Bridges, canals, islands... this is Venice! (one)

28 December 2014 Travel time: with 25 October 2014 on 29 October 2014
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Bridges, canals, islands...- this is Venice! part 1

The hotel where we stayed after the cruise can be viewed here: http://www.turpravda.com/it/venecija/A_Tribute_To_Music_Residenza-h45015-r106451.html

Before moving on to Venice, I would like to show you some wedding photos taken during our trip. I read in someone’s report that if there are weddings, then this is a good sign that the whole journey from beginning to end will be successful. I really don’t know if the author herself came up with it or also read it from someone, but nevertheless, everything was just like that with us. In almost all stops we saw the bride and groom, except for Katakalon, Marianske Lazne and Karlovy Vary. When the camera was at hand, we took pictures.

Post cruise Venice.

Venice...a unique ancient city, its origin dates back to the 5th century, when inhabitants from the Roman Venetian-Istrian region moved to the islands of the lagoon, fleeing from the invasion of the Lombards.


In the 10th century, Venice expelled pirates from Istria and Dalmatia and thereby increased its influence there. The Venetian Republic already existed between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when Venice was the only large European city-state with an autonomous government without monarchs and bishops.

The first half of the 15th century is considered the zenith of Venice's heyday. She subjugated the Morea, Cyprus, Crete, captured some Italian cities: Verona, Vicenza, Udine ...her trade and economic relations reached the countries of Asia.

But, after the capture of Constantinople by the Turks and the discovery of America, its decline begins. Trade routes change their direction from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. In 1797, the Venetian Republic fell when Napoleon came there, giving it to the power of Austria. And only after almost 70 years, after a hard struggle, Venice again became part of the Italian kingdom.

It was a short digression into the history of Venice.

So, we arrived at the Hotel A Tribute To Music Residenza 4 * too early, the room was not yet ready. But next to the reception in a small corridor you can leave your things. We left our suitcases with others who were already there and set off to rendezvous with Piazza San Marco. The weather was wonderful, it was very, very sunny, the mood was somehow upbeat, even despite the crowds of people. It was like a feeling of freedom, no need to hurry anywhere, no need to constantly look at the clock, all the time to calculate the time so as not to be late for the ship, it was a wonderful feeling just not to rush anywhere.

1. Bridge of Sighs. Ponte dei Sospiri.

This bridge was built to connect the old and new prisons. The old prisons were located inside the Doge's Palace and after a time they became unsuitable for keeping prisoners.

Then new prisons were built in a neighboring building, and the bridge became a connecting point between them. It got its name "Bridge of Sighs" because of the doom of the convicts who were sentenced. It was as if they were crossing this bridge before heading to the places of detention, casting their last glance at the sky, the sea, freedom...through two openwork marble windows.


It was perhaps the only bridge through which it was difficult to cross due to the abundance of tourists. After all, everyone wants not only to photograph him, but also their loved ones against his background. We captured the bridge and we, once again, move on to the bell tower of St. Mark.

2. Bell tower of St. Mark. Campanile.

This belfry-tower was built in the 9th century as a watchtower to watch over the harbour. Then it served as a lighthouse, and a place of execution (until the 14th century, priests who were seen in Sodom sin were hanged from it in cages).

Due to various damages, it was rebuilt many times, and in 1902 it completely collapsed, fortunately, there were no human casualties, the cathedral was also not damaged. After that, the tower was restored, where it was, and the way it was. The height of the bell tower is 99 meters, and at its very top there is a statue of the archangel Gabriel, turning with the wind.

Entrance to the bell tower costs 8.00 euros / person, lift. Of course there was a line, but it moved quickly. The views from the bell tower were worth standing in (in line) for a bit. How fragile and airy the Doge's Palace seems, and inside, for example, there is the Great Council Hall - the largest room in the world, the ceiling of which is not supported by any support.

From the bell tower you can also see the port, cruise ships, and two ships of the MSC company, standing opposite each other. We had just left one of them, but there was no sadness.

The cruise was wonderful, left the most pleasant memories, and now we are waiting for other places, new discoveries, new experiences and a lot of interesting things.

One of the photos will show a bridge over the canal. No, we didn’t walk along it, although we wanted to, we didn’t let anyone in there. And a day later it was gone, dismantled.

We walk in a circle on the bell tower, from window to window, we look at the Giudecca canal, the church of Santa Maria della Salute, the domes of the Basilica of San Marco ...the island of San Giorgio Maggiore ...St. Mark's Square.


