It's no secret that Venice is the home to some of the most spectacular architectural sites of the Old World. Italy on a whole is brimming with ancient statues, magnificent arches and various memorials for persons who have made a considerable contribution to the nation.…Read More

It's no secret that Venice is the home to some of the most spectacular architectural sites of the Old World. Italy on a whole is brimming with ancient statues, magnificent arches and various memorials for persons who have made a considerable contribution to the nation. Even though the entire city of Venice is a historical wonderland, the hundreds of bridges and canals are one of the major attractions it offers.

The bridges and canals link together over 100 separate islands and islets, which create the floating city which we all know and love. While the canals by themselves aren't spectacular with their murky waters, coupled with the many bridges and ancient buildings found on their banks, they form one of the most photogenic sites on earth.

While many tourists prefer to view the bridges from the comfort of their gondolas, or via a vaporetto, I've found that the best way to experience these masonry arts is to clamber over them by foot.

There are many famous bridges all through the city, from the Accademia Bridge to the renowned Rialto Bridge. The Rialto Bridge has stood over the Grand Canal for centuries and its one of the oldest bridges currently in the City of Canals.

These bridges may be some of the largest, however there were countless others within the city which captured my interest. Some were extremely small in size, with approximately only twenty steps in total, linking two islands which were originally divided by a narrow waterway.

One of such quaint bridges was located near to a small restaurant, quite a distance away from the Grand Canal. The stonework on this suspended staircase blended in with the brick and mortar buildings within the immediate vicinity.

As I drew closer to San Marco Square, the aesthetic quality of the bridges noticeably increased. Pale stonework created these precious links across the canals, with different types of concrete patterns molded into the framework. Underneath these bridges, the canals which lay below were part of the gondola routes, so gondolas would pass under frequently, being expertly manned by their gondoliers.

While the bridges are really lovely to admire, they proved to be extremely essential in obtaining impressive photographs of the Venitian waterways. Standing in the middle of one of these bridges would provide a visitor with a great vantage point to capture not only the canals, but the buildings which stand on either side.

I found it utterly amazing how these bridges allowed me to walk from island to island. I must've crossed over thirty of these structures during my walk to San Marco Square from the Grand Canal, and each bridge had its own distinctive quality which made it stand out from the others.

What I thought would have been a long and tedious journey by foot turned out to be nothing short of magical, and I highly recommend all able visitors to take a long walk through the floating city. Some of the most stunning architectural pieces you will ever witness may be closer to your fingers than you'd think.   Close

There's something which occurs quite often in Venice, but not many people want to admit it. I guess it's a bit embarrassing for persons to admit that they're not quite the super travelers which their peers think them to be, but it happens. It's very…Read More

There's something which occurs quite often in Venice, but not many people want to admit it. I guess it's a bit embarrassing for persons to admit that they're not quite the super travelers which their peers think them to be, but it happens. It's very easy to get lost in Venice and thousands of travelers experience this every year.

Yes, there are signs plastered everywhere for visitors who prefer to walk their way around the floating city by means of bridges. These signs indicate for tourists to turn right or left at the end of an alley, while being shepherded in the right direction. However, these signs aren't around every corner, and this is where the opportunity presents itself to get lost.

When my friend Jennifer and I lost our way, we didn't even realize it for at least ten minutes. We were so distracted by the beauty which surrounded us, it took us quite a while to notice that the hoards of visitors were gone, and we were now in what seemed to be a residential area of the floating city.

We were no longer surrounded by souvenir shops and stalls touting postcards. All of the brightly clothed tourists had disappeared from around us, and we were the only persons armed with cameras. We never felt scared, but we preferred the comfort of being around others while in a foreign city.

We tried to backtrack the route from which we came, but undoubtedly ended up taking a different turn along the way. We thought we could find our way back if we stuck to the canals, however this proved futile, when all of the vaporetto stations we found were totally abandoned. I believe that we would've been less concerned if the day was still young, but unfortunately, dusk had started to drift in.

