Venice: Queen Of The Adriatic

Venice is universally acclaimed as one of the world’s most beautiful cities.From Montaigne to Berlioz, from the English milord and Byron to Dostoevsky and Stendhal, no lover of beauty could travel through Italy without staying for a brief spell in St. Mark’s pearly city on the lagoon. It is a floating masterpiece. Just think of a city, full of marble palaces and beautiful architecture built on a lagoon. It is astonishing to have a building which appears so delicately suspended above the water are firmly earthbound. The canals which separate the islands are the equivalent of mainland town streets with the Grand Canal as Main Street. It is truly a gondola ride back in the time of Byzantine traditions, art and culture.

Places to see in Venice

Vaporetto ride through the heart of Venice

Venice’s major waterway, the Grand Canal bisects the city. The shape of the canal is like an upside down “S”. It is always heavily trafficked by vaporetto, gondolas with tourists traveling across the city. The canal is a unique sight, its banks lined with an incredible parade of medieval palaces and churches. It is a principal promenade connecting various picturesque buildings like Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge, Palazzo Pesaro, and arrival points of railway and bridge to the mainland. To have a romantic night Venice, go ahead with a gondola ride in Canale Grande.

Walk across the Bridge

Rialto Bridge is one of the famous landmark and oldest of the three bridges spanning the canal. Originally made of wood but collapsed in 1440. It was rebuilt out of wood but with little variations and additions of several shops along with it. It is a favored vantage point for tourists to click photos, getting selfies and watch the gondolas, boats passing under the bridge. On the other side of the bridge, you find the food market where you will find all the ingredients used in the delicious local cuisine of Venice. In the streets of San Polo, you will find the best places in Venice to shop.

Spiritual Delight

St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) one of the best-known churches in Venice and easily recognized around the world. It was originally the Doge’s private Chapel. Most of the grandiose basilica grandeur is a harmonious blend of Byzantine gilding, Gothic gables, Romanesque round arches, and Islamic domes. The gold-backed mosaic painting adorns the doorways and set a distinctly Byzantine tone to its soaring interior. The magnificent golden altarpiece, the Pala d'Oro, one of the finest in Europe, adorned with nearly 2,000 gems and precious stones. If you can tear your eyes from this, the mosaic domes and the multitude of richly decorated altars glance down at the floor, a masterpiece of marble inlay.

Gothic surprise

The stunning combination of delicate Gothic tracery pointed arches, and patterned stonework makes the Doges Palace appear light and airy, almost as if it is weightless. The palace was built in the 9th century as the Doges residence. The majestic balcony on the lagoon side gives a breathtaking view of the floating city. In earlier times, it was the Seat of Government, the Palace of Justice, and the official residence of Doge.

The city is full of grandeur architectures to visit which showcase the creativity and art of people during the olden times. It is a perfect place for romantic people to enjoy the days and nights in the arms of their loved ones. To acknowledge more of this beauty, you can visit in the months of June and July or at the end of February and beginning of March to enjoy the Venice carnival.