Day 3 (April 22, 2017): The City of Love
Due to the time change and exhaustion, we didn't wake until 8:30. After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel, we caught the bus at 10:45 into the City.
Situating Venice. The blue dot is where we are staying in nearby Mestre. "SR11" is the causway linking Venice to the mainland.
We were here over a decade ago in the extreme heat of July, which was almost unbearable. On that visit, I wasn't keen on paying for what I considered an exorbitant ride in a kitschy gondola. In hindsight, that was like taking your wife to Paris and cheaping out on the Eiffel Tower. For the last decade, it has been a running joke between Pam and I (with a wee bit of lingering resentment, perhaps?!). So, many years ago, I decided I would make it up to her on her 50th birthday. And hence, the reason for this leg of the trip.
There are no cars in Venice. Rather, water buses ("vaporetti") and water taxis ply the canals to take people around. The main canal that winds through the city is the Grand Canal. Where that canal opens to the bay is Saint Mark's Square, with its imposing bell tower and cathedral. The Square is arguably the heart of Venice.
We started our day by taking a vaporetto to Saint Mark's. Thinking Venice would be nice and quiet in April, we were shocked to find the square crawling with tourists, more than we had seen at peak summer on our last visit. The lines to access the Cathedral (where Saint Mark's bones lie), the bell tower, and the Doge's Palace (including the famous dungeon where Casanova was held), were prohibitively long.
The Cathedral and Piazza San Marco (St. Marks' Square), where the bones of St. Mark are buried. Interesting factoid: two merchants sneakily stole his bones in the Middle East and brought them to Venice in a barrel of pork.
This is the front of St. Mark's. As important as the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul is to Islam, St. Mark's is deemed by many to be of equivalent importance to Christianity.
Having seen those sights before, we opted for a more leisurely walk around the square and decided to take our long-awaited gondola ride!
Gondolas lined up near St. Mark's Square
Heading for the Bridge of Sighs. The building to the right is where the infamous Casanova was imprisoned for going after the Doge's wife.
The Bridge of Sighs
Making good on a 2005 mess-up: "the gondola ride that never was now has been!"
We all have magical moments that we look back upon in life and recall every detail. This was definitely one of those moments for us.
Our gondolier was a proud third generation gondolier. He serenaded us, gave us the low-down on the sights and, when he learned we are Canadians, proudly told us Michael Buble had been in his gondola in 2014. We meandered under the Bridge of Sighs and through many quiet canals. I realize now what a mistake it was not to have done this on our last visit!
Beaming after our gondola experience, we hopped another vaperetto for the island of Maurano, known for its famous coloured glass. The island is filled with glass workshops and stores selling the incredible glass creations. Walking around under the blue sky in the 18-Celsius temperature, we were pleased we decided to visit Maurano, as it has a much quieter pace than the heart of Venice.
Church and bell tower in (relatively) quiet Maurano
We had cappucinos and panini sandwhiches in a cafe for lunch, and then headed back to Saint Mark's Square to explore some more churches in the Dorsoduro and San Polo sections of the city. We ended the day with dinner by the Rialto Bridge and made it back to the Hilton by 8pm.
The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Basilica of St. Mary of Health), commonly known simply as La Salute, is one of the largest churches of Venice and has the status of a minor basilica. It stands in a prominent position at the junction between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco on the lagoon.
A quiet canal in Dorsoduro.
The Rialto Bridge, one of Venice's best-known landmarks
Looking down the Grand Canal at dusk, from the Rialto Bridge
Tomorrow, we will see a few more Venetian sights and then head to the airport after lunch for surprise destination #3...
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