Trying not to panic, we quickly marched along another canal, hoping to find the touristy section of Venice before the last of the sunlight dispersed into darkness. We kept an eye out for locals who we hoped knew sufficient English to help us with directions, but everyone was holed up in their homes, with flickering candlelight behind heavy curtains being the only indication that persons were indeed nearby.

Finally we came upon a vaporetto station, which although empty, featured a detailed map. After identifying our location, we realized that we had strayed quite a far distance from central Venice. Removing a piece of paper from my day bag, I wrote down the different landmarks which we needed to find in order to make our way back. All the while, our valued sunlight grew dimmer.

In my opinion, it took forever to maneuver through the labyrinth of alleys and bridges, tracking one statue or fountain after another before we finally saw souvenir shops begin to appear. Afterwards, we saw a trickle of tourists which turned into a full stream of colourfully clad individuals.

Words can scarcely explain the relief which we felt after being engulfed in the crowd. While this experience is one that visitors can look back and smile about, it can be downright nerve-racking while you're in the middle of it.

I recommend future travelers who are interested in venturing through Venice on their own to pack a proper map of the city along with a fully charged flashlight. Venice is a great place for independent visitors, but always keep track of where you are to avoid being lost in this urban maze.   Close

The canals of Venice are some of the most famous waterways of the world. Most visitors aspire to spend some time sailing on the canals, usually by way of the beautiful gondolas. These traditional Venetian boats float about the city, providing spectacular views which…Read More

The canals of Venice are some of the most famous waterways of the world. Most visitors aspire to spend some time sailing on the canals, usually by way of the beautiful gondolas. These traditional Venetian boats float about the city, providing spectacular views which can't be witnessed from land. The gondola rides however are shockingly expensive and while I'm sure that it's an experience of a lifetime, with tours starting from 80 euros for less than an hour of sailing time, it simply wasn't affordable.

For budget minded travellers however, this doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the floating city for less. There's a public water transportation system using a small boat known as a vaporetto, allowing a cheaper way to travel via the water. These small boats are basically water buses, transporting passengers along various routes to get from one section of the city to another.

In my case, this was my second trip to Venice and I wanted to visit the San Marco Square once again. I didn't want to walk as I did the first time, so I made my way to the vaporetto station and bought two one way tickets for a price of 7 euros each. These tickets can be purchased from the small Hellovenezia ticket booths which are usually located within close proximity to the vaporetto piers, and they're valid for a period of 1 hour. Travel Cards can be bought for different timeframes such as 20 euros for 24 hours.

Located on each vaporetto pier is a large map of the different routes and stops on the vaporetto circuit. I studied the path which led to the San Marco Square and took note of which number vaporetto I needed to board. When my boat came around, I jumped on and secured a seat near the front of the vessel, which offered an awesome vantage point.

The vaporetto slowly backed up, turned about then headed off! While on the water bus, everything looked photo worthy. We passed under many bridges, sailed by other boats on the water and even overtook a few gondolas! The vaporetto made several intermittent stops before I got off at the station for the San Marco Square.

After I toured the area for a while, it was time to head back. I returned to the pier and waited for another vaporetto to arrive. I found the system to be very efficient, and before I knew it I was on my way to the Venezia Santa Lucia train station.

There's something I should mention which future passengers should be aware of. The vaporetto tickets must be stamped before boarding, which starts the period of validity. In other words, you can buy the single use tickets in advance, and they'll only become expired an hour after being validated.

Using the vaporetto system to get around the canals of Venice is a far cheaper alternative to a gondola ride. Both methods offer visitors the opportunity of sailing along the water channels. If romance and luxury aren't as important as the cost factor, then explore the city via vaporetto. I highly recommend it!    Close

How to get about in and around Venice.Alilaguna.This is probably the first introduction to the means of transport you will encounter taking you from Venice Marco Polo International airport to the centre of Venice. The journey takes approximately an hour with two main routes the…Read More

How to get about in and around Venice.

