A View of Venice

One of the biggest joys of Venice is wandering the various streets and alleyways and getting "lost" in lightly trodden back streets. Believe me, getting lost (both literally and figuratively) in Venice is a fairly simple task - simply take a side street and aim away from the Lista di Spagna, the Rialto and Piazza San Marco. Beyond the tourist streets, you find some beautiful churches, local shops, and even a few open air markets. Part of the magic of Venice is exploring.

One of the trickiest parts of Venice can be locating your hotel, especially if you're going on the budget or off-the-beaten-path route. Make sure your hotel gives you good directions, the streets of Venice are not exactly straight.

Of course there are requisite stops like Piazza San Marco (including a trip inside the Basilica), the Doge's Palace (even the L22,000 ticket price shouldn't prevent a visit here), a stroll down the Lista di Spagna and across the Rialto bridge, and a trip down the Grand Canal by boat.

Quick Tips:

For an overview of Venice via the Grand Canal, hop on vaporetto #1 (#82 also works, but is almost too fast for a good view) outside the train station (Ferrovia dock) or car park (tronchetto dock). For a trip down the canal, make sure the boat is headed to your left (down the canal) - if it's headed right you'll go out into the lagoon and around the island (an interesting experience, but ride down the canal first). Also, for a trip on a cheap (and ultra short) trip on a gondola, catch a "traghetto" across the canal. Since there are only 3 bridges across the canal, locals use gondolas to cross the canals. For about L700 you can ride across on a traghetto (FYI - locals stand in the boat while crossing - only tourists sit down). (For a real gondola ride, expect to shell out between L120,000-L200,000 for a forty minute ride, with an additional L170,000-L190,000 for "musica" - a singer and accordian player.)

Best Way To Get Around:

Part of the magic of Venice can only be enjoyed on foot. The automobile-free streets are a nice change of pace from the rest of Italy. The narrow back streets have a kind of romantic quality to them.

If your feet are aching just listening to me talk, vaporettos are the cheapest form of public transportation through Venice (though cheap is relative - one ride is L6,000 - really not that cheap for the equivalent of a bus ride). Beyond that, there are the "water taxis", which can be helpful for getting luggage to your hotel, but are a little pricey for everyday use.

NOTE: This is now called "Albergo Marin", and the 2003 rates were 45-89 Euro for a double w/o bath, and 55-99 with.

Hotel Marin is situated about 3 minutes from the train station (across the canal behind the church with the green dome). It''s a friendly 19 room place that is a great value, but located a bit out of the way. It''s run by the friendly and English-speaking Bruno, Nadia and their son Samuel. The hotel has city maps at the front desk, and with its close proximity to the train station (cross the bridge, first left, first right, first right) this can save you a trip to the often crowded tourist office. There is an Internet cafe (with limited hours) and a laundromat very closeby.

In March, we paid L125,000 for a double with a shared bath, paying cash. Included in the price of your room is a modest but satisfying breakfast - rolls, jam, biscotti, orange juice and cappucino, expresso, tea or hot chocolate. This is the typical Italian breakfast - it''s rare to find a typical American breakfast with eggs and bacon served in Italy.

The only complaint we had about the hotel was it''s proximity to sights - it was either a LONG walk or a costly vaporetto ride away from most of the sights.

I forgot to take a picture of our hotel room unfortunately, but it was comfortable and relatively quiet with slightly mis-matched furniture, two small closets which included two drawers each, a much appreciated reading light over the bed, and a well-lit mirror above the sink. For more information about the hotel or to see pictures, etc. visit the Hotel Marin website.

Venice can stretch a tight budget, and the best way to save money that I've found is to "picnic" for lunch and/or dinner. Picnicking is techinically not allowed in Venice, so keep a low profile (don't spread out your blanket in the middle of the square and chow down). We often found a bench or out of the way set of stairs to sit on.

Gastronomias, snack bars and alimentari shops are pretty easy to find in Venice, even along the Lista di Spagna. You can easily snag a huge calzone and a bottle of Coke for L6,000. Add to that a piece of fruit from the market or one of the stands along the Lista di Spagna, and you've got a cheap and filling meal. Pizza to go is also a good option - see if you can find a place that heats the pizza up on a sandwich grill rather than nuking it in the microwave (though such places are becoming harder and harder to find). Finish off your meal with a gelato or a pastry from the mouthwatering shops near Piazza San Marco.

The Basilica di San Marco is one of my favorite churches in Italy. The Byzantine architecture, the heavy use of gold inside, the story of Saint Mark told in the frescos above the entrances, there's just something special about San Marco.

In order to enter the church (as with most every church in Italy) modest dress is required - no bare shoulders or shorts (though some guards are lax about the shorts policy). T-shirts are often sold at kiosks outside the church for those who forgot to bring a sweater or scarf to put over their shoulders. The lines to get into the church can be long, even in the off-season. People without proper attire tend to hold up the line while they beg for an exception to the rule.

