3 days in Venice: BD A319 LHR-VCE-LHR

[SQflyergirl]

Ah utterly gorgeous. Love the TR, and certainly looks a lot different from the misty week in February i spent there a few years ago

[9V-SIA]

Wow, 9V-SIA, that's a ton of flights all the way across the world! Talking about going from SIN-LHR the long way around

Italy has somehow completely passed me by during the 14 years that I have been in England - but your TR is really making me interested in going. It all looks fantastic...

The LX3 seems to be doing a good job too. Looking forward to the rest

The trip evolved over time.

Originally SIN-EWR-SIN. London and Venice was a last minute decision.

I needed EWR-SIN to re-qualify for PPS by end June.

Also BA are giving away J class seats so I finally got to try their Yin-Yang seats.

Yes. LX3 rools OK.

Ah utterly gorgeous. Love the TR, and certainly looks a lot different from the misty week in February i spent there a few years ago

Thanks. TRs are hard work but appreciative readers welcome.

You went for Carnevale? We're thinking of going next year...

[9V-SIA]

Tourism and Venice

According to my guide book ( AA Spiral Guide series, I like the spiral binding ),
Venice is getting the wrong mix of tourists:

• 13-14 million a year
• >80% of them spend <8 hours in the city
• average spend of these day trippers 15 Euro
• > 90% head for St Mark's Square, ignoring the rest of the city

They would like less day trippers and more tourists who stay longer

In front of Basilica looking south to St Mark's Basin...
8am: At start of our walk




10am: After our walk





St Mark's Square By Night

But before 9am and after 5pm, St Mark's Square is a magical place.

At night, we would have a gelato and drink coffee while listening to the orchestras compete for our applause
A lot of showmanship!

Cafe Quadri Orchestra




Cafe Laverna Orchestra



They take turns to play


Campanile by night




The Cafes, side by side.
Cafe Florian stands alone across the square.
A Jazz orchestra is located near St Mark's Basin



Finally, Basilica!

[9V-SIA]

San Marco


Luckily we were shopped out by the time we came to Venice and our bags were full.
( A day trip to Woodbury Common near NYC will do that ) So mainly we browsed.
Since most travellers "start" Venice from St Mark's Square, so will I.

In general, from St Mark's Square, head west towards Ponte Dell'Accademia, for high end shopping.

From Torre dell'Orologio, head north ( through the maze of narrow streets of Merceria ) towards Rialto Bridge for mid range shopping.

Venice is full of squares linked by narrow streets and canals. You know you are in a square ( some are triangular! ) when you see the ancient communal well.





West of St Mark's Square

It makes sense to me. Heading west, the streets run behind the high end hotels that front the Grand Canal.
Check out the shops along Calle Larga XXII Marzo.

A few thoughts about the shopping:

• Variety. Yes, all the big name international brands are here. But they co-exist with the "quirky" shops I enjoy browsing.
• Display Windows. Very beautifully done. Lots of Italian style.
• Very crowded streets!

When you reach St Steven's Square ( Campo Santo Stefano ), your high end shopping is done.
Have an ice cream at Gelateria Paolin, at the northern corner of the square.










After ice cream, head across the square...






...to enjoy the view from Ponte Dell'Accademia ( PD'A )





View North from PD'A.
Float is Vaporetti ( waterbus ) stop.





View south from PD'A.
Vaporetti passing beneath the bridge. Buy vaporetti pass for 16 Euro for 24 hours.
You can see the dome of Santa Maria della'Salute at the eastern tip of Dorsodoro,
where the Grand Canal opens up into St Mark's Basin





And my dream Venetian home, from PD'A
( Pink one with the garden! )

[9V-SIA]

North of St Mark's Square

Head north to Rialto Bridge from under the clock tower.





The walk through Merceria is very interesting.





We didn't try it but Trattoria Sempione, to right of picture, looks good.





Must try next visit..





Nice mix of shops selling brand names and local wares like Venetian masks and Murano glassware.
A lot of shops selling masks and glass.
Walked past most of them until, on this street...





...in front of this shop with no signboard... name is on the glass door..





...I saw a craftsman who was actually making the stuff on site instead of importing from elsewhere.





He was making glass ducks.








So four of them, together with my Venetian orchestra, flew VCE-LHR-JFK/EWR-SIN with me and are sitting on my window ledge

[9V-SIA]

Rialto Bridge

From the south.
Exit left... San Polo ward. Exit right... San Marco.





Looking north from the bridge.
Round the corner, on San Polo, is wet market where locals shop.





Looking south. Restaurants on either bank ( more on the right ).





San Polo Ward

I know I said I'd keep to San Marco and Castello wards this trip but we were drawn to the markets from Rialto Bridge

Fish Markets ( Campo della Pescaria )

This, believe it or not, is the fish market. Gorgeous building








Squid in Venice was very fresh and well grilled.