We were at the bell tower for quite some time. Went around the circle more than once. There were also a lot of people, but everyone was somehow mutually polite, no one pushed, if the place at the opening was occupied, they retreated, and when it was free, they could then "hang" there for a very long time. Many were without cameras at all, maybe not for the first time? There are large heavy bells hanging upstairs and a notice: do not touch with your hands! And what do you think almost everyone does?

Well, of course, they definitely touch. Well, okay, young people, you can still somehow understand, well, those who are over 50 ...and all the same. Yes, people are the same everywhere, but if it were written: be sure to stroke your hands! No one would go and touch.

Having descended from the bell tower, we again went to the embankment. Approximately in the area of ​ ​ ​ ​ the Bridge of Sighs there are benches in several rows. Almost all of them were occupied, the sun shone warmly and brightly, and everyone enjoyed it. And at the same time, we also bought ice cream ...well, how much does a person need to be happy?

And after checking into the hotel, we went to the heart of the city. Narrow passages between houses, between gloomy houses, and suddenly you find yourself in some small square with cafes, restaurants, shops, confectioneries ...I really like all sorts of small wine, cheese and pasta shops in Italy. It is always so comfortable in them, and what choice, whatever the soul desires, everything is there.

Our hotel was located in the center, so on the first day we bought only one-time tickets for 7.00 euros / person, and for the next days travel cards: for 3 days for 40.00 euros / person. Well, on the last day we also bought one-time tickets for 7.00 euros in order to get from the hotel to the square. Rome.

Prices can be found here: http://www. veneziaunica. it/it/ecommerce/products/pack/biglietti-turistici-actv

Vaporetto scheme: http://www. actv. it/sites/default/files/Mappa_linee_agosto_2013_100x70web%202. pdf

Vaporetto schedule: http://www. actv. it/sites/default/files/orari%20nav%2011%20nov%202013_low%281%29. pdf

From our Arsenale stop, you can get to the island by vaporetto number 1 or from the S. MARCO-S stop. ZACCARIA on vaporetto number 5.1, these are the nearest stops from our hotel. It was more convenient for us to go by one. Swimming is not long, and now we are on the island.

Venice is left behind.


Lido di Venezia is a small island located not far from Venice, about 11-12 km long, separating the Adriatic Sea from the famous Venetian lagoon. The island has many beaches located on the sea side, both public and private.

Lido is the only place in Venice where buses and cars run. The Vaporetto Pass is also valid for bus travel around the island.

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Chiesa di San Nicol? del Lido.

But we were not interested in the beaches, we arrived here in order to inspect the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Once the island also bore the name of St. Nicholas, who was considered the patron saint of sailors. In the 11th century, a monastery was built there to store the relics of St. Nicholas. Today, there is a functioning church on this site, where the relics of the Saint are still kept and services are held.

"Few people know that in 1087 the Barians stole not all the relics of St. Nicholas from the temple of the Byzantine city of Mira. In haste and bustle, they left about 20% of the relics in the sarcophagus, which the Venetians took out of Mir Lycian 9 years later. "

"For several years, the inhabitants of the islands of Lido and Bari have been fierce disputes over the relics of St. Nicholas.

He explained that we need line "A", a stop here, in front of all the berths, and to be more precise, opposite the pier "A". Having boarded the bus, the driver was once again asked if we had entered the right bus? The bus was the same, only until we get to the church, the bus will make a circle almost across the entire island. Well, let's look at the island.

On this Sunday morning, the bus was almost empty, there were several ladies of venerable age, very decently dressed, who all got off at one stop, and we were left alone on the bus. At some point, the driver said something over the speakerphone, we were sitting, then he looked out into the cabin and showed us to the church. Oh, that's it, it turns out we had to go out. The stop is next to the church, on the left side of it, but if you don’t know that the church you are looking for is exactly what it is, then it’s quite possible to drive past.

When we entered the church, there were only 2 people there.


After a while they left, we were left alone, this has never happened in any church in Italy.

There was such a deafening silence in the church that the clicking of the camera seemed like artillery cannonade. We liked it here more than in Bari, maybe because there were no crowds of people...

Leaving the church, we walked to the pier on foot. Walk along the sea without turning anywhere. The street was very, very crowded. Apparently, tourists do not really like this place in the off-season, when there is practically nothing to do on the beaches.

4. Doge's Palace. Dogenpalast. Or the Palace of the Dukes. Palazzo Ducale.

The completion of the construction of the palace dates back to the 14th century, and until the end of the 16th it was still being completed and improved. The palace, where the doges lived and also housed cultural institutions and the government, has retained its original appearance to this day. The palace has two main facades and three levels. The ticket costs 16.00 euros/person. + 5.00 euros guide.

There was no queue at the entrance, only we had to wait 5-7 minutes until the batteries in the audio guide were charged.

