Arrival in Venice
Saturday, June 17: We took the ACTV bus to Piazzola Roma in Venice from the airport. Michele, our Airbnb host, met us and we had quite a walk to our apartment carrying my heavy backpack for the Via Francigena plus our suitcases through the city’s winding streets, over bridges and up four flights of stairs. Michele gave us the rundown on our apartment in the Santa Croce neighborhood, not far from the train station and the Scarzi bridge.
Santa Croce and Cannaregio
Michele recommended we go to Enoteca Al Prosecco at Campo San Giacomo, which we did posthaste. We sat in the shade and ordered Prosecco and a salad with roasted vegetables (zucchini), various cheeses, a plate of bread with olive oil and sprinkles of some spice. It was a simple but perfect opening meal for our time in Venice.
We had a nice chat with a couple from Edinburgh, Scotland. They had a house in Volterra in Tuscany and were in Venice for a mini-vacation. They were drinking a red drink they identified as campari with bitters (campari bittere). Both husband and wife knew of the Via Francigena, and they corrected my pronunciation of the walk on which I’d embark to “Fran-chee’-gin-a,” with the emphasis on the “chee.” The husband had done the Camino de Santiago before, so we shared our experiences. They said the Francigena would be hot in July. I knew that and dreaded it, but I had wanted to do it with Darina, who is on a teacher’s schedule. Little did I know how difficult the whole experience would be.
After the Prosecco, our lunch, and our long overnight of travel with little to no sleep, we were exhausted and bedraggled. We went back to the apartment to take naps. It felt so luxurious to do that instead of barreling through until nightfall, which we usually try to do when we travel to Europe.
After our naps, we showered and went out to explore the Cannaregio neighborhood, across the Scarzi bridge. I found a cute shop called EVIVIAN where I bought a cute white blouse with green embroidery. It was fun walking around, crossing the bridges over the myriad canals, and watching the people. We are always able to point out the stylish Italians and the very unstylish Americans – even I feel like one in Venice. I wondered why we can never find such stylish clothes in the U.S.
The restaurants Michele had recommended in Cannaregio were fully booked on Saturday night so we stopped at a random spot, La Bella Pollastrella, and sat alongside the canal. We had a rather bland dinner of cuttlefish in Venetian style with polenta and a pizza with tomatoes, cheese and shrimp. Mike drank a beer and I had a lime soda because Mike promised we’d stop later at a wine bar for a drink.
After dinner, we started to quickly burn out after we walked around in search of The Ghetto (“foundry”), designated the Jewish quarter from the 16th-19th century. In 1516, the Venetian Republic decreed that Jewish lenders, doctors, and clothing merchants were allowed to run their commercial enterprises by day but at night and on the Christian holidays were locked into the gated island of the Ghetto Nuovo (New Foundry).
As we wandered around in search of The Ghetto, we passed a lively area with young people enjoying drinks and Venetian tapas (cicchetti). We weren’t really sure that we found The Ghetto; most of the area was deserted and a bit run down.
I loved the people-watching and just wandering the quiet neighborhoods. The Fondamente Cannaregio was quite packed with people and enticing shops. In the end, we were too tired to stop for a glass of wine, so we returned to our apartment for a good night’s sleep.
Steps: 14,733; Miles: 6.25. Weather (Fahrenheit): Hi: 84°, Low 68°.
Sunday, June 18: This morning, we headed out about 9:00 a.m. and walked through our Santa Croce neighborhood toward the Rialto Bridge. We stopped at a bakery, Majer, in San Polo, and had chocolate croissants and cappuccinos. Brazen pigeons kept hopping up on the table. We walked through narrow alleyways and passed by pasticceria with pyramids of pistacchio cannoli in the windows. We crossed over numerous bridges with gondolas skimming by underneath. As usual, I was attracted to the laundry hanging from upper floors of buildings. The canals were serene and we loved stopping on all the bridges to admire their unique charms.
Some bridges were brick and solid, others lacy with wrought iron railings. The buildings lining the canals often sported colorful flower boxes, hanging laundry and boats tethered to hooks or wharf-like structures.
