Venice..... as romantic as Paris but with more water!

Heading to Venice was always going to be on the cards when I returned to Italy. Given the convenience that it was quite close and that it's a phenomenal place to visit, the decision to explore the floating city once again was not a difficult one to make.

Truthfully I have visited Venice at least half a dozen times over the years, but the charm that it possesses never wains and I never grow tired of exploring it. Rather than going through a detailed history of the city, I have decided that this particular blog entry will be more of a visual adventure than a literary one.

Here is my visual story of Venice, its people, landmarks, history and energy. I hope you enjoy it and get a sense of what a truly remarkable city it is and one worth while visiting.

Iconic Venice.

Initial view of the grand Canal

Old and exotic

Inspiring artists for many generations.

Typical Venice street.

The Lion is the symbol of Venice.

An expensive way to travel but an experience nonetheless.

Its the little details that I loved about Venice

A match made in heaven

Door bling.

The only two travel options in Venice - to walk or to float.

Lots of amazing architecture is present throughout the city.

A song for the journey.

Time to relax.

Behind the scenes.

Colorful facade.

Dry.

So much character to be seen.

Fruit and veg.

Big brother is watching.

Getting off the tourist path allows the 'real' Venice to be seen.

Shopping.

Old and tranquil.

Gondola boatman.

Sunset on the Grand canal.

For the folks in Victoria BC I think you will recall a similar image.

P.I.C. Venice street scene.

 St Marks square (Piazzo San Marco) is the quintessential symbol of Venice. It is the most population destination for the average tourist and therefore the most photographed and most famous. It is a place to feed pigeons (if that's what your thing is) or to drink coffee while engaging in people watching and listening to a grand piano being played. It is a beautiful place and one that feels very familiar to me. As luck would have it while I was there the square had flooded two days before I arrived and the day after I left. I was very lucky indeed.

St Marks Square

The details in the facade of the church are truly glorious.

Bell tower is ever present.

Archway bliss.

Bridge of Sighs.

Behold the glory that is Venice.

The restored clock tower.

Inside of the church.

The detail is exquisite.

The original 4 bronze horses.

Looking down at the world.

Next time I will climb to the top of the bell tower.

Bridge of Sighs black and white.

 Although Venice is astounding during the day, it also has its own beauty at night. I always love seeing a place at night as the atmosphere of it changes completely and the light and shadows really get the creative juices flowing.

Even though the day is over, it doesn't mean the exploring isn't.

A quite canal.

Smoke by light.

St Marks square takes on a new feel and look.

Bright.

Gondolas by night.

 All in all Venice lived up to my expectations without destroying the previous memories I had, which is a difficult task in itself. It is romantic, old and historical, but it is also funky, exciting and surreal. Thank you Venice, until next time.