The Watery City

It has to be one of the most romantic ways to enter a city - across the lagoon by boat - the approach by water to Venice is the only one worth considering. Famed for centuries for its narrow canals and alleyways, gondolas and vaporetti, this city is so much more than the sum of its parts.

On day one, camera in hand, I was up and out in time to see the city awaken. In the daytime, gondolas full of tourists rule the water but by early morning light it was a different story: hand-driven rubbish carts collecting from each building and boats making deliveries to shops and restaurants.

 

We were lucky enough to be staying just a stone’s throw from the centre of the action, St. Marc’s Square; home of the basilica, Doge’s Palace, and more tour groups than can be comfortably accommodated in such an enclosed space!

 

As fortune had it, we have some family friends who live on the mainland and who insisted on coming to the islands to show us the real Venice – great for me, as I am always fascinated to get under the skin of the places I visit – and what better way than with local experts?

It’s a common myth that you cannot eat well or cheaply in Venice. With the right advice, map and time to explore we found fantastic seafood, pasta and local wine which provided much-needed sustenance to revive after hour upon hour of walking.









For by foot is the only way to discover what I loved most about Venice – the hundreds of tiny squares hidden down alleyways, revealing an insight into local way of life which has remained largely unchanged for centuries.

Venice is one of those cities that leaves you wanting more. Five days was simply not enough to get to know such a complex city, rich in history and culture as it is.

With so much left to explore, I know i'll be back...