Only a
few cities in the world come close to matching the mystical beauty of Venice,
Italy. It is an island where vehicles are prohibited on land, while boats
traverse the crossword puzzle of murky green canals through the labyrinth of
buildings. Buses are large boats. Taxis
are water taxis. Romantics may hire a gondola for a
hand-pushed ride in those long and skinny Venetian boats, best for small
parties.
Above
sea level, walking by foot is the only other choice. Here, no bicycles are
found, no motorized scooters or tiny Smart cars are allowed. Here, the
island is a life away from the rest of the world. A sort of paradise for
romantics. In the winter months, Venice is a cold and not so pleasant
place. Being located on the sea seems to chill even the warmest bones no
matter how many layers of clothing. The benefit of going that time of year is
the number of tourists drastically decrease.
Off season numbers are fantastic, including off season pricing for hotels
and as airfare.
But in
spring, autumn, and summer in particular, Venice may be crowded, but it has a
magic to it. The flowers are in full bloom delighting the nose and the
eyes. The evening temperatures are comfortable, where nights show people
wearing perfectly appropriate shorts, shirts or light dresses. The charm
of the city is discovered through evening strolls in the largest public square,
Piazza di San Marco. There, centuries ago, visitors arrived at their
docks to a large palace, called the Doge Palace, and a beautiful basilica, the
Basilica of San Marco. Today, people stand in awe at the immaculately
detailed and wonderfully preserved mosaic and sculpture-filled facades of the
religious institution. Truly, it is a jewel not to be missed both at day time
and night.
In the
very same piazza, at least one live band plays easy listening instrumental-only
hits. One band prefers to showcase their accordionist. Another, more of a jazz
ensemble, highlights their talent through the liquid yet playful clarinet.
Every one of them has a pianist and drummer. Behind the band is the
entrance to the restaurant sponsoring the musical group. In front of them
are seventy tables for two, tempting passers-by to sit down and enjoy just a
few more pieces over a refreshing Bellini the peach and prosecco concoction
originating from Venice. Falling in love with everything has never been so easy.
At Carnevale, the annual festival right
before Lent, people wear masks and have done so for hundreds of years. Because
of this age-old tradition, they are sold, it seems, in every other store on the
island. From the bright and colorful to
the blank, unpainted varieties, masks of every odd mold and design are uniquely
Venetian.
Murano
is nearby Venice, an easy boat ride to an island of artisans. Their handmade glass is unique and known
worldwide, considered very good quality. Art-lovers are lucky. They don’t have to go to Italy just to get
the beautiful products. They can find
Murano glass nearly everywhere, as vendors understand the demand for
hand-crafted excellence.
Beautiful
glass, odd shaped masks, canals, labyrinths and charm. Venice is easily one of
the cities that make Italy so great. Have you ever been there? What did you like best about Venice?
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