Venice

Venice is one of the most interesting and wonderful places in the world. Imagine the audacity of building a city of marble palaces on a lagoon – and that was only the start. This sanctuary on a lagoon is virtually the same as it was six hundred years ago, which adds to the fascinating character.

Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you’ve seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. With canals where streets should be, water shimmers everywhere. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient.

You might get lost exploring Venice through its narrow alleyways, but then you would invariably end up at the Piazza San Marco, where tourists and locals gather for a coffee or an aperitif. Even frequent travelers lose their way in the intricate network bridges, pedestrian alleys and canals, but this the beauty of Venice. Take a stroll from the palace to the piazza, exploring the museums, shopping at street stalls, and being fascinated by the harmonious blend of the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Italian architectural influences.

The ideal time to travel to Venice is between April to June or September to October when the temperature is mild and the crowds are sparse. July to mid-September is peak season. It is the rainy season during February and March. August is humid and Venice is run over by tourists and Italians who also have their vacation during this time.

The city is served by the Marco Polo airport and has connections to all major European and International cities. The Antonio Canova airport is a smaller one, located near the city Treviso.

The airport is connected to the Venezia Mestre railway station and is also convenient to reach Verona, Milan, Trieste, Padova and other cities of Italy. It is just a 5 minutes’ walk to the railway station of Venice, from Piazzale Roma. Scheduled bus services also connect the airport to the bus terminal of Piazzale Roma in Venice. You have the choice of taking a bus or a taxi.

Enjoy the unique experience of traveling in a water taxi which is also the most comfortable, though expensive, way to reach your hotel in Venice, or to Venice Cruise Port terminal or to the Lido di Venezia which is a big island near Venice.

Water is the major way of transportation, as Venice is on a lagoon. Whichever way you reach Venice, the final part of your travel will be on foot from the waterbus / watertaxi jetty.

The modern building in the Santa Croce area houses the Venice Santa Lucia station. The station is a convenient point from where the main tourist attractions of the city are reachable by walking down Strada Nuova or by taking a water bus. The Santa Lucia station is well connected to all major European and Italian cities like Milan, Rome, Venice, Zurich, Paris and Munich.

Venezia-Mestre is another prominent railway station outside Venice. Do check your train ticket to ensure if this is your destination. If so, alight here to take another train or bus to the Santa Lucia station.

Standing in the middle of the magnificent Piazza San Marco is an experience in itself. It was aptly described as the ‘drawing room of Europe’ by Napoleon, as at times it appears that much of Europe’s population has gathered in this great square.

The square is home to the some of Venice’s most famous landmarks, the St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), which marks Venice’s links to the Byzantine era, the Doge’s Palace, which was once Venice’s political and judicial center, and the clock tower (Torre dell’Orologio), which was built between 1496 and 1506. Now a days, the square teems with tourists and pigeons but stills stands magnificent and it could take a couple of days to explore all the sights it has to offer.

Venice’s basilica provides an impressive sight with its byzantine domes and 8500 sq. m. of glowing mosaics. It has been standing tall since the 9th century. Legend has it that two merchants smuggled out of Egypt, the dead body of St. Mark, in a barrel of pork fat. Some say they smuggled out Alexander the Great’s dead body instead, by mistake.

The basilica is well-known for its fascinating secret places and invaluable treasures. The Zen Chapel and the Baptistery are not open to public. Admission to the basilica is free, but the entrance fee to the museum upstairs costs €5 and for the view of the high altar and treasury, €2.

The Accademia is a historic museum gallery that traces the development of Venetian art from the 14th to the 18th centuries. It showcases the works of Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and Canaletto among others, not to forget, Da Vinci’s Vitruvian man.

The prestigious center of the Scuola Grande of Santa Maria della Carita houses the estate of the Accademia Galleries. The collection were housed in the Santa Maria della Carita convent in serenity until 1807 when Napoleon installed his haul of the Venetian art trophies in the Accademia and since then the visual appeal of the gallery has increased.

If the basilica was the nerve center of the Venetian Republic, the Palazzo Ducale or the Doge’s Palace was the seat of government of Venice for centuries. The Gothic palace was the Doge’s official residence from the 9th century. It was the seat of the Venetian court of law and civil administration and the Republic’s government and also housed the prisons for almost seven centuries. The first floor of the grand palace was the Doge’s Apartments, but the masterpiece is the lavishly decorated second floor chambers.

The home to the Doge’s throne, is the grand Sala del Maggior Consiglio (Grand Council Hall) which also houses the “Paradise”, a 22m x 7m painting by Tintoretto.

If the lines are long at the palace, regular tickets can also be purchased across the square at the Museo Correr. “Secret Itinerary” is an interesting guided tour costing twenty Euros. This tour lets you explore the part of the palace where the city’s administration functioned, the jail where Casanova was imprisoned and the wonderful 500-year-old roof structure.

One of the famous architectural landmark of the city, the Clock Tower, stands over an arch that leads into the main shopping street, the old Merceria.

St Marks Square was not only the seat of political and religious power but was also a public space of economic activity. It faced the sea and placed a functional role as the hub for the entire layout of the city. The clock tower marked both a division and juncture between different architectural components of St Marks square. The clock tower is a technological masterpiece and is an essential part of the image of Venice. It has stood the test of time for over 500 years, being a silent witness to life and history of the city.

Designed by Maurizio Codussi, the clock tower was constructed between 1496 and 1506. The addition of the wings are sometimes attributed to Pietro Lombardo, who later rebuilt the Procuratie. The wings, which not so distinct, were probably was designed by Gonella, the then proto (manager, in charge of buildings) of St. Mark’s. The Madonna is above the clock face. During Ascension week and Epiphany, statues of the Three Wise Men emerge to pass in front of Mary and Child in a procession. The hours and minutes are indicated in Roman and Arabic numerals on either sides of the Madonna figurine. Dating from 1858, this feature is one of the earliest examples of a digital clock!

The best way to see the Grand Canal is to hop on to the omnipresent waterbus, called a vaporetto, The canal is no longer crowded with cargo boats, but is still the main thoroughfare of Venice. The three and half kilometer trip from the railway station to San Marco, will help you understand how Venice works, giving you a beautiful introduction to the city. Every family of high repute had a palazzo on the waterfront. These were not for snob value but they were prominent commercial enterprises. Their designs are both practical and eye-catching.

The tickets for the vaporetto must be bought before boarding at most stops, or at the Venezia Unica office. If you board at a stop where the tickets are not sold, a single-trip ticket can be purchased on board. Tickets are available

If you intend to stay in Venice for a few more days, plan a visit to the islands of the Venetian Lagoon – Murano and Burano in particular.