Soon we arrived at the Rialto Bridge, busy with boat and gondola traffic. The Rialto Bridge is one of four bridges that crosses the Grand Canal; Venice has over 400 bridges that cross lesser canals. It was built of Istrian stone by Antonio da Ponte over three years in 1592. The bridge crosses the Grand Canal at its narrowest point and connects two neighborhoods, San Polo and San Marco. It is adorned with stone relief carvings of St. Mark, St. Theodore, and the Annunciation. It also has numerous shops built into it. At one time it was originally lined with luxury gold and jewelry shops, much like the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
We dipped into the Chiesa di San Salvador (1507-1663) built by Giorgio Spavento and other architects. We expected to find a Sunday mass, but instead found it deserted.
We stopped at a shop, run by a Chinese woman, where I bought a maxi-dress. The Chinese run so many businesses in Venice! We saw another sweets shop with Venetian Sweet Pistachio (Pan del Doge Pistacchio), again stacked neatly in pyramids.
We stopped in Campo Santo Stefano where we met Elena at Antica Legatoria Ofer. The shop sold products such as journals, cards, wrapping paper and earrings made of marbled paper. I bought two pairs of marbled paper earrings, one fan-shaped green and gold pair, and one pair of purple/lavender teardrops. The purple ones matched my shirt but Elena and I both agreed we didn’t like things too matchy. She gave us lots of great recommendations for places to eat.
We then walked over the Ponte dell’ Accademia. The wooden bridge was built in 1933 as a temporary replacement for an 1857 iron bridge, but the replacement by engineer Eugenio Miozzi remains a beloved landmark. Recent structural improvements have preserved the bridge for decades to come.
Before we knew it we were in Dorsoduro. We arrived early at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection but they wouldn’t allow us to enter before our 11:50 ticket time. We went for a ham and cheese panino at Gelateria la Arte del Gusto, and then went to the museum at the designated time.
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is among the most important museums for European and North American art of the first half of the 20th century in Italy. It is housed in Peggy Guggenheim’s former home, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal in Venice. First, we explored the museum’s sculpture garden.
We perused the special exhibit, “Edmondo Bacci: Energy and Light,” 80 works dedicated to the Venetian artist Edmondo Bacci (1913-1978). The focus was primarily on the 1950s, with his unusual painting style, his forceful use of color, his rupture of spatial planes and the circular rhythm of his brushstrokes. It was meant to be a representation of Venetian postwar art.
The permanent collection included work by Pablo Picasso; Umberto Boccioni; Vasily Kandinsky; Fernand Léger; Marino Marini, “The Angel of the City;” Salvador Dalí; Paul Klee; Rita Krenn-Larsen; Jackson Pollock; Clyfford Still; and primitive art by Pegeen Vail.
As we made our way back to our neighborhood, we stopped at Gelateria Squero for gelato. (I had caramel and Mike had mango and stratiachelli). As we strolled along a canal, some gondoliers glided past singing away. It was fun to watch.
We made the mistake of stopping at a Chinese-run place for drinks. Campari for me (too strong) and a Spritz for Mike. Two y0ung ladies sat next to us smoking away. Later, I ran into them in the bathroom and I couldn’t figure out how to get water to come out of the faucet. In a haughty way, one of the girls pointed out the foot pedal on the floor. She must have thought I was so stupid because she also had to point out the soap dispenser. 🙂
At Anatema, I bought a silk kimono and a scarf. Later, we went to Birraria La Corte for dinner on Elena’s recommendation. I wore the silk scarf with a blue and white patterned knit maxi dress and felt like I was Rosealba from my favorite Italian movie, Bread & Tulips (she bought a floral dress and a patterned scarf with her first paycheck from a florist shop). 🙂
Mike was making fun of me for buying so much for myself on Father’s Day. I insisted it had to make him happy to see me so stylish.
What a pleasant experience with a lovely setting and a cool breeze. The appetizer was the star of the meal: Burrata, zucchini cream, laminated zucchini with flowers, and pumpkin seeds. It was so refreshing and tasty.