I love squid ink pasta... but Venetian style tomato based sauce. Prefer cream based like at home.




Adjoining Fruits & Vegetable Markets ( Campo Battisti )





Different types of berries

[9V-SIA]

A Stroll along the waterfront: Riva Degli Schiavoni

I love the walk along the waterfront.
Roadside restaurants line the pavement. And a truly international crowd.
That's St George Maggiore Island across St Mark's Basin,
viewed from the entrance to St Mark's Square





I headed east towards the tip of Castello.
We were to take a gondola ride from here on our last day in Venice.
Good value. One person or six people...same price.
There were six of us





Along the waterfront looking towards the land

Down the alley is the orphanage/church that Vivaldi worked as a music teacher.
A lot of musical performances to listen to in Venice..
..so long as you like Vivaldi's Four Season's.







Rio Ca' di Dio





Canale dell'Arsenale. You can see the Italian naval base in the distance ( guard tower )





The view westwards from the eastern tip of Castello





Along the waterfront looking towards the sea



I'd like one of these for X'mas please..
It is HUGE!





What's the monthly installment likely to be?



I wouldn't mind one of these even...

[9V-SIA]

Castello

Introduction

I was looking forward to explore Castello as this is where the locals live.
The local population is shrinking because it is expensive to live here,
and the young are leaving to find work on the mainland.



Walk along the waterfront, just past the Maritime Museum, cross a bridge, and you will reach a fork in the road.





This is Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, the widest road in Venice because the canal used to run down it.





When you see this Monumento a Garibaldi ( with a lovely public garden aka Giardini Pubblici that runs south to the waterfront ),
you are almost at the end of the road..





...and the canal that was covered up in creating the road re-appears.
Quiet now but lots of photo opportunities here in the morning..





Continue along the path will lead you to St Peter's Island,
the smaller of two islands that border Castello





Here.... is the "Real Venice"
Drying the laundry...




Trattoria for locals... very far from the main thoroughfare.
Laundry hanging above it...





These pics below are where the weakness of the LX3 came out. Not enough zoom.
I missed 2 shots. Some boys playing football at the far end
A boy cycling under the watchful eye of his mother, who was looking out the window



Anyways, these two boys were asking their friend to come out and play.
You can't see him but his face is between the bars on the balcony





Big sister was playing basketball.

[9V-SIA]

Market Place Castello

On our final day in Venice, I did go back to see the market in action.
We were a bit early 8-ish but I planned to explore the area between Arsenale and St Mark's Square as well



The boat is now filled with vegetables. Floating Market in Thailand has more buzz though.







While snapping pictures, this boat pulls up and starts to unload fish into the fish monger's shop at the corner.





That's swordfish





Butcher's Shop





This shop with no name ....



...sells wine by the litre! Reminds me of the shops that used to sell soya sauce by the gallon in old Singapore circa 60s





Outside Public Gardens ( Giardini Pubblici ) , stalls are setting up

[milehighj]

Thanks for posting. Keep it coming!

[andySYD]

Thank you for the posts, am still amazed how the square can be so empty, then I realised you wrote it's 8am...

[hsf]

Great report!

Now I don't need to visit Venice!

[9V-SIA]

Thanks for posting. Keep it coming!

Thanks for reading! Sorry a bit slow...

Thank you for the posts, am still amazed how the square can be so empty, then I realised you wrote it's 8am...

Normally it's like this....









I tend to hide in the hotel from after lunch to about 5pm.
I'm subscribe wholeheartedly to the siesta culture here

Thanks for reading!

Great report!

Now I don't need to visit Venice!

Thanks!

Yeah, I feel that way sometimes.

I'm leaving Baghdad and Kabul for someone else to do a TR..

[9V-SIA]

Islands of St Peter and St Elena

The two islands to the east are linked to Castello by 2 bridges each.

St Peter, the smaller of the two, was the site of the first settlement in Venice.
Castle Castello that used to stand here gave it's name to the ward.
Boat repair yards line the canal.



St Peter from "southern bridge"

St Peter from "northern bridge"

St Elena was the training grounds for the military when Venice, Italy was Venice, Austria.

St Elena from "northern bridge"

Pan left

Pan right

St Elena characterized by apartments and...

...tree lined promenades


St Elena's "southern bridge" leading back to Castello

Looking north ( see the northern bridge? )...

Start of he long walk back to St Mark's

[9V-SIA]

Food!

It was getting late by the time we got to St Elena.
My wife and I decided to have dinner there.
We stumbled onto this Trattoria..




Our Main Courses


Grilled Sole




Side salad with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar




Spagetti Vongole



We had dessert along the Riva on the way back



Lunch the next day, after visiting the Doge's Palace.
Just off St Mark's Square



Grilled Seafood Platter