Veni, Vidi, Venice!
The Merchant of Venice, The Tourist, The Italian Job and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, these are just some of the movies filmed in Venice.
I was so excited to finally visit Venice from my few days’ stay in Florence following the footsteps of Robert Langdon in Dan Brown’s novel, Inferno. Luckily, I arrived in the morning at Santa Lucia Station which is just five minute walk to my hotel. After having my breakfast at a coffee shop next door, I hastily went to Piazza San Marco or St Mark’s Square, as if I was thrilled to witness a Carnival in Venice.
Venice is the birthplace of the famous Giacomo Casanova, as well as of Marco Polo. We all know that Marco Polo is a famous merchant and explorer who traveled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. He stayed in China most of those years and traveled to other Asian cities. He met Kublai Khan (Kublai Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan, was at one time the leader of the Mongolian Empire that laid claim to Central Asia, Russia, China, Northern India, and the entire Middle East).
Venice is a unique city built on mud and sand. It is situated across a group of 117 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges; it is the best-preserved city in Europe. With the construction of the arsenal that began around 1104, during the Republican era, Venice was famous in shipbuilding. To put them on the pilgrimage map, a popular legend told how Venetian merchants had stolen the supposed relics of Mark the Evangelist, who was thought to have died in Alexandria, Egypt. They smuggled the bones ‘by hiding them in a barrel of salt pork, which the Muslim officials would be too fastidious to pry into’. The relics are kept at the city’s famous landmark named after Mark the Evangelist, their patron saint: the Saint Mark’s Basilica.
There are many important sites in Venice to visit such as Saint Mark’s Basilica, Dodges Palace, Rialto Bridge, museums, etc. Plus, there are various cafés, restaurants, and retail shops to browse around. And if you are on a quest for an authentic Italian made product, for sure a tiny Murano glass souvenir or jewelry is a perfect choice to add to your collection of souvenirs from your travels abroad without adding too much weight on your luggage. To me the number one activity one should not miss when in Venice is to go on a gondola ride. Cruising through its busy canals is just simply magical. The streets and intricate passageways are also exciting to explore.
They say you haven’t really been to Venice if you haven’t experienced the thrill of getting lost. I enjoyed the excitement of getting lost in Venice. It evoked a paradoxical feeling of being frustrated at the same time exhilarated while trying to find my way back to the hotel. I remember I was cautiously taking my time not to tire myself too much, knowing that there’s no lift in the hotel where I was staying. I needed the energy to climb up by stairs to my room that’s located on the fourth floor. It was fun being in the main areas, exploring the city during the day. It’s more exciting to soak up the romantic atmosphere and admire its beauty at night when the crowd is fewer. For sure, you will love Venice too as much as I did.
There are no automobiles in Venice, as there are no roads. If you are a tourist looking for the usual “city bus sightseeing tour”, then this is not the place. However, you can take water taxi or water bus, where you can literally hop-in and hop-off at its designated stations. It is also a perfect way for sightseeing along the Grand Canal. Or, you can walk around the narrow busy streets and many bridges which to me is the most exciting activity to do in Venice. When stuck, take a moment and go to a coffee shop. They are everywhere. Ask for business cards. Normally, there is a map at the back of the business card that shows your exact location as well as the famous landmarks such as Rialto Bridge and San Marco. It could help you decide which direction to head to next. No matter how confusing it may seem, it will eventually take you to your desired destination.
Enjoy Venice. It’s simply awesome!
For my other blogs about Italy, please visit the link here.
https://visitjoana.com/tag/italy/
