There’s no better way to turn a year wiser than by visiting a place you’ve never been to.
I celebrated my birthday at Venice, Italy as part of a 10-day tour of Europe. It was a very short visit but nonetheless fascinating since it was always in my bucket list.
The trip started with a ferry boat ride to San Marco island. This ride alone already gives visitors plenty to look at along the canal.
Upon alighting at the island, we got to see various interesting bridges of Venice.
After several bridges, we arrived at these 2 giant granite columns at the Piazetta area. Located near the water, it used to be the main entrance of arriving visitors from the canal. One column has the Venice lion on top and the other with St. Theodore on top.
After walking further in, one would see the Doge Palace, a Gothic-style landmark where the Doge of Venice or supreme authority used to reside. Today, it is a museum.
Further walking inward would take visitors to the main plaza called Piazza San Marco, which has really interesting structures within.
One of the main attractions in the Piazza is St. Mark’s Basilica. It is the most famous of the Venice churches and one of best examples of Byzantine architecture. Also called the Church of Gold, it is where the body of St. Mark is currently buried.
Campanile di San Marco is the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica. The golden weather vane at the top of the tower takes the form of archangel Gabriel. People who play Assassin’s Creed II would recognize the Campanile right away.
The Clock Tower is recognizable from the Angels and Demons movie. Constructed in the 15th century, the tower has at its top the figures of the “Moors” – a young and old character (symbolizing the passage of time) – striking the hours on a bell. Below it is a statue of a winged lion with a Bible (the Venice symbol), and further below is a semi-circular gallery out of which statues of the Virgin Mary, a child with an angel come out twice a year.
The small, winding side streets of Venice are also fascinating, with shops, restaurants and other establishments you can happily get lost in for hours.
Of course, the “authentic” gondola ride is something most people want to experience. But if it isn’t a must, just walking along the streets lining the canal is just as fun.
This was a great birthday stop for me before we started our journey to the next one in Rome (see Rome story here or see the full 10-day itinerary here).