Before going to Italy we would tell people where we were going and when we said Venice no one seemed that excited about it. So we didn't really know what to expect. Our last night in Rome we met an American couple at dinner who had just been to Venice and were raving about it. So we were more excited to see Venice. I have to say Venice was great and if you are going to Italy it is definitely worth a day or two. It is just like nothing you have ever seen before.
Our first night in Venice featured this.......
Awesome right? It was right in the center of town on St. Mark's Square.
Of course the canals and gondolas. This made the city so unique, but the gondolas were a total rip off at 80 euros for thirty minutes...no thanks! We enjoyed watching everyone else on them.
The Rialto Bridge. It was lined with vendors on each end and made for a fun walk through.
The Grand Canal. This is the main canal that runs through Venice. We took a water bus from the airport all the way down this canal and were dropped off right next to the Rialto Bridge.
One of the many amazing canals/streets. We really enjoyed just walking around and exploring the city. You would get lost and find streets that would run into a canal with no bridge. It was like a maze trying to find streets with bridges. Buying a great map was key in this city.
Campanile di San Marco
St Mark's Basilica and the clock tower back to the left
Stopping to take in the views
Right outside the Peggy Guggenheim Museum which was definitely worth a visit. It was her personal home and personal collection of art.
The second day we went over to the island of Murano. This island was and is the pioneer for glass-blowing. We went to a glass museum and it was amazing. The things you can do with glass is unbelievable. Some of the stores could have been museums.
Because glass is so famous here you could find it everywhere. This picture does not even give it justice. If you are in the market for glass Murano and Venice are the places to go.
Another thing that was everywhere besides glass was these theater masks. I am still not quite sure why, but I guess the guy that made the mask for the movie Eyes Wide Shut lives in Venice. This city had a lot to offer in the ways of shopping and Justin and I definitely turned into a couple of window shoppers.
Ciao!
--Marisa
