Festa del Redentore, Venice

The third weekend in July is a very special occasion on the Venetian calendar. This is when Festa del Redentore, the Feast of the Redeemer, celebrates the end of a devastating plague that killed 25% of the population of Venice. I first read about the festival in Rosanna Chiofalo's debut novel, Bella Fortuna.

Redentore Church, Venice

The Old Customs House of Venice

In Venice there’s a triangular area of land where the Grand Canal converges with the Giudecca Canal. Sitting on this point, the Punta della Dogana, is the Old Customs House where merchant ships once stopped for inspection and to pay taxes on their cargo before proceeding down the Grand Canal.

The Old Customs House, Dogana di Mare,
on Punta della Dogana

7 Sights on Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco seems to be on the itinerary of every visitor to Venice. Napoleon described the square as the finest drawing room in Europe; powerful doges ruled the Venetian Republic from a pink marble palazzo; and Caffé Florian served the continent’s first cup of coffee. From the Byzantine basilica that gives the square its name to a colourful zodiac clock, here are seven sights you’ll see on one of the world’s most famous squares, Piazza San Marco.

Dusk on the Piazza

The Market of Campo Santa Margherita

I love visiting markets when I travel, especially food markets. You can learn a lot about the local cuisine by browsing the stalls filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables, fresh seafood and beautiful flowers. The squares where markets take place are often a neighbourhood gathering place and this is true for Campo Santa Margherita, the largest square in the Dorsoduro district of Venice.

Campo San Barnaba, Venice

It's Oscar time! The 88^th Annual Academy Awards are coming up on Sunday night. In keeping with this yearly celebration of excellence in film, my post this week features a small square in Venice with a large presence on the silver screen: Campo San Barnaba.

Ca' Rezzonico: Museum of 18th Century Venice

The name Casanova is synonymous with the city of Venice. The exploits of the notorious womanizer have become legend and I was eager to take a look inside one of the Grand Canal palazzos where Venetians like Casanova would have socialized. I got my opportunity at Ca' Rezzonico, the Museum of 18th Century Venice.

Modern Art in Historic Venice

In a city as old as Venice, modern art may not be on your sightseeing radar. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is therefore an unexpected treat. In 1948, the American heiress succumbed to the charms of La Serenissima and purchased a villa on the Grand Canal. As the patron of many notable artists of the 20^th century, Peggy filled Palazzo Venier dei Leoni with avant-garde paintings and sculpture. In 1951, she opened her collection to the public.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice

The Best Views of Venice

No visit to Venice is complete without seeing one of the world's great squares, Piazza San Marco. It's said that Napoleon once described the piazza as "the most elegant drawing room in Europe" and its grand cafés were frequented by the likes of Casanova. But it's not the only spot for scenic views.

Piazza San Marco, Venice

Venice, on Our Own

As much as I appreciate all the sights that are squeezed into an organized tour of Italy there were times when I wished I could wander off down a picturesque alleyway or stop for a closer look through an intriguing shop window. Our tour was over but I wasn't ready to go home yet. It was time to slow things down a bit and explore the city of Venice on our own.

A Quiet Canal in Venice

At Last, the Venice of My Dreams

When I was planning my first trip to Venice a few years ago I dreamed of sitting on Piazza San Marco at twilight, sipping on a fruity peach Bellini while I listened to a café orchestra. But my dreams were squelched by an unfortunate spell of rainy weather. Where were the sunny skies I’d envisioned for my Italian holiday?

Rainy Day in Venice (2010)

Venice – Queen of the Seas

Venice today is a popular port of call for cruise ships, large and small, and even river cruise boats can be seen in the waters of the lagoon. In previous centuries, the Most Serene Republic of Venice ruled the seas and the Arsenale di Venezia, the Venice Arsenal, was the centre of the republic’s shipping and naval power.

Cruise Ship in Venice

Hidden Gems of Cannaregio

With few tourist attractions, quiet Cannaregio is a neighbourhood of Venice that many travellers never see. Before checking out of the Boscolo Venezia I took some time to explore the canals and narrow alleyways surrounding the hotel to see where real Venetians live.

Water Fountain in Cannaregio

Evening in Burano

The most colourful place in the Venetian lagoon must surely be the island of Burano. Known as the fisherman’s island, the simple houses are painted in a rainbow of colours. We came to the island late in the afternoon after most of the crowds had departed and enjoyed a peaceful pre-dinner stroll along the canals.

Burano, the Fisherman's Island

My Venetian Palazzo

After nine days of travelling through Italy we arrived at our final destination, the legendary city of Venice. I’d been here once before and was deluged by rain so I had high hopes for this visit. Under sunny skies we said farewell to our motor coach and boarded a water taxi. Then we cruised through scenic canals to the grand palazzo that, for the next two nights, would be my home.

Arrival in Venice

The 6 Neighbourhoods of Venice

From this old map of Venice you can see that the city is shaped like a fish with the Grand Canal winding through its centre. The city is composed of 118 islands, more than 400 bridges and a complex network of canals. And the whole is divided into six neighbourhoods, or sestieri.

Map of Venice, Vatican Museums

Dan Brown's Inferno: More Venice in Photos

While visiting Venice this past summer I saw more of the locations mentioned in Dan Brown's novel Inferno that I hadn't come across on my previous visit. Here are new photos, beginning where Robert Langdon did at Santa Lucia Train Station.

George Clooney's Grand Canal Wedding Cruise

From the exploits of Casanova in the 18th century to George and Amal today, Venice is truly a city for lovers. So perhaps it's fitting that this past weekend the world's most eligible bachelor was married here. Follow along in the wake of the happy couple by taking a photo-cruise along the scenic Grand Canal.

Cruising Venice's Grand Canal at Dusk

Dan Brown's Inferno: The Art

Dan Brown's latest bestseller, Inferno, centres on the writings of 14th century Florentine poet Dante Alighieri. The Divine Comedy details the journey of the departed as they descend through the various levels of Hell, Purgatory and Heaven, and the images conjured by Dante influenced artists for centuries to follow.

Portrait of Dante, Botticelli
(WikiPaintings)

Dan Brown's Inferno: Venice in Photos

In Dan Brown's latest novel, Inferno, Robert Langdon leads readers on another thrilling chase through the streets of Florence and Venice. I've assembled my own photos of some of the locations in the book. (Update: There are more photos from a second trip to Venice in the post Dan Brown's Inferno: More Venice in Photos.)

After completing his quest in the historic centre of Florence, Langdon boards a train bound for Venice, La Serenissima, and arrives at Santa Lucia Station.

The Venetian Lagoon

Venezia, May 2010 - We were travelling on Trafalgar's Contrasts of Europe train tour through England, France and Italy. It was our second day in Venice and I was becoming a little disappointed with my vacation to the "sunny Mediterranean". So far we had received more than our fair share of rain. And today looked no better.

San Giacometto Church, Venice