat on the dock that we found right next to the Rialto Bridge the day prior, and enjoy the possibility to finally relax somewhere. My new found love for photography drove us to search for the most fantastic shots in the entire city - I think we found some (check my Flickr link on the left side of the Blog). After enjoying the morning, we wander to another part of the city next to the beautiful St. Maria Formosa church and rest with sandwiches at a cafe. The luxury of time in this place was truly fantastic - as my leisure of sketching in Venice became a daily activity. Next we decided to search for the famed Arsenal - a military complex that was once used as a shipbuilding yard during the late days of the Roman Republic. It employed a vast majority of the residents of Venice, and is today used as some form of a police base - which prevented us from entering. After continually exploring for the remainder of the day, we decided to sit on a dock and face the Adriatic, entertaining ourselves with the water taxis that passed and the amount of traffic that flooded the harbor. Watching a Venetian sunset was truly remarkable.
Day 3: April 12, 2009
The last day on the island of Venice, we arrive on Easter Sunday, 2009. While everything is packed and Piazza San Marco is unbearable, Maryann and I searched for a church not overcrowded and say our prayers of thanksgiving on Easter. From there we start our walk to our newly appreciated dock next to the Rialto Bridge but stop to get some late breakfast at a crepe shop (there is a picture of this particular crepe on my flickr). Sitting on the dock, I was able to sketch again, capturing so much of this amazing place through my pen. What a privilege. From there, we grabbed lunch and returned yet again to our dock (we silently claimed it as our own) and I quickly fell asleep after having promised Maryann I would help her with her experiment: counting how many gondolas went by this particular spot at the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal. Granted, this was one of the busiest places on the water way, but was still perfect for such an experiment. Finally counting, Maryann calculated that in one hour 216 gondolas went by, and since they were 80 euro a pop that weekend, that put the total earnings at 17,280 euro in one hour. I need to get a gondola. We enjoy the rest of the day and the start our return back, only to be delayed by the biggest cruise ship I have ever seen go by the outskirts of Venice. I am so glad we were not on that thing. Camping was too good to pass up!
Day 4: April 13, 2009
Our last day in Italy brought a different experience. Now that our ferry passes were up, we decided to pay 10 euro for a ferry to Alberoni Island to check out the beach. We relaxed for a few hours, walked around, and decided to head back early. We ended that day with playing cards at the campsite outside.
Venice is exactly what you would picture it to be. If you ever visit, make sure that you have plenty of time. It would be easy to see all of the tourist attractions in one day, but to really experience it - and it is worth it - taking extra time is best. We were able to get away from the beaten path and experience quiet areas of Venice, where people actually lived and we weren't crowded by tourists the entire time. One of my favorite stops on our vacation.
Thanks for reading.
