Venice – Snapping The Globe

An Island of Color

Crowded vaporettos and August heat…it’s a wonder why anyone makes the trip to the Venetian islands during the summer months!

But with risk comes reward…

Having done the quickie tour of the Venetian islands the week before with some members of my crew, I had observed the uniqueness of Burano, Murano and Torcello and desired to share their beauty with my husband. On that particular trip, we had stopped for a short time on each island, but this time, I wanted to concentrate on only one. Burano, the island of color! With only having had such a short time in Burano, I was looking forward to seeking out every nook and cranny of the vibrant place with no eye on the clock.

Sweating profusely while in almost a full run to make the 9:40a.m. ferry at the Fondamente Nove vaporetto stop, I fully expected a particular question from my husband. It didn’t take long after we arrived…”So why aren’t we going to Murano? I have always wanted to go there.” Since I had visited Murano twice before, I really didn’t want to waste time being escorted into one of the glass blowing demonstrations that I had experienced on my past trips and besides, it was my birthday! I thought that I was going to get to do what I wanted to do!

Putting myself in his shoes, I realized that he doesn’t get to travel like I do and it might be a long time before he gets to come back. I decided to change the plan and told him that we would make the stop in Murano on the way back to the Venice later in the day, even if it was just for a short while.

Soon, we were on our way, squeezed into a row of seats, but thankfully near a window so that we could at least get some air while beads of sweat formed on our foreheads and rivers poured down our backs. The forty minute ride couldn’t have ended quickly enough and breathing a sigh of relief, we set foot on the dock and followed the crowds into the middle of the small village.

The brightly painted houses and shops were awaiting our arrival and we posed on every little bridge for a photo and walked down every small alleyway and canal. My husband was impressed with the intensity of the hues of all of the buildings, but mostly, he was checking out the boats parked in the canals!

After the obligatory photo of my husband pretending to hold up the leaning Il Campanile Storto, we headed in search of Bepi’s House. Not sure what we would find, we knew we had stumbled upon it when we spotted some Instagrammers trying to get the perfect shot.

While multiple hues abound in Burano, the house of Bepi Suà is the most colorful building on the island, decorated with geometric patterns such as circles, squares, and triangles in hues of yellow, orange, red, blue and green. Bepi, born Giuseppe Toselli, was a lover of painting and movies. After his position at the Cinema Favin was eliminated, he began to sell sweets in Galuppi Square and became known as Bepi of Candies. He soon began hosting an outdoor cinema at his house with a white sheet hung on the outside wall for the neighborhood children. Those same children remember him as a the strange man who was always painting new, colorful geometric shapes on those same walls each afternoon. The exterior was everchanging until his death in 2001.

We continued our explorations (with a quick stop for lunch and gelato, of course!) and ended up back at the Il Campanile Storto and its accompanying Church of Saint Martin Vescovo. Entering the church through its Renaissance styled doorway, it was quite interesting to note that the church really had no façade…only a doorway. Established in 1000, it was finally consecrated in 1645 by the Bishop of Torcello. Restored several times over the years, the main aisle and the pipe organ were destroyed by a fire in 1913, a tremendous loss as it was created by Callidio in 1767 and was considered to be one of the greatest masterpieces of the church. Other artistic pieces to seek out today, however, are the statue of Madonna in the atrium and statues of Sant’ Albano and San Martino, on the sides of the tabernacle, by Girolamo Bonazzo and a bronze statue of the “Risen Christ” over the tabernacle. Today, the church is a modest one mostly known for its 18th century leaning bell tower.

The Chapel of Santa Barbara was a short distance away…like next door. While quite small, it serves its purpose as a place of prayer and has its own small bell tower.

Feeling as though we had finally seen the entirety of Burano, we headed to the dock and took our place in the long line while waiting for the vaporetto.

While relief from the hot sun would have been wonderful, it was now time to crowd onto the vaporetto to fulfill my husband’s Murano dream…the least I could do!

