“Venice is eternity itself.”  — Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996) – Russian-American poet

“Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.”  — Truman Capote (1924-1984) – American novelist, screenwriter and playwright

Venice, Italy…“La Serenissima” (The Most Serene) A city so unique it is hard to believe it exists. Setting on top of millions and millions of logs pounded into the ground centuries ago, this city appears to float upon the water. It is truly a magical place with the canals, the hidden squares, the narrow alleyways….so easy to get lost, and that should be your goal. Wander about and discover all the gems this city holds….it is a goal you will never regret.

When we exited the train station, Heidi experienced one of those OMG – AHA moments, for there in front of her was the Grand Canal, turquoise water, gondolas plying back and forth with a marble church as a backdrop….OMG, WOW!!!! You just don’t expect it. It doesn’t register in your brain that this is real….and then it comes to you….you are in Venice!!!!

We chose to stay a little ways away from the bustling, frenetic pace of the main island….across the Giudecca Canal on Giudecca Island (Pronounced: Jew Decka) We chose this so we would be afforded a little peace and quiet during our stay and because we found just the cutest little spot to stay complete with a balcony with a killer view over to Venice. There is a vaporetto stop just meters away from our apartment, cafes, restaurants and bakeries below us, and even little grocery stores. After we checked into our digs, we spent the rest of the evening touring about Giudecca, found a wine shop and a great little restaurant and stayed up late just sitting on the balcony watching the lights of Venice come on and the boats going up and down the canal. Magical.

Bright and early one morning we grabbed an early vaporetto and made our way across the canal to San Marco Square, we had tickets to visit the Doges Palace and St. Mark’s Cathedral. The Doges Palace, the home of the Venetian Government, was spectacular. We crossed over the Bridge of Sighs, toured the prison, the legislation rooms and even the Doge’s apartment.

The Basilica di San Marco is filled with mosaics, the entire ceiling is a mosaic…..millions of tiny tiles place together to make beauty….and so much gold, every where is gold. And inside are the famous four horses stolen years ago from Constantinople (now-a-days Istanbul). The thieves had to cut their heads off in order to get them out of the country. The horses were put back together and bridles were added to cover up the scars. There are replicas of the horses outside on the balcony. This church was built specifically to hold the remains of St. Mark whose body was stolen from Egypt in 828 A.D.

St. Mark’s Square is huge and is surrounded by cafes, many with live music and all with very, very expensive coffee and food…..it is the view you are paying for.

As you wander about Venice, you come across some of the most amazing sites.

And of course, we HAD to do a gondola ride. We didn’t want to go out of one of the main gondola hubs…so many people, so crowded. We wanted a nice quiet ride along the smaller canals. And as we were walking across one of the many bridges, we saw a gondola pull into a little dock just on the other side of the bridge and let two people off. We jumped at the chance, asked if he was up for a ride, and off we went. Just what we were hoping for….all through the tiny canals, under bridges where we had to duck our heads, and even spent little while on the Grand Canal and under the Rialto Bridge. Romantic and so fun!!!!

We dedicated one full day to explore a few of the outer islands….Murano, Burano and Mazzorbo. Murano is famous for their glassworks. The factories were moved here to Murano years ago out of fear they might cause fires in the main island. The craftmanship here is world renowned. Murano glass is special due to its centuries-old secret techniques, vibrant colors due to unique mineral mixes and intricate handmade artistry by master craftsmen. The entire island is recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage.  We found a nice necklace for Heidi and a Christmas ornament to take home, and we walked all over the island.

Back on the Vaporetto to make the long crossing to Burano. The boat was filled to the gills, the sun was hot and there was absolutely no breeze…..it made for an uncomfortable crossing. When we disembarked, we walked over the bridge connecting Burano with Mazzorbo. We wanted to eat lunch at this wonderful little restaurant there and see the vineyards that produce the indigenous Dorona di Venezia grape, and bottles of this wine go for hundreds of dollars. (we didn’t purchase any)

Then it was time to explore Burano with the colorful homes up and down the canals…supposedly so the fishermen would know their homes upon their return from the sea. The island is also famous for their lace making, though the craft seems to be dying slowly as the younger generation isn’t picking it up. Burano was picture perfect and fun to explore.

And our time in Venice has coming to a close. We pack up, say goodbye to our magical terrace, hop on the vaporetto for our last water taxi crossing, and find our ride to Croatia. Thank you, Venice, for the time of our lives and for the memories that will last us the rest of our years.