Venice

We left our hotel early in the morning to walk to the train station to take a local train to Florence.

 

In Florence, we got on the high speed train bound for a two hour train ride to Venice.

Our first view of Venice was made even more glorious by the "better than predicted" weather.

First stop was finding a quick lunch before meeting up with our local tour guide.

We toured the Palazzo Ducale, a palace built in the Venetian Gothic style which is one of the main landmarks in Venice. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice.

The "Bridge of Sighs," the most famous bridge in Venice, is a covered bridge that connected the Palazzo Ducale to the attached prison. Prisoners were tried in tribunals conducted in the building and then walked across this enclosed bridge where they could get one last look at the canals (sigh) before entering the prison which had very little life. Many prisoners died in the prison due to disease.

A view from the Bridge of Sighs.

Venice is actually a series of 118 "islands" that are connected by 425 bridges - the narrow streets are now filled with shops and cafes.

A view of the "Grand Canal."

St. Mark's Catheral is the located right next to the Palazzo Ducale.

 

Our time in Venice included a gondola ride through the canals.

 

 

The sun was setting as we finished our gondola ride before heading off to another fabulous Italian dinner. All I can say is that it is a good thing we are walking so much!

 

Posted with Blogsy