Thank goodness it was a short ride!

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Il Campanile Storto

Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi, 20, 30142 Venezia, VE, Italy
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

Bepi’s House

Address: Corte del Pistor, 275, 30142 Venezia, VE, Italy
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

Church of Saint Martin Vescovo

Address: Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi, 20, Venice, VE Italy, 30142
Hours: 0800-1200 and 1500-1900, daily
Admission: free

Chapel of Santa Barbara

Address: Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi, 22, Venice, VE Italy, 30142
Hours: 0800-1200 and 1500-1900, daily
Admission: free

The Island Church

On an island, just across the Grand Canal, stands a bright white Palladian church, Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore.

Many times after visiting St. Mark’s square, I have stood on the banks of the waterway and stared at the church…it seemed untouchable.

Really not understanding the water taxi system, which seemed to be the way to reach this island, I was never comfortable trying to figure out how to get there, possibly making a mistake and ending up somewhere I didn’t plan. I always thought…next time. And next time never came…until I was visiting Venice with my husband one weekend.

Since two brains are better than one, together we deciphered the water taxi schedule and jumped on the one which we thought would get us there. It was a spontaneous decision and yes, it worked out…we made it across to the island!

As we pulled up to the dock, it suddenly dawned on me that we didn’t even know if the church was open to visitors…but at least we had made it there and figured that we could at least walk to the end of the island to see the lighthouse if it wasn’t.

First, we stood in the large plaza before the church and took in the basilica’s beautiful marble façade and the views of the city across the Venetian waters. Standing on the island, which was once called Insula Memmia (after the Memmo family who owned it) the church that once occupied the island, was consecrated to St. George. The San Giorgio Monastery was established in 982, when the entire island was donated for the monastery and it was built next to the church. In 1576, construction of the current church was begun.

Luckily, we found the church open for tourists and we began our explorations of the 16th century basilica.

Constructed by architect Andrea Palladio, the church’s spacious interior contains the usual things you might find in a basilica…chapels, tombs, altar, dome…but it is the artwork that takes center stage…both old and new.

Within the church’s three floors, paintings by Tintoretto were displayed including The Last Supper, The Entombment of Christ and The Fall of Manna as well as a significant masterpiece by Sebastiano Ricci, Madonna Enthroned With Saints. There were some modern pieces by Swiss artist Not Vital, Tintoretto (2020-2 silver boxes) found on the Main Altar, Pope Francesco (2020-2 silver boxes) found in the Main Chorus and the most impressive piece, House to Watch the Sunset (2021), found in the Transept, which is a large pyramid of stairs. This piece was created for the occasion of the 17th International Architecture Biennale.

*House to Watch the Sunset by Not Vital*

*Pope Francesco Silver Boxes by Not Vital in Main Chorus (far bottom right)*

Following the signs to the campanile, we paid our entrance fee and made our way to the top of the tower via the rapid ascent elevator. One of the finest examples of Venetian Gothic architecture, the bell tower was built in the 14th century by Pietro Lombardo and completed by Pietro Bellotto. From this vantage point, we had some of the most breathtaking views of the Venetian lagoon, the city and some of the nearby islands. We were also able to look down upon the cloisters of the monastery as well as gaze upward at the tower’s carillons. While the campanile of San Giorgio Maggiore is a little shorter than the Campanile di San Marco, one reason to make the trip to the island and make your way to the top, is that you don’t have to navigate its height via stairs, as you would at San Marco. I also think that the views from this perspective are more beautiful!

Exiting the church, we walked toward the harbor for an up close and personal look at the Lighthouse of San Giorgio Maggiore. While it is not one of the largest lighthouses I have ever seen, it is quite impressive with its clean masonry.

Finally, we headed back to the vaporetto dock and waited for the next boat. As it was the middle of August, it was extremely hot. The small enclosure, which offers protection from the cold and the rain, is not the best place to wait while the hot summer sun is bearing down. Dashing out back to the plaza in front of the church, we took more pictures and enjoyed the cool breeze coming off of the water until Vaporetto 2 was in sight.