Alilaguna.

This is probably the first introduction to the means of transport you will encounter taking you from Venice Marco Polo International airport to the centre of Venice. The journey takes approximately an hour with two main routes the first skirts the island of Venice terminating at St. Marks Square and is known as the blue line. The alternative line is the orange line which takes you down the length of the Grand Canal via Realto.
You can either buy your tickets on line prior to leaving home and are marginally cheaper than buying them once you arrive in Venice. It costs 15 Euro a single ticket. Print off your voucher and present it to the ticket office on arrival and they will issue you with your ticket.
Once you leave the boat your ticket then becomes invalid so make sure you get off at the right stop. The boats are quite fast but slow down when a taxi passes by usually ensuring that the boat gets a soaking from the wash left by the taxi. The boats leave roughly every hour.
In the height of summer there is an additional service from the airport via Murano.
In total there are five Alilaguna routes serving not only the airport but some of the other islands so make sure you get on the right coloured line. You are permitted to carry one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage. Additional luggage is charged at 3 Euros per piece.

CVTV.

This is the public water bus service which runs all over Venice and the surrounding islands. There are 22 different lines and three night services.The price for a single ticket on board or at the water bus stops is 7 Euros each this is much more expensive than the fares paid by the locals who can buy a booklet of 10 tickets for the same price. Children under 6 are carried free. The water buses are quite frequent and could be a cheaper and more economical means of travelling around Venice and the islands. They also offer 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 hour tickets or a 7 day ticket for the following prices 18, 20. 25, 30, 35 or 50 Euros respectively. It is quite a fast means of getting around Venice and to the outer islands. One of the best trips to make is of an evening where you can go up the Grand Canal to admire the sights for a fraction of the cost of a taxi.

Water Taxi.

This is the most expensive form of travel around Venice at approximately 110+ Euros from the airport to Venice and if your hotel has a landing stage the taxi will take you and your baggage right to the door of your hotel. Some companies who offer pre buy water taxi do not actually provide what you think you are going to get but instead bus you into the Piazza Roma and then a short water taxi ride to your hotel. To be honest although it is more exclusive and takes only approximately 40 minutes I think it is more fun to use the Alilaguna and certainly much cheaper. However if you want to arrive in style this is the way to do it.
You can also jump in a water taxi to take you to the other Islands such as Murano be warned the taxi’s do travel very fast.

Gondola rides.

The Gondola rides are available all over Venice and weave in and out of the smaller canals. This is a unique and interesting way of travelling and for some especially romantic. However it does come at a price in excess of 100 Euros. The gondolier does not always wear a hat although they will wear a striped T-shirt and do not always sing as you might imagine. These flat bottomed boats are the traditional form of transport around Venice and there were in the region of 8,000 plying the canals in the 18th Century. Today there are approximately 400 traversing the canals. Some of the Gondolas actually had a small cabin on board for the occupants to remain hidden and take around Venice discretely. A good example of this can be seen in the Doges palace the Gondola used by the Doge of Venice. The gondolas are made from 8 different types of wood and after training the gondolier receives his licence but has to be knowledgeable in the History of Venice, the canals and language skills. They are decorated with gold and have comfortable seating.

Traghetto

This is probably one of the most fun ways to cross the Grand Canal jostling places on the canal with water buses, water taxis, the Alilaguna and other Gondolas. The Traghetto is a gondola that usually carries locals and tourists from one point to the opposite side of the canal for an amazing price of 50 cents. It is painted black with no adornments on them at all as it is a working boat. You might find locals stand up for the journey but most sit down on the sides of the gondola. The traghetto are operated by two oarsmen instead of one used on the tourist Gondolas and cross the canal in minutes.

On foot.

