Venice - On the Canals
Back to Italy 2016 Index
City of Venice
Palazzo Ducale - Palace Art
To really enjoy the Ambiente della Venezia, you have to get on the canals. The most cost effective
way is to get a pass and hop on and off a water bus - or vaparetto. You can see everything
along the Grand Canal and spend the day at your leisure poking around the side streets of
Venice. The most romantic way, of course, is to take a gondola ride and see the city's smaller
canals from a water-level view. Each has its own charm, and both are wonderful experiences.
The Grand Canal
We caught the vaparetto at the Piazza San Marco and rode to the end
of the line and back. All along the way are wonderful views of Venice and its watery
'streets'. Many old Palaces and churches along the Grand Canal make great photos.
 |
| We catch the vaparetto at the San Marco stop. |
 |
| Looking
at San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th century Benedictine church on the
island of the same name, from the back of the vaparetto. |
 |
| Looking at the east bank as we enter the Grand Canal. The San Marco stop is visible at the right. |
 |
| Santa
Maria Della Salute, on the west bank of the grand canal. It was built to
offer thanks to St. Mary for the end of a succession of plagues which
killed a majority of the Venetian population. |
 |
| Wealthy Venetians spent huge sums of money decorating their palaces when Venice ruled the Adriatic. |
 |
| All manner of craft ply the waters of the Grand Canal. |
 |
| The San Tomá vaparetto stop. |
 |
| These freight barges are the 18-wheelers of the Grand Canal. |
 |
| Gondola stop near the Ponte di Rialto. |
 |
| Ponte di Rialto behind the water taxi. |
 |
| View from the Ponte di Rialto. |
 |
 |
| San Bartolomeo just behind (east of) Ponte Di Rialto. |
 |
| San Simeone Piccolo, close to the beginning of the return ride. |
 |
| Rio di San Zan Degolá with its numerous bridge crossings. |
 |
| The Grand Canal is definitely a busy thoroughfare. |
 |
| Ca'
Vendramin Calergi was designed in the late 15th century by Mauro
Codussi and now houses the Casino di Venezia and the Richard Wagner
museum. The famous composer died here in 1883. |
 |
| The
Ca' d' Oro palace was built between 1428 and 1430 for the Contarini
family, who provided Venice with eight Doges between 1043 and 1676. The
architects were Giovanni Bon and his son Bartolomeo Bon. |
 |
 |
| Ponte di Rialto from the Grand Canal. |
 |
| Ponte di Rialto and San Bartolomeo. |
 |
 |
| Vaparetto heading toward the Ponte dell' Accademia. |
 |
 |
| Passing by San Giorgio Maggiore just before docking at the San Marco vaporetto stop. |
Gondola Ride
Riding in a gondola is a great way to see the smaller waterways and bridges
up close. The feeling is intimate as we glide among the narrow canals between
the tall buildings. You will see lots of gondola traffic on the little passageways.
 |
| Near the beginning of the gondola ride. |
 |
 |  |
| Trips can be accompanied by music and tenors. |
The ride is slow and serene. |
 |
| The gondola rowers have to duck under the small bridges. |
 |
 |
 |
| We
swing out into the Grand Canal before heading back into the smaller
waterways. The view from the low-riding gondola is different than the view from the vaparetto. |
 |
 |  |
 |
 |
Back to Italy 2016 Index
City of Venice
Palazzo Ducale - Palace Art