Back to San Marco plaza, we headed, now feeling secure about our boat ride and how to navigate the Vaporetto system. This bit of confidence would serve us well for the rest of our trip as we navigated the city.
Another check on the Venetian bucket list…I no longer have to only wistfully stare at the beautiful church across the canal…I visited it!

There are many churches in the Venetian Islands, but this one is worth the trip!

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Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggio

http://www.abbaziasangiorgio.it/
Address: Isola di S. Giorgio Maggiore, 30133, Venezia VE, Italy
Hours: April to October, 0900-1800, daily. November to March, 0830 to 1800.
Admission: Church entrance, free. €6 for tower access
Getting There: Vaporetto (water taxi) 2 or N. You will need two one-way tickets or a 24 hour pass to visit the island. If your visit is about an hour, your 75 minute ticket may still be valid for the return.

The Long Awaited Ride

My first trip to Venice was over twenty years ago. After making a list of all the things I wanted to do and see during my visit, I remember what topped the list…a gondola ride.

When I arrived, I was mesmerized by the canals, the architecture, the shops, the museums, the squares, the food…basically everything around me! There was a picture on every corner and I desperately wanted to share the experience with my family, but not just through pictures.

That gondola ride?

It dawned on me how special it could be and it was something that I wanted to also share with my family…one day. So, I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

More than twenty years passed and the only gondola ride I ever took was on a traghetto, one of large gondolas that are used by locals and tourists to cross the Grand Canal, especially where there are none of the four bridges to cross its width. While it satisfied my desire to mark that item off of my bucket list, it didn’t cost much (about fifty cents at that time) and it was fun, I still desired that opportunity to have someone significant to share a real gondola ride with.

My husband’s and my anniversary and my birthday (which are a day apart) was coming up and we decided to take a weekend trip to Venice. After some exploration of the city, we found ourselves near the location of the Traghetto San Toma. We needed to cross the Grand Canal, so we dug out the 2 euros and waited to take our place on board. It was a quick crossing, but it gave my husband a taste of what was to come.

The day wore on as we traversed the city and I kept an eye out for the perfect place and time to hire a gondola…not just a traghetto. Having just returned on the water taxi from Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, we were trying to decide what our next move was. Crossing a small bridge, I noticed a sign advertising the price of the gondola ride at this location.

It was time!

After making an arrangement with the gondolier, we stepped gingerly into the beautifully carved black vessel, took our seats and were off, the gondolier poling us expertly away from the dock.

Gliding through the still waters of the small canal, we admired the passing architecture and listened as our gondolier, Giovanni, regaled us with the story of how the profession had been handed down to him from his father…he was the fourth generation of gondolieri!

It was interesting to learn how under a Venetian law, one must have been born in Venice to become a gondolier. Gondoliers go through rigorous training and must pass rowing and swimming tests as well as spend 12-18 months at an “arte del gondiliere” school where they take courses in a foreign language, Venetian history and culture, geography and rowing. Prospective gondolieri complete 400 hours of training before taking their exams and then they are able to register as a substitute gondolier, work the traghetti and join the exclusive 1000 year old Gondoliers Guild. Only 425 gondolier licenses are awarded by the city and each license is linked to a particular gondola station, so the gondoliers work in the same location.

With such a personable and informative gondolier, we were lucky that we had found that particular station!

The gondola that was our transportation for a half an hour was much like the rest that cruised the Venetian canals… wooden and ebony colored as it has been the since a law was passed in the 17th century. Before this time, the hand-made, flat-bottomed boats were painted in bright, bold colors until a Venetian doge ordered them all to be painted black. Each is 35-feet long and weighs more than 1100 pounds, but the most interesting thing I learned was that the port side of the gondola is nine inches wider than the starboard side so that the gondolier can stand there for balance.

