We had fun on our first full day in Venice exploring via water transport! We rode the public water bus, i.e. vaporetto from a stop near our Airbnb all the way down the Grand Canal to the island of Lido, and back! What lovely views!!
We passed under the Rialto Bridge:
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| Rialto Bridge |
We passed by the Bridge of Sighs:
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| Bridge of Sighs |
We made a brief stop at St. Mark's Square and had an up close view of the Bridge of Sighs:
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| Bridge of Sighs |
We ended our beautiful day on the water by taking a gondola ride. I think our gondolier looked very dapper with his famous "straw boater"!
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| Our Gondolier |
Another day we got up early for a "VIP" tour of the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. It was so early that St. Mark's Square was practically empty.
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| St. Mark's Square |
We were the first group to arrive inside the Doge's Palace, so we were able to fully experience the beauty of the rooms.
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| Doge's Palace inner courtyard |
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| Square Atrium painting by Tintoretto |
The Square Atrium leads to the halls that housed the most important meetings in the political life of the Venetian Republic. In the center of the ceiling is an octagonal canvas painted by Tintoretto of the immortalized Doge Girolamo Priuli (1559-1567), together with the saint of the same name (San Girolamo/St. Jerome) and the personifications of Peace and Justice.
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| College Hall |
The College Hall was the seat of government where the Doge and Executive body discussed matters of political, economic, military, and foreign affairs that were to be brought before the Senate.
The painting at the end of the Hall, by Tintoretto, depicts the Doge with the Virgin Mary and St. Catherine.
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| The Hall of the Great Council |
This Hall is not only the largest and most majestic chamber in the Doge’s Palace, but also one of the largest rooms in Europe. Here, meetings of the Great Council were held, the most important political body in the Republic. A very ancient institution, this Council was made up of all the male members of patrician Venetian families over 25 years old, irrespective of their individual status, merits or wealth.
We learned much about Venetian history and government and even had a chance to visit the prison by walking across the Bridge of Sighs!
After our fabulous tour of the Doge's Palace, we toured St. Mark's Basilica, where we saw even MORE gold!
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| St. Mark's Basilica |
From the St. Mark's Basilica terrace we had breathtaking views of St. Mark's Square and the Venetian lagoon.
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| Views from Terrace of St. Mark's Basilica |