The easiest and best way of getting around Venice is on foot. You need to be pretty agile as there are lots of small and large bridges to cross that link the islands to one another. It is one of the most brilliant ways of exploring Venice and even if you get lost you will walk down small alley ways turn a corner and come across breath taking and stunning views. Venice can be a bit of a maze of streets and alleys leading into lovely little Piazzas with pavement cafes and garden restaurants. Venice is like pandoras box as every turn will bring another delightful sight. However it is easy to lose your bearings but carry on walking and look to the sky and you should see St.Marks Campanile so you can get your bearings once more. St. Marks Square or Piazza San Marco and Rialto are usually well sign posted.
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Alilaguna.The Alilaguna is a method of transfer from Marco Polo airport to Venice by water bus. Although there has been a service from the mainland to Venice since the 1930’s it was only as recent as 1999 that the companies amalgamated forming one company. They…Read More

Alilaguna.

The Alilaguna is a method of transfer from Marco Polo airport to Venice by water bus. Although there has been a service from the mainland to Venice since the 1930’s it was only as recent as 1999 that the companies amalgamated forming one company. They initially started with four boats but now have 34 boats. They are easily distinguishable from the Actv water buses as they are brightly coloured with yellow paint and a white roof.
The two main Alilaguna water bus routes to and from the airport are the blue line which skirts the island of Murano and the Orange line which heads down the Grand Canal both lines are destined to reach Piazza San Marco and the blue line will go on to the Cruise ship terminal via Guidecca island. They do not stop at all the water bus stops but zig zag down the route dropping passengers at the main stops for example Rialto and St. Marks square. In total there are five lines all designated by colour the three remaining lines serve the other islands in the Lagoon for example Lido, Murano, Burano and Torcello some of which are only seasonal. There is approximately a 10 minute walk to reach the water landing stage from the airport.

Tickets:-

You can buy your tickets from the ticket office either inside the airport where there is usually a queue of passengers just having landed at the airport or you can walk straight down to the landing stage and buy your ticket. There are also ticket offices near the water bus landing stages in Venice.

You can pre buy your tickets on line which works out cheaper than waiting to buy them when you arrive in Venice. Print off a voucher and take it to the ticket Kiosk where they will give you your ticket for your journey. Most people seem to take the blue that will take you to Piazza San Marco. Both Lines take approximately one hour to reach Piazza San Marco, Venice.

Prices of Tickets.

Single journey Euro 15 or Euro 13 if bought on line.
Return journey E27 or Euro 25 if bought on line.
Children under the age of six are carried free.

The journey.

After obtaining our return tickets we boarded the orange line which would whisk us across the lagoon towards Venice and down the Grand Canal to our stop at Rialto. You step into the boat from the Quayside in the centre of the boat where the driver sits. The driver will clip your ticket to show that it has been validated. He will then direct you to sit either at the front of the boat or towards the rear. At some of the stops there are automatic ticket machines where you have to pass the ticket through the machine which will then open a barrier for you to enter the landing stage. Inside the boat it can become extremely hot and while there are windows that open down the side, when the boat passes a water taxi that speed across the lagoon you are more than likely to get splashed from the wash of the speeding taxi.

There is a designated lane which both the Alilaguna water buses and the water taxis use, the water taxi obviously being much faster as they speed across the lagoon to Venice and will take you right up to the door of your hotel if it has its own landing stage but bearing in mind this comes at a hefty price in excess of Euro 100. You are permitted to take one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage. Additional suitcases are charged at Euro 3 a piece.

The boat gently pulls away from the quay side and then starts to speed quite quickly across the lagoon slowing down when passing water taxis or other water buses to reduce the wash from each other that causes a lot of rocking of the boat. The boats also slowdown in parts where the route comes quite close to the small islands this is to prevent damage to the island by the wash from the boat.

Once we had crossed the lagoon we stopped at one bus stop no one got on or off but once we turned into the Grand Canal some passengers alighted at the various bus stops. We approached the Rialto Bridge and once through it came to our stop. It was quite easy to get in and out of the boat but the boat does tend to rock about a bit and it is quite easy to lose your footing.

It is a lovely way to arrive in Venice and although not the cheapest way to arrive it is quite fast in comparison to the Train or Bus journey to Venice which terminates in the northern part of Venice then you still have to catch one of the local water buses and then walk to your hotel.