As other gondolas passed in close proximity, I noticed that some wore red striped shirts and some wore blue, a uniform completed with dark blue or black trousers and black shoes. Giovanni explained that the Guild regulates the uniform of the gondolieri and that the emblem of the Gondoliers is embroidered on the shirts and jackets. While he didn’t wear a straw hat with a ribbon, I noticed others that did, discovering that they were optional.

While all of this was fascinating, it was just nice to relax and enjoy the moment, one that had been years in the making. The best part was that not only was I getting the ride that I had waited so long for with my husband, it was on our twenty-ninth wedding anniversary!

Now that was worth waiting for!

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Gondola Rides in Venice

https://www.introducingvenice.com/gondola-rides
Address: Locations throughout the city
€80 (about US$ 81.30). The price goes up to €100 (about US$ 101.60) from 7 pm onwards. If you want the gondolier to sing or to play an instrument during the ride, you will have to pay extra.

The Frari

If you ever wonder how many churches are in Venice and the islands, I have the answer for you.

About 137.

Sometimes, I go out in search of churches while visiting European cities, sometimes I just stumble upon them, as was the case while my husband and I were spending the weekend in Venice. With that many churches in such a relatively small expanse, its not hard to find one!

We had just arrived and were having lunch in the Campo dei Frari when I noticed the cross on the adjacent building. After a few pictures on the bridge, I edged toward the building and discovered the door open. Okay, my poor husband probably wanted to see the Bridge of Sighs and the Grand Canal, but surely we had a couple of minutes to see what was inside this church.

After paying our admittance, we quickly skimmed over the brochure and map handed to us and made our way throughout the interior.

What we learned was that this was no ordinary neighborhood church. The Gothic styled Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (or The Frari) is the largest church in the city and dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. This church’s beginnings go back to 1231 when land was donated with the intent of establishing a Franciscan monastery, however, grander ambitions prevailed. A three nave church was begun in 1250, however, it took eighty-eight years for its completion. Almost immediately, another church was begun…the current church, which still stands today. Taking over a century to build, the architectural footprint was reversed and a campanile was added; the second tallest in the city. The chapel of San Pietro was built from 1432-1434, the façade completed in 1440 and the main altar consecrated in 1469. Finally, the church was consecrated on May 27, 1492 with the name of Santa Maria Gloriosa.

While we found the exterior to be rather plain, the interior was filled with many grand wall monuments dedicated to distinguished Venetians buried in the church, including a number of Doges and the painter, Titian. The three naves were separated by twelve massive columns and spanned with wooden beams. It was slow work trying to take it all in and making our way throughout the church to see all that it had to offer.

After inspecting each of the monuments, which were placed where side chapels would ordinarily be located, we examined each of the important works of art that the church is known for; the masterpiece, Assumption of the Virgin on the high altar and altarpieces by Titian, the Madonna and Child with Saints (also known as the Frari Triptych) by Giovanni Bellini in its original frame and the altarpiece Madonna di Ca’ Pesaro, by Tiziano, Madonna with the Franciscan Saints by Bernardino Licinio, Donatello Sculpture in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist, Madonna with Franciscan Saints by Bernardina Licinio, Madonna and Child with Saints and Doge, by Paolo Venezia, Madonna Con Bambino E Santi by Jacopo from Faenza and the 13th century Crucifix on the left of the high altar. My favorite, however, was the Choir of the Monks (Coro dei Frati) in its original condition with 124 wooden stalls inlaid with views of Venice, created by Marco Cozzi, which sports the only rood screen (which separates the nave from the choir) still in place in Venice.

