There's no place quite like Venice. Exploring it provides a unique experience for travelers, including for your humble narrator.
When I first stepped out of the Venice train station years ago and took in my initial glimpses of the city, it felt like I'd walked onto a "Star Wars" movie set. The only thing missing were the spacecraft.
We last visited Venice a few years back spending five days here. I was attending an excellent Mayo-clinic run medical meeting at the elegant Hilton hotel in the mornings, and afternoons were free so we could explore the city. It was a nice combination of education and free time.
This compilation of images was gathered during our wanderings of the walkways and alleys of the city -- though a few photos were taken from water taxis and vaporetto. We were often lost (although it's hard to be lost for long in this small city), and I'd recommend this as the best way to explore. Put your map away and just walk to see what's around the next corner.
It 's clear that Venice sprang from and remains intimately tied to the sea, which at high high tide is now trying to reclaim this sinking city. The way people adapted their small pieces of land to coexist with the water is what I find so fascinating.
Canals, boats and gondolas are everywhere. So are crowds of tourists. The following images are presented in no particular order:
Open spaces are a rarity in Venice, but its always fun to watch children running and playing when you come across a piazza.
I am always on the prowl for interesting signage:
A final image of the Grand Canal and the grand buildings that frame it.
I hope to return to this great city again soon.
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