Would I recommend using the Alilaguna?

Yes I would recommend it as it is a good introduction to what you are about to see throughout the Venetian islands and an easy way to get used to getting on and off the boats. You also get to see Venice from a distance and it is quite exciting as you get nearer.

You can visit the Alilaguna web site where you can gather all the information regarding time tables and price of tickets. You can also pre buy your tickets which are marginally cheaper as Venice is quite an expensive city so if you can save yourself a couple of quid why not?


http://www.alilaguna.it/
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This was definitely on my bucket list, and I got to cross it off in February of this year! All you have to do is show up in Saint Marks Square - the people in costumes do the rest! It is mind blowing…Read More

This was definitely on my bucket list, and I got to cross it off in February of this year! All you have to do is show up in Saint Marks Square - the people in costumes do the rest! It is mind blowing the extend they go to in perfecting their costumes - you have to see it to believe it! The area around St. Marks is beautiful for photography - so many arches, doorways, and the backdrop of the Grand Canal. The people knew where to pose and gladly did so. Your only problem will be the jostling and the rudeness of some of the photographers trying to take pictures. Just be patient and wait your turn, even if the costumed people move along, they are just moving to another perfect location! The fun goes on all day - I found people to take pictures of from 9 am until at least 6 pm each day during the carnival festivities.   Close

It is always tricky to get to the airport, heftily laden with luggage and suitcases, with little or no stress. And this confusion and hassle will only be heightened when you find yourself in a foreign land. In my case, it was Venice. See here,…Read More

It is always tricky to get to the airport, heftily laden with luggage and suitcases, with little or no stress. And this confusion and hassle will only be heightened when you find yourself in a foreign land. In my case, it was Venice. See here, I thought I know how to get to the airport, I only need to hail a cab that will take me there. Sounds like a plan to me.

But I was dead wrong. If you take away the smooth leveled roads and replace it with waterways, bridges, and uneven cobblestone walks, not to mention the few pounds of luggage you have with you, then you can do nothing but toughen it out, brave the waters, and get into the plane heading home. With that said, here’s how I survived Venice with my Prada wedges and Ralph Lauren luggage.

It was already there. Before I even stepped into that cab that will take me to the airport, I have had that nagging feeling, that worry of what if’s. Heck, I already sensed that niggling worry right from the time I planned the itinerary for my very first Italian escapade. I attempted to obtain information that would at least diminish the burden that I was feeling, but said search proved fruitless. I even asked my travel agent how to get to Venice airport from the hotel where I will be staying. No answer. It appears that no one could elucidate me how to navigate and traverse the route from the hotel (situated across the waterway) to the airport (with all my luggage present accounted for).

To be honest, I had this idea of spending the night in the airport just to assure myself that I will be able to get there on time. Thoughts flung back and forth in my head. Hotel. Body of water. Airport. What if the travel time between the two landmarks renders me unable to reach the airport and entirely miss the flight? That’s not good.

A backpacker is probably more equipped, so to speak. They can simply use the usual public transit called vaporetto. However, for a tourist who carries a few more (heavy) bags, this is not the best way to go. Trust me, with the crowd always on their feet moving up and about, maneuvering with such baggage is not conducive---it is not even advisable.

I have to admit, Venice is awesome. The sights are awesome. The food there is awesome. Heck, getting lost in Venice is awesome (if you are not catching a flight that is). And yes, I was able to get in the flight. Here’s how:

First advise, a night before your flight, ask your hotel to pre-book or make a reservation for your water taxi. Almost every hotel in the city of Venice offers such service. Make certain you have at least 150 Euros in your disposal. And that is only for the trip from and to the airport. And the cost of the water taxi will set you back roughly between 60 to 125, local currency of course. It should be noted that the cost would highly depend on where you are exactly staying in Venice. Oh, and leave early, like before 7 AM early. Because after said time, expect a spike on the cost of your water taxi bill. And one more thing, they don’t accept Visa or MasterCard, so pay cash. Remember to tip the driver.