*Assumption of the Virgin on the High Altar*

*Madonna and Child with Saints (also known as the Frari Triptych)*

*Madonna with Franciscan Saints by Bernardino Licinio*

*Donatello Sculpture* in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist

*St. Mark and Saints in the Corners Chapel*

*Altar of Saint Peter (top left)*, *Monument Dedicated to the Doge Giovanni Pesaro (middle bottom)*

We also made our way outside on the right of the church and discovered the cloister. As much as I love spending time in ancient cloisters, I was disappointed as this one seemed to be quite neglected. While there were a few elaborately carved marble statues in the courtyard and on the balconies surrounding it, the beauty of these was overshadowed by the large amount of weeds growing through cracks in the flagstone.

While the monument to Antonio Canova (1827) would be something to take in, at this point in time, it was walled off for renovations. The pyramidal structure is dedicated to the neo-classical sculptor, built by his students and intended to house the heart of the sculptor Tiziano. The heart, however, was never interred here, brought to Passagno, his birth place. As most people are confused with the shape of the monument, it is clear if those understand that Canova was a Freemason and that the pyramid is the symbol of the Great Architect of the Universe.

Finally, we headed toward the exit. In most churches, one would expect to see a pipe organ in the loft above, however, the loft was absent and a beautiful sculptural work decorated the wall around the main doorway. Definitely a way to continue to engage visitors upon their exit!

Stepping out into the sunshine, it was clear we were in Venice with a canal and bridge spread out before us. While it was time to head to some of the city’s more famous sights, I was glad that we had made the time to visit this ancient church!

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Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

https://www.basilicadeifrari.it/
Address: Campo dei Frari, San Polo 3072, 30125 Venezia, Italia
Hours: June 1-September 30, Monday-Thursday, 0900-1930. Friday, 0900-2300. Saturday 900-1800. Sunday, 1300-1800.
Admission: Adults, €5,00. Student (under 30 with ID card). €2,00, Senior (over 65 years), €3,00. Children (ages 0-11 years), residents of Venice, disabled travelers and assistants, authorized tour guides and leaders, free.
Getting There: From the train station and from Piazzale Roma (bus terminal) On foot: about 15 minutes, follow signs towards Frari-Rialto. By vaporetto: take Linea 1 or Linea 2, San Marco bound, get off at San Tomà stop. From Saint Mark’s square On foot: about 25 minutes, follow signs towards Ferrovia-Piazzale Roma. By vaporetto: Linea 1 or Linea 2, Ferrovia bound – get off at San Tomà stop.

Here In the Venetian Isles

When I began thinking about writing this post, the first things that popped into my head was the song from Gilligan’s Island.

Just sit right back and you hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip…

While we were on a three hour tour (or pretty close) and we kind of had a skipper and a first mate (the two who planned the tour). The only things in common with Gilligan’s outing was that we were taking a boat and heading to some islands, but we were praying that it would not be a fateful trip! Thankfully, it was anything but, however, there were some times I was doubtful.

Although I had been to the Venetian island of Murano, many years ago, I had never made it to any of the others. When approached by some of my friends about taking a tour that his wife had set up, I instantly agreed. It sounded like a day of sun and fun! It also ended up being a day with a few challenges!

Finding out where our boat would be picking us up was the first challenge. We wondered if we had walked over the bridge to the wrong location, but after some pacing, self-doubt and frantic internet searches, we saw the boat sidling up to the pier…a few minutes late.

Making our way across the gangplank, we were on our way.

First stop, Murano.

The ride across the Venetian Lagoon was not long, however, we were fortunate that one of us had the forethought to bring a small ice chest filled with champagne and beer…you know…to pass the time. Now, whether this was allowed or not…I can only say that we were not asked to stop and we even shared with some other tourists!

A couple of drinks later, I noticed that the lighthouse at the entrance to the harbor of Murano was growing closer. Making our way into the main canal, the boat eventually pulled up to the pier, allowing us to disembark. We were ushered into one of the many glassmaking studios to witness a glassblowing demonstration, which I remembered from my first visit. After its completion, I made my way along the canal boardwalk. Peering into the many Venetian glass shops, I admired the artistry, resisting the temptation to pull out my wallet and bring home a few colorful pieces.

