Yes, I did it ... Venice

Carnival mask

I had been resisting - goodness knows why - the temptation to go to Venice just because it is such a well known tourist destination, but I'm so glad I decided to head north and over the mountains from Positano, because it was such a wonderful place to visit!


Venetian street life

I mean, stepping out your front door in the morning and hearing the ocean lapping at your feet in the canal - how can you help but be inspired by that? It makes the city a charming and oddly quiet place to find yourself in because the biggest sounds are those of people talking and laughing, and church bells ringing - different and delightful. And the gentle briney smell ...


Bridge of Sighs

Of course if you are going to have canals as your thoroughfares, bridges are a requirement - the Bridge of Sighs now leads hoards of tourists back and forth to the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Square, but in the past this bridge was the route to the prison of Venice. Poetic and tragic really.

And transport 'round these parts ...?


Gondola parking bay

By gondola of course!

The grand architecture of Venice is quite stunning and certainly impressively shows how wealthy and powerful this state was in it's prime.


Doge's Palace

But even the more modest accomodation is charming and special, and very much a local invention. The inverted conical chimneys make it all seem a bit like a fairytale town and the church-like arched windows add another level of whimsy to the residential buildings.


Modest palace

There's just no escaping the fact that this is now a town more largely populated by tourists than by Venetians or Italians. What a shame.


Special souvenirs

Some parts of the city however, feel a bit more local, and modern life has adapted, and probably not changed too much since the heady days of the Venetian state - and you can buy what you need for dinner along the canal on your way home.


Greengrocer


Carciofi viola

How beautiful are those artichokes!?!

Or if you're in the market for something a little more special for your home interior - for a mere 22,000€ and a 20-minute trip to the island of Murano you can pick up a seriously ...


Dramatic mirror!

(No even though I have a LARGE suitcase on wheels, I just couldn't fit this one in!)

Of course if it all gets too much and you are tired of taking your ...


Morning coffee - Venezia style

...you can always retire for a month or two to the villa Palladio designed for you in the country near Vicenza.


Country villa