By For a couple of years, i wanted to explore VENICE.
Admire monuments, churches and museums, cross bridges, abandon oneself in the alleys, forget about car traffic, walk or used vaporetto…l love the idea!
The Airport is on the north bank of the laguna, about 30 minutes from the city center of Venice, by boat or vaporetto though the company Alilaguna. There are other transportation (buses, trains, taxis) i chose this one.
From the very first moment the charms operates , the effect when you come to the laguna is unforgettable. Arriving at the San Marco square, the Doges’s palace and the Campanile, face us.
In the center of the city, we are going to visit all around us, the districts of Castello, San Paolo and Dorsoduro.
Finally, the carnival period seems to me the perfect moment for a first time, if we leave the crowd behind.
Being the victim of its success Venice attracts the world. The San Marco square on the inauguration day is outstanding, but you’re not alone enjoying the show and walking though the streets requires a lot of patience.
After the San Marco district, the city is for you. You must wander, it’s just a pleasure, you will find the authentic Venice, its inhabitants, its small merchants…just a few steps aways, in the district of Castello or Dorsoduro, where there are three important museums : the Gallery dell’Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim collection, the Dogana alla Salute Foundation.
The Serenissime as we imagine it’s grandiose, sublime, its Palazzi, its churches richly decorated, its museums and the gondola so emblematic of the place ; of course the gondola is very romantic, but romanticism has a price to pay, fortunately it’s negotiable.
An obligated visit, to see the place (it is the oldest coffee of the piazza San Marco-1720) to taste a good hot chocolate at the Florian coffee shop.
I would really like to be able to wear a costume, during the carnival, just for one day ; if you want to rent or buy some of them two good addresses :
Workshop Marega (Maschere & Costumi) : there are incredible masks, and sublime outfits.
Magie di Carnevale (Maschere & Costumi d’Epoca) : a little more affordable than the previous one, a multitude of handmade masks, beautifully crafted, stamped made in Italy.
For museum enthusiast, as i have previously said, there is the Dorsoduro district with the Galleria dell’Accademia, where you can see Venetian painting from XIV to XVIII century.
And the Peggy Guggenheim collection which occupies the Venier dei Leoni Palace, there is an accumulation of modern art paintings : Picasso, Dali, Pollock, Kandinsky…
And the Islands
Burano at 40 minutes in vaporetto of the St Mark’s square, to see the beautiful colorful houses and its lace craftsmanship.
Murano known for its expertise and skills of its craftsmen in glass blast technique. You can admire the créations at Murano Collezioni of the most famous glassworkers such as Barovier&Toso, Carlo Moretti and VENINI.
Torcello it’s hard to imagine that island was once occupied by 20 000 inhabitants ; there are more sheep than people, it’s so quiet. There is the Santa Maria Assunta to visit on this island.
This is the end of my Venice trip, which only leaves me with the desire to come back and i wish for you to visit the Serenissime.
So as people in Italy used to say, arriverderci !