For dinner, I had Ricotta Gnocchi with Scampi alla Busara, sweet Italian pepper, & sumac powder. Mike had Homemade Tagliatelle with Duck Ragout, almond sauce and black truffle. Mike got a Basil Crush and I had Prosecco; I liked his drink so much I ordered myself the Basil Crush, while he downed a grappa.
A bridal party sat behind us and the young ladies were playing games and laughing it up. At the end, the bride was delivered a tart with sparklers on it, entertaining everyone in the restaurant.
We enjoyed our wander back home; it was a lovely night all around. Before going inside, we walked past the hotel we saw out of our 4th floor window: Ca’Nigra Lagoon Resort. We had been curious to know the establishment to which the beautiful grounds belonged.
Steps: 16,340; Miles 6.93. Weather: High 81°, Low 68°.
The Venice Lagoon: Murano & Burano
Monday, June 19: We went by boat to Murano and Burano. See the venice lagoon: murano & burano.
Venice & The Grand Canal
Tuesday, June 20: Tuesday, our last day in Venice, we did all the things we’re supposed to do as tourists in Venice. Well, sort of. We started by getting an hour earlier start than on Monday.
We took the line 1 vaporetto down the Grand Canal. The line 2 (the express boat) was packed and we couldn’t get on after two consecutive boats, so we went to line 1 which stops more frequently. We sat outdoors in the breezy bow of the boat and saw all the sights front row and center. First, we passed the Ca’D’Oro, one of the older palaces in the city. Its name means “golden house” due to gilt and polychrome external decorations that once adorned its walls. Since 1927, it has been a museum, the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti.
We cruised past the Rialto Mercato and went under both the Rialto Bridge, where I loved the sight of the gondolas neatly lined up, and the lacy wooden Ponte dell’ Accademia. We found it interesting watching the delivery boats delivering food and drinks to all the establishments along the canals. We buzzed past the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which sits right on the Grand Canal, and numerous other palaces and museums. It was such a pleasant experience that my negative opinion of the vaporetto from Monday’s excursion on the Venice Lagoon softened.
St. Mark’s Square
We arrived at St. Mark’s Square where we stayed for no more than a half hour and didn’t go into any buildings. I was not interested in dealing with the crowds for either the Doge’s Palace or St. Mark’s Basilica. We saw the Venetian Gothic style Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale). I kept imagining it being like the nightmare Vatican Museums, where people are herded through like cattle. It is one of the main landmarks in Venice, residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice. Built in 1340 and modified in following centuries, it became a museum in 1923.
We admired the fully enclosed limestone Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), built in 1600 by Antonio Contino, which passes over the Rio di Palazzo. It has windows with stone bars and connects the new prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. Here it was said convicts sighed as they caught their last sight of Venice before being thrown in prison.
St. Mark’s Basilica is the cathedral church of the Catholic Patriarchate of Venice. It is dedicated to and holds the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of the city. Modeled after the 6th century Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the present church is the third church begun in around 1063 to express Venice’s growing civic pride. Middle Byzantine, Romanesque, and Islamic influences are evident; Gothic elements were later incorporated. The original brick facade has been embellished over the years with precious stones and rare marbles, mostly in the 13th century.
Ticking away the time in front of us was the Torre dell’Orologio, St. Mark’s Clock Tower, also known as “the Moor’s clocktower.” It was designed by Maurizio Codussi and built 1496. The clock displayed the time, the phrase of the moon, and the dominant sign of the Zodiac. It was topped by two bronze figures, the “Do Mori” (Two Moors) who strike the bell hourly. Originally designed as giants, their dark patina led them to be called Moors.
On another corner of the square was the Campanile, the Basilica’s 99m-tall bell tower. Built originally in 888, it has been rebuilt two times. Galileo Galilei tested his telescope here in 1609. Now people climb to the top for 360° views of the Venice Lagoon.
What a mess St. Mark’s Square was! There was all kinds of construction going on, endless lines of people, and tacky kiosks blocking the views from every angle. The whole place should be better managed.
