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Venezia "Venice"
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DESTINATION
INFORMATION
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The undisputed
capital of Veneto is its most glorified city. The
city of Venezia (also known as Venice) is comprised
of 117 islands, 150 canals, 400 bridges and a population
of about 300,000 locals but can see well over 10,000,000
visitors in a single year. Located in the Laguna Veneta,
Venezia is protected by a series of islands that separate
itself from the Adriatic Sea.
Click here
for History of Venezia
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Venezia is accessed easier by train
than by car. The highway N11 is the only road into
the city where it stops on the very outskirts, and
travelers have no choice but to take a very crowded
"Traghetto" into the heart of the city.
By train, Stazione Santa Lucia is right on the Canal
Grande. In a city with no roads and no strategic layout,
Venezia is a lot harder to maneuver than any of the
other cities in Italy. It is separated into parts
called sestieri: Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro,
Santa Croce, San Polo, and San Marco. There really
is no route or main street to follow. The best thing
to do in Venezia is take the traghetto to Venezia's
main attraction, Piazza San Marco, and start from
there. If you try to follow the Canal Grande you can
see many of the sites Venezia has to offer.
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Piazza San Marco
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Dominated by the Campanile, Piazza
San Marco has a series of cafés and shops,
all creating an energetic atmosphere in front of the
Basilica di San Marco. Next to the Basilica
sits the Palazzo Ducale, home to the Doges
of Venezia, it also doubled as the courthouse. The
prison is connected to the courthouse by a single
entrance, the famous bridge, the Ponte dei Sospiri
(Bridge of Sighs).
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Ponte Rialto
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At this point you are on the left
bank of the city. Along the left bank directly on
the Canal Grande the sites to see (going in
order towards the Piazzale Romare) are: Palazzo
Grassi, Ca' d'Oro, Palazzo Labia, and Palazzo
Vendarmin Calergi. At just about the midway point
of the canal is the Ponte Rialto, Venezia's
most famous bridge and marketplace. It is one of the
few spots where you can cross the Canal by foot to
the right bank. Along the right bank (going from Piazzale
Roma back to San Marco) you'll find: Ca'
Pesaro, Ca' Rezzonico and Ca' Dario.
Once you've followed the Canal
Grande venturing into the back streets of Venezia
can be a little tricky, (but don't be worried,
it is more fun to get lost in Venezia than to actually
know where you are going) be sure to have a map handy
and there are plenty of signs to help you find your
destination.
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San Giorgio
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If you are in Piazza San Marco
you are on the left bank. Journeying into the back
streets some of the sites to see in no particular
order are: Torre dell'Orologio, San
Francesco della Vigna, Scuola Grande di San Marco,
San Giorgio, San Zaccaria, Santa Maria Formosa, Statue
di Colleone, Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Santa Maria dei
Miracoli, San Giovanni Crisostomo and way off
in the distance Madonna del Orto (if you are
in this area be sure to walk around the Ghetto
quarter).
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Santa Maria
della Salute |
If you cross over onto the right
bank you'll find: San Giacomo dell'Orio,
San Polo, Santa Maria dei Frari, San Rocco, San Nicolo
dei Mendicoli, San Sebastiano, Museo dell'Accademia,
the Guggenheim Collection and at the edge of the
Canal Grande, Santa Maria della Salute.
Aside from the main city of Venezia,
located in the northeast cluster of islands in the
Laguna, are two of the more interesting places to
see. About 45 minutes by ferry the islands of Murano
and Burano sit far away from the commmtion
of the main city.
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Museo Vetario
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Famous for its glass, Murano glassmakers
originally worked in Venezia, until the early 1290's.
But because of the ovens and furnaces and the danger
they posed the industry was forced to move. The island
of Murano, like Venezia, is a small cluster of islands
connected by a series of bridges. Unlike Venezia;
however there are few people and most of the locals
are in the glass industry. The Museo Vetario
"Glass Museum" shows the history of glass
and the island. Murano was the chief producer of glass
in all of Europe during the 15th and 16th
centuries.
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Typical house
in Burano |
The smaller but more colorful island
of Burano is a short ferry ride from Murano. Burano
is famous for its lace; at one time it created the
most well known lace in Europe. Today the lace has
become scarce and hard to find. However if you walk
the area you can still see some people making lace
right on the streets. In the Scuola dei Merletti
"Lace-Makers School" you can see where Burano
women learn to make lace. There is also a museum attached
to the school.
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Click
here for Restaurants in Venezia
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