The tour starts from the patio. The audio guide is good, I liked it, they tell everything clearly and understandably. The inner courtyard is several floors of openwork galleries, as well as the facade of the Cathedral of San Marco.

Staircase of the Giants with huge statues of Neptune and Mars. At the top of the stairs, the crowning ceremony of the doges took place. Its entrance was closed.

In the Grimani Hall and the Lions Hall, literally from all angles, the main symbol of Venice is presented - a lion with wings and a book. Of course, I don’t remember the names of all the halls, as well as the names of the masters.

Everywhere there are stands with the name and number of the hall. And a little higher on the stand there is another number for the audio guide, which should be pressed on the remote control to listen to the information. Room number and audio guide number may not match. Walk long, watch a lot, listen even more...


in some halls on the sides there are soft long sofas, where you can sit down and rest.

The Senate Hall...The Great Council Hall, which has an area of ​ ​.54. 25.15 m, for a long time it was considered the largest room in the world without internal ceilings and columns. On the wall, above the doge's throne, is the most grandiose and delightful of the known paintings - Tintoretto's painting "Paradise" (22.7 m). Other famous artists also worked on the decoration of this hall: Veronese, J. Palma, F. Bassano.

We did not take a secret tour, it was more than enough for us that we went around all the halls from bottom to top. What can I say, I liked the palace, some halls and paintings even really, really liked it, we were interested.

To be continued.. .

Translated automatically from Russian. View original
To add or remove photos in a story, go to album of this story
Зал Большого Совета. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
На стене, над троном дожа находится самая грандиозная и восхитительная из известных картин – полотно Тинторетто «Рай» (22?7 м). Зал Большого Совета. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
На стене, над троном дожа находится самая грандиозная и восхитительная из известных картин – полотно Тинторетто «Рай» (22?7 м). Зал Большого Совета. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
Зал Большого Совета, площадь которого 54?25?15 м, долгое время считался самым большим в мире помещением без внутренних перекрытий и колонн.
Зал Сената. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
Зал Сената. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
Зал Сената. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
Зал Сената. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
Зал Сената. Дворец Дожей. Венеция.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
Вот так выглядят лестницы, стены, потолки... во дворце Дожей.
В зале Гримани и зале Львов буквально во всех ракурсах представлен главный символ Венеции – лев с крыльями и книгой.
Это Лестница Гигантов с огромными статуями Нептуна и Марса. Дворец Дожей.
Это Лестница Гигантов с огромными статуями Нептуна и Марса.
Дворец Дожей.   Внутренний дворик и часть фасада базилики Сан Марко.
Дворец Дожей.
Дворец Дожей. Внутренний дворик и часть фасада базилики Сан Марко.
Дворец Дожей. Внутренний дворик.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца  на Лидо ди Венеция.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца.
Церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца.
Вид сбоку на церковь Святого Николая Чудотворца.
Лидо ди Венеция - не большой остров, расположенный не далеко от Венеции, протяжённостью примерно 11-12 км, отделяющий Адриатическое море от знаменитой Венецианской лагуны.
Венеция остаётся позади.
Венеция остаётся позади.
Вдали виднеется узкая полоска, это и есть Лидо ди Венеция.
Вдали, за двумя островами виднеется узкая полоска, это и есть Лидо ди Венеция.
Costa Fascinosa.
Уходящая в круиз Costa Fascinosa.
Площадь Святого Марка.
Площадь Святого Марка.
Венеция.
Купола Базилики Сан Марко...
Виды на Венецию с колокольни  Святого Марка.
Виды на Венецию с колокольни  Святого Марка.
Виды на Венецию с колокольни  Святого Марка.
Виды на Венецию с колокольни  Святого Марка.
Остров San Giorgio Maggiore.
 Нет, мы по этому мостику  не прошлись, хоть и хотелось, не пускали туда никого. А через день его и вовсе не стало, разобрали. Канал Giudecca, церковь Santa Maria della Salute...
А вот и порт виден, и круизные лайнеры, и два судна компании MSC, стоящих друг напротив друга.
Виды на Венецию с колокольни  Святого Марка.
Виды на Венецию с колокольни  Святого Марка.
Вид на колокольню  Святого Марка с другой колокольни.
Каким хрупким и воздушным кажется Дворец Дожей, а внутри, например, находится Зал Большого Совета — самое большое помещение в мире, потолок которого не держит ни одна опора.
Очередь на колокольню.
Венеция.
Мост Вздохов. Ponte dei Sospiri.
Это в Венеции.
Это на корабле.
Это на корабле.
Это на корабле.
Это в Стамбуле.
Это в Стамбуле.
Это в Бари.
Это в Бари.
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