Keeping up my walk and an eye on the time, my internal radar led me to…what else? A church. The Renaissance church of Santa Maria degli Angeli was built in 1188 and then rebuilt in 1529. Though it was not open, I was able to make my way throughout the property and admire the exterior architecture.

Returning to the banks of the Canale degli Angeli, I strolled along, photographing and admiring the beauty of the day and my surroundings. The last time I had been here, was during winter. Bitterly cold, we had only concentrated on a few shops that day and one of the glassblowing demonstrations. In the bright sunshine of this summer day, the buildings were distinctive and the water sparkled. It was much more stunning than I had remembered.

I spotted my companions up ahead near the Ponte Longo Lino Toffolo (bridge). Pausing for some quick photos, we then ran back to the meeting point to depart on our boat for the next island, Torcello.

A short ride later, with some additional drinks and snacks picked up in Murano, we were arriving at the island’s pier. Time was limited and I wanted to see as much as I could. While my travel companions opted to take a seat at one of the restaurants to have another drink, I headed to the 7th century Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta. A small line snaked from the entrance, so I opted to only enter the Byzantine Church of Santa Fosca and walk the grounds of the church and the Museo Provinciale di Torcello.

*Grounds of* *Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta*

As in Murano, time was limited and I made sure to leave enough for the long walk back to the pier, so as not to miss our boat’s departure. Running into one of my colleagues, we quickly walked to the gangplank, however, not seeing our other companions, whom he had left earlier at the restaurant, we begged the guide to wait a few more minutes. Running to the corner, we did not see them and quickly made the decision that we would miss the boat if they did not show. Finally, they came strolling around the corner! Thankfully, the boat had waited and we all hastily hopped on board, ready for Burano.

Thankful that we had all made it and didn’t have to figure out our own way to Burano or back to Venice, I eagerly anticipated our next stop. Burano, is the island that I was most excited for. Over the years, I had seen pictures and always planned for a trip. Usually arriving into Venice at mid-day, it was always a bit tough to make it to the ferry and over to Burano and back, so I had never made it a priority. Today, even with limited time on the tour, I planned to squeeze in as much as I could so that maybe on a future visit, I would be more prepared.

That first views of the colorful buildings of Burano was unlike anything I had ever imagined. Set against the bright blue sky, they were absolutely breathtaking! Deciding to stick together this time, the four of us headed along the banks of the canals and through the small alleyways that make up the island…well, until we lost one at a bar! Deciding to pick him up on our way back to the boat, we set out to explore more of the colorful fisherman’s village.

Striped curtains covered doorways, allowing both ventilation, privacy and a quaint charm. Many of the buildings offered Moorish influences and small bridges spanned the canals. We learned that that any person wishing to paint their building in Burano have to follow a specific system and submit a request to the government which, in turn, issues a permit for certain colors to allow for variety and yet, consistency.

While Murano is known for its glass making, Burano is known for its lace. There were many shops featuring the beautiful lace that the island is famous for. Lacemaking was started in the 16th century and continues today, although only a few lace makers create it in the traditional way. Beautiful examples of traditional lace and demonstrations can be found at the Lace Museum in the palace of Podesta of Torcello, though we only opted to admire the artistry from the shops lining the canal.

We spotted Burano’s leaning tower, located near the San Martino Church. Dating back to the 16th century, Il Campanile Storto tilts severely and can be viewed from many points throughout the island, including the nearby Piazza di Galuppi. While I had hoped to visit The Chapel of Santa Barbara and a few other notable landmarks, we had to make do with walking down the nearby main street and grabbing some refreshing gelato before seeking out our mislaid companion.

While he wasn’t where we initially left him, with a little luck, we found him otherwise engaged in conversation on a bench with a local, before we dragged him back to the boat!

Finally, our tour of the three islands completed, we headed back to Venice. with the sun falling lower in the evening sky. A magical day, I was happy with all that I had seen and that it was a day that I did not have to plan. Although my colleagues may have been a bit challenged with getting to the boat on time, we had made it back to Venice in time for dinner.