I didn’t have the patience to see over-the-top opulence, more old paintings and sculptures. I’m happiest wandering aimlessly and discovering simple surprises and pleasures, and lingering at cafes.
St. Mark’s to Rialto to Frari Church Walk
We followed a combination of two walks in the Rick Steves book we found in our Airbnb. We saw the parish church for St. Mark’s, the 10th century San Moisè, with its busy 17th-century Baroque facade.
We climbed the 1499 Scala Contarini del Bovolo, a 26m-high monolith multi-arch staircase made of solid Istrian stone. It is part of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, a small palazzo. The staircase leads to an arcade, providing sweeping views of the city rooftops, the Campanile of San Marco and the Basilica’s domes. As we were leaving, a young lady did a staged Rapunzel pose for her hired photographer from one of the staircase arches. Except she didn’t have Rapunzel’s long hair.
We wandered among the fruit, vegetable and seafood vendors at the Rialto Market. Further strolling the streets, I saw a cute dress in a shop called Rughetta and tried it on while a German woman stood by hoping to pounce on it if I didn’t take it. I bought it immediately, much to the woman’s disappointment. We had a nice lunch at Ristobar San Polo where we shared a Asparagi Pizza: tomato, cheese and asparagus.
Near The Frari Church, we came upon a series of mask shops, where we admired elaborate masks associated with Carnevale di Venezia (Carnival of Venice), established in 1168. Masks were worn to conceal identities of both the lower and upper classes in the pre-Lenten celebration.
Finally, we visited the Frari Church, or the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, a church located in the Campo dei Frari at the heart of the San Polo district of Venice. It is the largest church in the city and it has the status of a minor basilica. The church is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It was built and consecrated in 1492 by the Franciscan order, which is inspired by St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1182-1226).
There are numerous important works in The Frari. The altarpiece, Assumption of the Virgin (1516-1518) by Titian, shows cherubs lifting Mary to meet God. Titian scandalized Venice with his human depiction of Mary, which aroused excitement rather than spirituality.
Titian’s Madonna of Ca’Pesaro (1519-1526) was Titian’s second altarpiece. He put Mary on a pedestal with a squirming standing baby; they are surrounded by saints mingling with mere mortals. The painting upset Renaissance symmetry.
Donatello’s Statue of John the Baptist (1438) depicted a harshly realistic John the Baptist, dressed in animal skins and showing a full range of human emotions, typical of Renaissance art.
Titian’s tomb, completed in 1852, shows Titian with a beard and crown of laurels. His famous paintings are shown in background reliefs. Titian was a great Venetian painter who created inspirational altarpieces, realistic portraits, mythological scenes and erotic female nudes. He died from the plague in 1576.
The Canova Monument of 1827 is dedicated to Venice’s greatest sculptor, Antonio Canova (1757-1822), who created Neoclassical statues of Greek gods and goddesses. Canova designed the tomb for Titian in a pyramid shape, suggesting a pharoah’s tomb, but the Frari (brothers) picked another design. Canova then used the pyramid design for an Austrian princess. Canova’s pupils copied the design to honor their master. He isn’t actually buried here but an urn does contain his heart.
We also found in the church the gear of a 16th century tower clock.
After all our wanderings, it was time for a nap at home. After resting, Mike made us cantaloupe and cheese appetizers and leftover pizza slices along with some wine. Later, we went to dinner at Osteria ae Saracche, where Mike had Pici with Duck Ragout and I had Artichoke Ravioli with Zucchini and Stracciatella. The meal was decent but not fantastic.
To top off our time in Venice, we took a gondola ride with gondolier Christian. Even though Mike wasn’t thrilled at the 100 euro cost for a half hour after 8:00, I insisted we do the one iconic Venice thing before we left the city.
Finally, we went to Campo San Giacomo to see a tango school’s students dancing in the square.
Steps: 17,084; Miles 7.24. Weather: High 87°, Low 70°.
Here is a short video of our time in Venice. On Settings (bottom right), hit “Quality: HD” for best experience.
On Wednesday, we would leave Venice and head north to the Dolomites.
~ wander.essence ~ 
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