The church has thousands of meters of mosaics, telling the stories of everything from Adam and Eve to Noah and the ark to stories of the saints. If you stop and look down at the floor, it too is covered with beautiful mosaics. The church was constructed in 1094, and is the third church to be built on the site since St. Mark's body was reputedly buried there in 828. The exterior is decorated with marble brought back after the Venetian conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1204. In fact, decoration of the exterior continued until the sixteeth century. The church's proximity to Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) made the church an integral part of the political structure of the city as much as the spiritual structure. Venetians and other visitors who came to worship here were aware that they were guests of the Doge, rather than the Pope. Until the mid 1800s, the Bishop of Venice actually used San Pietro di Castello on the eastern outskirts of the city, as his church and not the Basilica di San Marco.

The interior of the church is especially beautiful when lit. The schedule is rather unpredictable, but you may want to try around noon on weekdays or early afternoon on Saturday or Sunday. It is usually lit for the 4:45pm Mass on Saturday.

After seeing the inside of the church, journey into the small museum upstairs (the stairs are inside the atrium, right near the entrance to the sanctuary) (cost - L3,000) to see the recently restored original bronze horses from the balcony, and a view of the Square from the balcony. The original horses are well-traveled - they were taken to Rome by Nero, Constantinople (Istanbul) by Constantine, Venice by Crusaders, Paris by Napolean and then back to Venice and into the museum.

Also, for L10,000 you can take an elevator ride to the top of the Campanile (bell tower) just outside the church, for a beautiful view of Venice. (However, if you're short on cash, I'd skip the Campanile.)

Since the "Museum of the City and the Civilization of Venice" is now included (whether you like it or not) in the price of admission to the Doge's Palace, take some time to visit this museum of the city's history. It has halls full of armor, banners and paintings of the days of the Venetian Republic and the reign of the Doge. On the second floor are the red and maroon robes once worn by the doges. The top floor has a great overview of Venetian art, and just before the cafeteria and exit is an interesting room full of traditional Venetian games (both for children and adults). The museum has great English descriptions throughout, so there is no need to worry if it is not included in your guidebook.

Hours are 9:00-19:00 daily April-Oct, and 9:00-17:00 daily Nov-March.

Cost: L18,000 (combo ticket including Museo Correr, Palazzo Mocenigo - textiles and costumes, Mueso del Vetro di Murano - glass museum on Murano, and Museo del Merletto - lace museum on Burano). Ticket is valid for 3 months.
Hours: 9:00-19:00 daily, April - Oct and 9:00-17:00 daily, Nov - March. Last admission 90 minutes before closing.

The Palazzo Ducale was the seat of the Venetian government and the home of its ruling duke, or doge, for 400 years. The palace was built to show off the power and wealth of the Venetian Republic. The facades of the building have been newly restored. In the courtyard, notice the doge's private entrance into the Basilica di San Marco, and the grand staircase that everyone had to climb to see the doge. As one guidebook put it, "this was the beginning of an architectural power trip." The tour is a one-way trip through his quarters, the public rooms on the top floor, the Bridge of Sighs and the prison.

The doge's quarters are on the first floor, near the halls of power. As the elected-for-life ruler of this "republic", he lived here with his family. Beyond his quarters, you see (among other rooms) the Senate room, Armory and the Hall of the Grand Council. The Hall of the Grand Council is where the entire nobility met to elect the Senate and the Doge. The hall is 180 feet long with a capacity of 2,000 people. Behind the throne is Tintoretto's Paradise, which is the world's largest oil painting.

Crossing the Bridge of Sighs, you enter the prisons. The doges could jail, sentence and punish their enemies within the walls of their own home. Yikes.

If you don't have a good guidebook, the L7,000 audioguides (available in English, French, German and Italian) are worth the money. There is a short English description in each room in the palace, but the audioguide has much more detail.

The best way to start your stay in Venice is with a trip down the canal. One of the best and most inexpensive ways to do this is on vaporetto #1. Catch the vaporetto outside the train station or car park, and ride slowly down the canal, soaking in the city. Vaporetto #1 is best - it's the "local" boat, Vaporetto #82 is the express boat and is too quick for a good overview. The ride has the fewest crowds early in the morning. Try to grab a front seat, or stand near the front and try to grab a spot when one opens up.

Before you get on the boat, take a look at the bridge spanning the canal by the train station. This is the first (geographically, not chronologically) of only 3 bridges which span the Grand Canal. The train station itself is one of the only modern buildings in town, built in 1954.

Along the way, you'll see the Ca d'Oro - the "House of Gold" with the frilly-edged roof (which was once gilded - hence the House of Gold). This palace is considered the most elegant of the Venetian Gothic palaces.

The Rialto Bridge is second bridge crossing the Grand Canal, and the third bridge to stand in this spot - the first two could open to let ships through. However in 1592 the Grand Canal was closed to shipping and the existing Rialto Bridge was built, lined with shops. The bridge was quite an engineering feat in its day - it spans 42 meters and has a foundation stretching 200 meters on each side of the canal.