Second, get up early. Make your way down the lobby with all your luggage. Or if fate favors you, you may find a bellhop who will help you load the same in the cart. If not, I suggest you pack light. Because you will need to drag those heavy bags traversing the ups and downs of Venice and its famous cobblestone walks. Now, go ahead and make your way to the canal where your reserved water transpo is waiting for you. Again, tip the bellhop. The ride can either be smooth and dry or bumpy and wet. The latter usually occurs during the rainy season (of course). And weirdly, most people would pay sums of money for this kind of thrill. Oh, yea. We actually did, about 100 Euros.

Third, get off the taxi carefully, particularly if it’s raining. You don’t want to accidentally slip and experience the cold waters of Venice. Nonetheless, there are a lot of locals who will be more than willing help you. Of course, these will also be the same men who will offer you porter services. It will cost you around 25 Euros. I have to warn you, the distance from the dock to the airport is quite far. I suggest you hire a porter.

Forth, assuming that you did hire the services of one of the porters, you have made the right decision. They will take care of everything from dock to the airport.

Fifth, as the porters take your luggage to the terminal, simply follow their lead. They will give you instructions on how to go about on your next step---in Italian. I reckon, if you are like me, you will have no idea what the heck the porter said. Though you will fall in love with his accent. Anyway, look closely to the places the porter keeps on pointing; the carts will be one of those things you want to locate ASAP. Pay and tip. Do the latter if you still have change.

Sixth, airport check in. Do the routine. Check the departure boards. Look for your flight number as well as the wicket number. Go through the usual security. Hop in the plane and wave Venice ciao.

Now that you have bits and pieces of advice, relax. Enjoy that gelato. You will be aboard your plane in no time. Just remember to fill your wallet with Euros.
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Having visited Venice twice, each time we were able to find an amazing deal on a place to stay. Famously known for hard-to-find and expensive rooms during high season, Venice posed a bit more of a challenge on our budget trips. The first time we…Read More

Having visited Venice twice, each time we were able to find an amazing deal on a place to stay. Famously known for hard-to-find and expensive rooms during high season, Venice posed a bit more of a challenge on our budget trips. The first time we traveled to the city of canals was on a 2-week Italian vacation - backpacker style. Most cities we stayed in hostels, guest-rooms, or private bed & breakfasts (which in Italy a lot of times are less expensive than budget hotels). Venice didn't have much to offer in the way of hostels (or ones with availability), and only having two days to explore, we wanted to be in the heart of the city instead of the outskirts.

I began searching through private apartment listings on Craigslist and other sites like VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) and found a handful of budget-friendly accommodations in the city. Quickly we narrowed the choices down and settled on a cute (but tiny) apartment in the San Polo district just next to the Frari church. The photos looked cute, and the owner was good with communication. Plus, we didn't have to send any money ahead of time. Instead they gave us a time and place to meet them when we arrived in Venice, and they led us to the apartment, gave us the keys, collected the rent, and off we went.

It was a very small room, but cutely decorated in the style of gondolas. Photos of famous gondoliers graced the walls, and there were life preservers hanging from the low wooden ceilings. The bathroom was tight, but had everything we needed, plus we didn't expect to spend any kind of time inside when we only had a couple days to explore the city. For an amazing price of 40 euros - it couldn't be beat.

Next time we visited Venice was a couple of years later during the year when we lived in Florence. We decided last minute to spend a weekend there with friends for Carnevale...but here was the dilemma: There were 5 of us total, it was the day before we wanted to visit, and it was the busiest weekend of the year for the city (which also meant the highest prices). Not only was it almost impossible to find a room available, but even if you could - the price was destined to be outrageous. Luckily, I went on VRBO again and found an entire apartment for rent only 1 block from the Rialto bridge. It was a 2 bedroom place with kitchen, sofabed in the livingroom, and in a quiet alley. After splitting the price between all 5 of us, it ended up to be only 30 euro/person/night. A steal of a deal! We headed there the next day and thoroughly enjoyed the festive weekend.

