Travel diary: Venice

Have you ever fancied visiting Venice? Jenny Edwards tells us all about her trip to the ancient Italian city.

Unlike any city you’ll have ever visited, Venice is a magical place at any time of the year. Even when you are knee deep in the freezing winter water caused by the acqua alta floods, or overwhelmed by the large number of fellow tourists, it still remains one of the most picturesque locations in the world. Here are the highlights from my trip to this beautiful city.

Doge’s Palace

A beautiful piece of Italian Gothic architecture, and one of the main landmarks in Venice City; Doge’s Palace is unquestionably worth the 18 euro fee. The walls and ceilings of the palace are shielded with lavish paintings created by celebrated artists such as Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto and Tiepolo, and can be appreciated even if you are not an art lover yourself; the sheer size of them and the minute detail is astonishing to anyone’s eyes.

Vaporetto

Nothing can prepare you for the vast amount of walking that the city of Venice demands for you to do; the lanes are thin, long and similar looking, making it is quite easy for you to get lost. Although the walking is all part of the Venice experience, it’s a great idea to purchase a water bus ticket to experience the daily commute of the locals – the views are spectacular, and taking the scenic 45 minute journey to the Lido makes for a really nice day out. For only 20 euros for a day ticket, the water bus definitely is worth the price.

St Mark’s Square

Basically the hub for all tourists who are visiting Venice, it’s a gorgeous open space with two of the most popular attractions (Basilica and Doge’s Palace). It’s expensive to eat or drink anywhere in the square, though it’s just nice to soak up the atmosphere and save the spending for where it’s a little bit cheaper!

Basilica di San Marco

When I first saw Canterbury Cathedral I thought it was the most awe-inspiring structure that I’ve ever seen. This view of mine somewhat altered when I entered St. Mark’s Basilica. The exterior and interior architecture is unbelievably intricate, as well as tremendously huge; it truly provokes thought regarding how people were even capable of producing such unbelievable structures so long ago.