While you cruise along, notice the traffic signs along the canal. Venice's main "street" is often crowded with traffic - taxis, police boats, garbage boats, post office boats, even brown-and-white UPS boats. And of course there are the black gondolas - the symbol of Venice. If you glance at your driver, you may see him curse the gondoliers for getting in his way. Speaking of drivers, how are those dockings going - smooth as glass, right?

Venice is a city of palaces, the most lavish of which front the canal. However, the rising water level (due to the sinking of the city) is slowly overtaking these buildings. Many of these buildings have first floors that sit unused, and moss covers much of the bottoms of the buildings. Also, notice how many of the steps down to the canal now seem to decend quite a ways into the canal itself.

The Accademia bridge is the third and final bridge across to span the Grand Canal on your trip to Piazza San Marco. The bridge was put up as a temporary fix in 1932, but the locals liked it, so it stayed. Beyond the bridge on the right is the Salute Church, built as thanks to God when the devestating plague of 1630 passed.

Before you get off at San Marco (the San Zaccaria stop), look out across the lagoon at the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore, the church that seem to float on the water. To the right is the island of Guidecca.

Venice at night is a magical place. There's something about the lights of the city reflecting off the waters of the canal that just gets to me, I guess. At night, Piazza San Marco is lit by floodlights that cast an orangish glow over the area. Guys peddle (sometimes rather aggressively, to the annoyance of my husband) roses to anyone who looks like they might buy one. Couples in gondolas sit cuddled together, their gondolier rowing them along the canal.

My favorite way to capture the magic of Venice at night is walk hand-in-hand with my husband down the "boardwalk" along the lagoon (near the San Zaccaria vaporetto stop), just soaking in the atmosphere. Try it yourself sometime with your significant other. Stop at the top of one of the bridges along the way and wave at the people below floating by in a gondola. At the top of the second bridge, gaze right and marvel at the beauty of the lights of the carbineri station reflecting off the waters of the little canal. After a while, catch a vaporetto up the canal to the Rialto. Walk up to the top of the bridge and gaze out at the canal. Grab a gelato to share. After your feet get tired, wander back to your hotel through the back streets. Hear the locals having dinner at the various neighborhood Osterias and Ristorantes. As you walk the less trodden streets, you may stumble across a hidden piazzale or a small park along the canal.

When you get back to the hotel, sooth your sore feet by giving each other footrubs.

Many people know that Venice is slowly sinking. A study published in the year 2000 by Albert Ammerman says that the city has "sunk" 24 centimeters in the past 100 years. (For all you metrically challenged people - that's 9.5 inches). But is Venice sinking or the water rising? The answer is complex, but in simple terms - the answer to both questions is yes. Every year Venice floods (as often as 50-100 times a year) as a result of high tides and heavy rainfall. Studies show that global warming and changes in the winds and weather in the Adriatic sea are causing the sea level to rise as well.

We visited Venice in March, and while we didn't see a full-fledged flooding of the city, after a day and a half of light rain the waters of the canal and the lagoon were lapping over the edges of the walk near Piazza San Marco. At true "acqua alta" (high water) the entirety of Piazza San Marco is fully immersed under water. Some Venetians keep knee high (or higher) boots at both their home and place of business so they are prepared when the flood warning bell sounds.

In 1966, the city suffered the most significant flood. At that time, the city was covered in almost 1-2 meters (roughly 3-6 feet) of water. The flood almost destroyed the city, both historically and economically. When the water level rises too high, the vaporettos (the boat "buses" that serve the city) are not able to run because they can't fit under the bridges. When the water level reaches 4 feet, city workers are no longer allowed to lay down the network of raised wooden walkways that serve as makeshift sidewalks during times of high water, for fear that the walkways could be swept away by the high water.

These wooden walkways serve as a visable reminder of the battle between Venice and the sea. On our visit, it took us a while to figure out what all the low wooden tables piled up around Piazza San Marco, Lista di Spagna and other main pedestrian areas were. Reading in our guidebooks, we discovered they were not tables, they were the walkways. When not in use, especially during flood season, the walkways lay stacked in piles around the various tourist destinations.

Solutions to the problem are controversial and complex. The idea most often discussed is a project to build mobile floodgates at key inlets of the lagoon where the Adriatic pours in. Supporters say this will stop the devestating high tides that eat away at the foundations of the city, while opponents say the gates will threaten the ecological system of the lagoon and prevent the cleansing waters of the Adriatic from entering the lagoon. Another piece of the solution that has been discussed to raise the foundations of key areas of the city up to 100 centimeters (40 inches).

No matter how you look at it, Venice is in danger. The problem is centuries old, and the solutions are far from simple.

See links below for articles related to the flooding, including pictures of recent floods.

Tidal floods a part of life in watery Venice - interesting article about the flooding including several good pictures (one of Piazza San Marco underwater)

Artwork Documents Sinking Venice - how paintings from the 18th century can help document flooding

Can Venice Be Saved? - an article from TIME for Kids, but it is very well written, and has a picture of Piazza San Marco underwater.