• http://www.vrbo.com/
• http://www.craigslist.org   Close

After an amazing and eventful first day in Venice for Carnevale, on Sunday morning (our 2nd morning there), we woke up early and decided to hit the streets before everyone else got up, hoping to get a chance to walk around the city without about…Read More

After an amazing and eventful first day in Venice for Carnevale, on Sunday morning (our 2nd morning there), we woke up early and decided to hit the streets before everyone else got up, hoping to get a chance to walk around the city without about a billion people in every alley. We grabbed the camera and our coats while we walked downstairs and into a quite empty street. There were a handful of people strolling about: a delivery man rolling a dolly, a little boy trailing behind a parent, and a handful of tourists doing the same thing. We had a tenative route which was to take a gondola across the Grand Canal (you can take the 2-minute jaunt for only 50 cents), then meander towards the Fenice Opera House, get a morning caffe' and pastry somewhere and then go back to see if everyone was up. When we got to the shore, we found out that the gondola crossing service wasn't open on Sundays, so we just walked across the Rialto instead.

After reading City of Falling Angels by John Berendt the year before, I had a different feeling about Venice and was much more intrigued than the last time we visited. Although it's so obviously a unique and breath-takingly beautiful city, there is an entire culture that seems to exist above the bustle of unassuming tourists. In the 2nd and 3rd stories of the old palaces that line the Grand Canal, and other side streets, there are people with very old money, who come from a long line of Venetian blood, and other rich expats who have assimilated into the culture and politics of this city that functions in its own uncommon way. We walked around wondering how many balls and elaborate parties were going on just above our heads - and how many gowns and velvet capes were being worn which have been put on for such an occasion for many years past. One of the main "characters" in Berendt's book is La Fenice, which burned down just after the author moved to the city to observe its inhabitants. This opera house has so much history to it, even though the current structure is only a couple of years old since the last renovation after the fire. After winding our way through the labyrinth of narrow sidewalks and foot bridges, we came upon the theatre and stopped in for our caffe' at the bar next door.

One thing that was on our "must have for breakfast" list was fritole. We happened upon these fried balls of goodness on Saturday afternoon by happenstance. We'd noticed plates of these round, sugared fritters in windows of cafes and restaurants around the city, but it wasn't until I ordered one at a bar to go with my marocchino that I fully appreciated the perfection that are fritole (or frittelle). I found out that it is a very common fatty snack to have during Carnevale (especially on "Fat Tuesday"). I guess everyone gets full of junk food before giving it all up for the 40 days of Lent. So back to the fritole...they are fresh, warm fist-sized balls of dough with different surprises inside depending on where you buy them. The first ones we enjoyed had different varieties of raisins in the dough (traditionally soaked in rum or grappa) with a decadent creme filling. On Sunday morning at the cafe near La Fenice, I had one with pine nuts in the dough and sweetened marscarpone cheese in the middle, sprinkled with powered sugar, while Chris had one with pine nuts, vanilla creme and granulated sugar. Pure heaven. We keep saying that somewhere in Florence must sell these things, but so far we've only seen mini versions of these with sweetened rice in the dough, but no creme, raisins or pine nuts.

On our way back to the apartment, the streets steadily became more crowded and by the time we woke up our friends and all headed out together around lunchtime - it was an absolute zoo. We retraced our steps from Saturday towards St. Mark's Square and just hung out in the crowd, watching pigeon feeders, ornately costumed people posed for photos, kids throwing confetti everywhere, and even happened upon an old-style open-air play on a small stage near the Doge Palace. After having lunch at a pizzeria, we tried to bargain with a gondolier for a fair price on a half-hour ride, but we were running out of time and eventually gave up. We ended up on one of the most crazy streets ever with people literally pushing on all sides of our bodies and finally police had to come and try to get one side of the mass moving in one direction and the other side moving in the opposite. I got completely separated from the pack, but ran into 2 other people from our school randomly. Finally after about 15 minutes one of our friends found me on a bridge and we ran back to the apartment hoping to find the other part of the group. Luckily everyone was there- and we all headed to the train station for the "standing-room-only" trip to Bologna where we caught a fast train with reservations for the rest of the way to Florence!