All four of us…the skipper, the first mate, Mr. Howell and me, the movie star…okay…okay…Mary Ann.

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Getting to Murano, Burano or Torcello

http://www.venice-guide.info/Water_Bus_Lines_Venice.php
There are many tours available which visit the three sister islands. Check with your hotel or a quick internet search will point you in the right direction.
Take a water bus or vaporetto. Line 3: Express line between bus station and main station to Murano (Non Stop), journey time about 20 minutes. Line 7: Direct lines between San Marco and Murano. Line 7 runs from the south of Venice to the island of Murano in the north of Venice. Line 12: From Venice to the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello and Mazzorbo from Fondamente Nove. Line 13: From Venice to the islands of Murano, Vignole and Sant Erasmo. Line 14: From San Marco to Lido, Punta Sabbioni and Burano.
Fares: 24 hour unlimited fare, 24€, 12 hour unlimited fare, 18€. One way fare, 7.50€.

The Merchants of Venice

The best thing about Venice is getting lost!

Try reading a map of Venice…there are so many little alleyways and narrow streets, it is almost impossible to make heads or tails of it. Carry a map with you, but use it in a general manner.

I love to enter the city and take any path, alley or bridge that comes my way. You never know what you’ll stumble across…piazzas, churches, museums, restaurants, hotels, gelaterias…they are everywhere!

One of the greatest things you will find in Venice is the shopping. Boutiques and markets offers a vast selection of items.

If you need a mask…certainly they have what you are looking for. Going to a masquerade ball, you will be the hit of the party!

Glassware…with Murano and its glass-blowing artisans nearby, many beautiful pieces are available for purchase if you don’t make your way to the island.

Pasta! You can get it at any restaurant and you can take it home to impress your friends at your own Venetian-inspired dinner party!

Artwork…many artists display their works throughout the city on the streets and within legions of galleries located throughout the city.

As a lover of jewelry, this is one of my favorite things to buy and bring home for friends and family as souvenirs. Again, Murano glass is a big inspiration in many pieces.

Hungry? Many markets pop up throughout the city for the residents to purchase fruits and vegetables. If you are out for a stroll, however, and looking for a healthier option as an afternoon snack, there are many choices.

Some gelato to cool you off on a hot day? There seems to be a gelateria on every corner!

Sun too bright? You can find something along the way to help.

Looking for something special for mom, dad, grandma and your girlfriend? Many stands, throughout the city, offer unique gifts and souvenirs.

Whatever it is that you are looking for, Venice is sure to have it. So go ahead, throw out that map and take that bridge…take that right turn…go against what your internal compass is telling you…you never know what you might find!

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Helping Hands

There’s something new and exciting on the Grand Canal in Venice!

An art installation by Lorenzo Quinn is gracing the waters at the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel.

Immense hands emerge from the Venetian waters and appear to support the hotel. Entitled Support, the sculpture highlights the threat faced by the city due to global warming and rising sea levels.

An inspiring and breathtaking sculpture, it is best viewed from across the Grand Canal at the Mercati di Rialto (Seafood Market) although an alternate view can be garnered from taking the traghetto (gondola ferry) adjacent to the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel. If you are lucky (like we were) you may have the traghetto all to yourself, however, your view may be hampered if the gondola is filled with other tourists. If you do not decide to take the traghetto, definitely take one of the side streets next to the hotel and walk out onone of the piers or Vaporetto stops for excellent side views. The minute details of the sculpture are incredible!

The installation was unveiled on May 13 for the 57th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale and will remain on display until November 26.

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Support at the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel

http://www.casagredohotel.com/
Address: Campo Santa Sofia, 4198/99, 30121 Venezia, Italy
Hours: always viewable and lighted by spotlight at night
Admission: free
Traghetto Ca’D’Oro Pescaria, 2€ per person