Postcards from Venice, Italy - A Journey Through Mystery and Wonder

Piazza San Marco with the Basilica in the Background. You must sit and people watch at one of these cafes in the square. Don't be fooled into dining here though, mediocre food and steep prices.

The allure of Venice seduces visitors and I admit it, me, with its old-world charm, scenic vistas, spectacular architecture and a culture unlike any place I have seen! Once a mighty empire that controlled major trading routes between Europe and the East, Venice prevails today as a major tourist destination, on which it relies heavily for its sustenance. Standing testament to the power and wealth once enjoyed by Venice, are magnificent basilicas, palaces and squares or campi decorated with some of the finest paintings, frescos and sculptures in the world. From Byzantine and Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque, these awe-inspiring edifices remain standing after 500 years and are uniquely Venetian! If you’re planning a visit to Italy, make sure you include the “city of love” on your itinerary. Simply put, there’s no place in the world like Venice!

Around every corner, canal or calle, a picturesque postcard is waiting to take your breath away.

Piazza de San Marco Campanile - you must take the elevator or walk to the top for spectacular 360 views of Venice. 

I fell in love with Venice from the moment we arrived at Piazzale Roma, the train station, and boarded our vaporetto for a thrilling adventure down the two-mile Grand Canal to the Castello sestiere or neighborhood, one stop after Saint Mark’s Square. From there, we traversed a labyrinth of bridges, fondamente and calle or alleyways, to our Hotel Palazzo Priuli located a short distance from Saint Mark’s Square or Piazza San Marco. From that moment on, we were under the betwitching spell cast by Venice herself, unavoidable in under all circumstances.  Once you're here, immerse yourself in the enchantment and grandeur of this timeless city!

I hope you enjoy these postcards from Venice and be sure to visit again for more exciting adventures including a Grand Canal tour in a private water taxi and a walking tour through the “city of love.”

Fondamenta De l'Osmarin as seen from our balcony at the Palazzo Priuli Hotel.

Spectacular and ornately decorated cas or houses such as the Casa Biondetti line the Grand Canal end to end.

Close up of the fresco that adorns Casa Biondetti on the Grand Canal. 

San Giorgio Maggiore Church. 

Venice Cavalli-Franchetti Palace Along Grand Canal.

Basilica de San Marco and Palazzo Ducale.  The campanile is just to the left of this viewpoint.  

Santa Maria Assunta aka Chiesa dei Gesuati was designed by Giorgio Massari and built by the Dominican Order in the early 18th century.  Inside, an elaborately decorated nave that soars to dizzying heights and a baldacchino similar to that of St. Peter's in Rome.  

If there is one piece of advice I can impart to anyone who visits Venice, it is to get lost within its labyrinth of streets and alleyways.  You're sure to discover something wonderful! 

The Church of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. 

El Teatro de Fenice or the Fenice Theatre restored to its former glory before a devastating fire burned the centuries-old theatre almost entirely to the ground.  A most wonderful book "City of Fallen Angels" by John Berendt recounts the story from the 1996 fire through its grand-opening debut in 2001 - a fascinating read of historical facts, socialites and scandals, and an insider's view into the mysterious lives of Venetians! Loved every word of it!

I strongly recommend you plan for an afternoon excursion to Murano - the historic island just east of Venice where Venetian Glass has been crafted by artisans for more than 1,000 years.  Just hop onto a vaporetto or if you have a few extra Euro, let me suggest a water taxi for a thrilling ride across the lagoon. Another island in the lagoon—Burano— should be included on your itinerary as well. Check out this post by TravelsOfAdam showcasing Burano's picturesque windows.

Welcome to Murano, the island of Venetian Glass.  Murano's Grand Canal is lined with shops brimming with everything in Venetian Glass from baubles to chandeliers to exotic masterpieces of art.   

Although somewhat expensive, a cruise through the ancient canals of Venice aboard a legendary gondola makes for a perfect afternoon and an even more enchanted evening tour.  Check out this video tour with Rick Steves on one of the celebrated gondolas as it snakes through the quaint and charming canals of Venice.

Recently, I just finished Peter Ackroyd’s “Venice: Pure City” – a most fascinating read for historians and travelers alike. Ackroyd takes us on a journey beginning with the retreat of ancient Venetians to these islands back in the fourth century and from there, he recounts Venice’s rise from the lagoon to one of the most powerful mercantile empires in the world! We experience art, culture, wartime, scandals and end at its present-day status as a tourist destination. Loaded with 1,600 years of meticulously crafted details and facts, Ackroyd’s “Venice: Pure City” is the penultimate encyclopedia on this ancient city!

Arrivederci from Venice!