We arrived back home with our bookbag, used masks, muddy shoes, and tired feet; and went to bed smiling and talking about when we could go back to the city to see even more!   Close

During a week in February of 2008 when we were living in Italy, we began talking with some friends from Florence about the possibility of taking a quick trip to Venice for the last weekend of the Carnevale di Venezia...it turned out not to be…Read More

During a week in February of 2008 when we were living in Italy, we began talking with some friends from Florence about the possibility of taking a quick trip to Venice for the last weekend of the Carnevale di Venezia...it turned out not to be such an easy task in pulling this together in a matter of days - but it did end up happening. I can't believe that we actually found an apartment for rent, for only 1 night (most were 3 night minimums), for under 400€ (ours was only 170€ split 5 ways), in the city center (right next to the Rialto bridge), and only 2 days in advance!!! Unbelievable really! So after we found this, we rushed to buy train tickets, and on a Saturday morning we were headed out of town with 3 other friends for a weekend we knew would be insanely chaotic, but one of those "crazy experiences that you may only get to do once".

It's really hard to put into words what it's like to be in one of the most unique cities in the world, in the middle of one of the most famous parties ever...it was hard to take it in. Magical, mystical, and so so interesting. This year's theme was Sensation, and it certainly lived up to its name - complete with sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and it was so crowded that touching was also involved 24-7 even if you didn't want it!

After only 3 hours of leaving Florence, we crossed the huge bridge from the mainland to this city of water, and arrived at the train station. We took a ferry to the apartment, then grabbed our masks (very simple ones compared to the full-face intricate designs that many people had), and joined the massive unit of people moving together amongst the small alleyways. It was definitely a "do-whatever-you-want" and "wear-whatever-you-want" kind of time. People had on historic Carnival costumes that probably cost thousands of euros, complete with features, capes, and handmade gold-leaf masks, to Halloween costumes of devils, bumble bees, or rats. We even saw a lady flopping all through town with a bathing suit, plastic pool tube, scuba gear, and flippers! The weather wasn't ideal since it was overcast and drizzling, but it wasn't too bad considering it didn't flood and wasn't pouring. All of our shoes got completely messed up with gunked-on muddy piles of pulp from all the confetti mixing in the wet streets.

We mainly just wandered around from the Rialto to San Marco, taking our time while window shopping, taking photos, and gawking at all of the decorated gondolas and crazy characters strolling the streets. Several times, we'd happen upon an impromptu parade of a handful people who had all dressed in the same theme and had some sort of music and flags with them, just making noise and marching around. Masks and costumes were being sold everywhere, and we stopped to watch one of the more famous mask artists at work in his studio while he put gold leaf onto a full-face white mask. After looking at his work, we saw photos on his door of the celebrities he's worked for, and found out that he was the mascheraro (mask maker) for the film Eyes Wide Shut. After dinner, we headed to St. Mark's Square and found a huge stage on the south end of the enormous piazza with a masked DJ spinning dance music, while different colored club lights were displayed around the entire square. We watched St. Mark's Cathedral and the iconic clock tower change from neon pink, green, blue, and yellow, while thousands of costumed party-goers were dancing to the rhythmic beats. It was so entrancing to be in this huge mass of people that I just walked aimlessly through the crowd with a smile, and thought how crazy it was to be here at one of those events that most people only read about.

On the way back to the apartment we walked by the Bridge of Sighs, past a private costume party, and peaked into a club hosting an Eyes Wide Shut themed party (with cloaks on) although we opted to just continue on and see the happenings on the streets.

It was an eventful day, but we still had one day to go...stay tuned for part 2.   Close