Venice - La Serenissima
By Joanne Lane "Aren`t you a romantic girl?" The slick-haired gondola man has risen to his feet and is calling after me in a sexy Italian accent after I dismissed his offer of a ride. For more than US$50 I was not sure who he wanted me to get lovelorn with - my empty wallet, the empty seat next to me or with him - but then who would be paddling? And besides Venice has been long oversentimentalised as one of the worlds most romantic destinations, La Serenissima, the Most Serene Republic and I`m not convinced. So I tell him I could get very romantic for just US$2. He only laughs and lets me pass. As most tourists to Venice will discover, the quintessential Venetian experience is also the most expensive. But for those that can afford the exorbitant fee you can be quietly paddled through tiny canals, sweeping beneath arches and bridges as the tiny wake from your boat laps against the most ornate doorway of a Venetian villa. As one boatman pushes you along in his striped shirt, another will croon a lullaby on an accordion. For those of us that can`t afford it, it is fun to gawk at others, especially the newlyweds still in bridal wear making their way along in the most elaborate of gondolas. Forget the horse and cart approach, in Venice the method is by boat. Besides there is far more to Venice than just this tourist trap. There are 117 small islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges which are all best explored on foot. And many of these are quiet and tourist free. The only time they won`t be is during the Carnevale celebrations held 10 days before Ash Wednesday in late February. Venice is best known for this annual event which not only draws out the wilting town population but attracts visitors from all around the world. The watery and often snowy back of Venice creates a fantastic setting for a theatrical resuscitation of the extravagant 18th century bacchanalia that drew tourists during the final heydey of the Serene Republic. Most of today`s events, masked balls and costumes evoke that moment in history. This is a big deal for Venetians. Thousands of people in costume parade the city streets. They don gob-stopping masks and costumes for a 10 day street party. Shops are filled all year round with masks, cloaks and robes and you get the feeling they plan for it months ahead. But if you don`t make it for Carnevale never fear. There is plenty to see at other times of the year, including other festivals. Most people arriving in Venice start at the train station and hence any experience of the city starts along the Grand Canal. This is exactly what it says - Grand. A wide expanse of water lined by villas, elaborately decorated with columns, arches, doors and balconies. It is also a hub of activity. There are no roads for cars and buses in Venice so everything is delivered by water. Boats of all kinds with fruit, water, wine, food and other products are constantly making their way up and down the canals. And they fight for right of way with gondolas and the bigger vaporetti (boats) that act as the public transport system and are full of camera touting tourists. The canal rules seem to be fairly consistent with most Roman roads - non existent. Boats blare their horns, take right of way and near collisions occur as often as on the autostradas (high ways) where no one indicates and change lanes at whim. One major problem for tourists in Venice is that this city, like much of Italy, seems to suffer from an overabundance of Senegalese street sellers that spread out imitation leather handbags, watches, bracelets and other tacky souvenirs on blankets that can be easily rolled up and removed if any authority should come by. But there also seems to be a lack of police presence and it`s hard to work out if it`s due to apathy or low crime. Most people are God fearing tourists and are more concerned about finding the next gelataria then causing any kind of disturbance. And most residents don`t even live on the main islands as property values have soared and regular floods now threaten the cities existence. An ironical situation because it was these waters that once protected them. When the Roman Empire fell barbarians poured across the Alps and so the people of the Veneto cities fled to the islands across the lagoon. A project has been approved to install flood gates at the main entrances to the lagoon, but it is currently stalled. High tides or overnight rain flood the town easily and in the main piazza dismountable walkways are permanently left to be used in times of flooding. This is the piazza of San Marco and despite my dislike of the cliche sights and experiences there is no way you can visit Venice and not see this square. You don`t have much choice really. Most vaporetti eventually take you to the piazza anyway and if you are walking then signs will indicate the way. It is the centre of life in Venice. San Marco is one of the worlds most famous squares and is surrounded by the basilica, its bell tower, the old Law Courts and the Libreria Vecchia (old Library). It is continually flocking with pigeons and tourists fighting for space. The pigeons have a different agenda and congregate around stalls selling feed. They often don`t know the difference between a food bearing tourist and one just walking through. In fact this is one of the best forms of entertainment in the city as people from all over the world laugh at the spectacle of being covered in pigeons. Obviously none of them have seen Alfred Hitchcock`s "The Birds". When it floods the piazza is still entertaining. Most tourists line up to walk along the dismountable walkways but the more game take off shoes, roll up pants and wade about. The shop keepers sweep water out from around their stock and it is still business as usual. The basilica has an elaborately decorated facade and dominates the square. It was built in the 11th century in Byzantine style to house the body of St Mark. Two Venetian merchants stole the body from Egypt and he has since been reburied several times in the church. A few times the burial place was forgotten but he is now safely housed below the altar, or so they say. It would be embarrassing to admit they had lost him again. The mosaics on the outside were built over five centuries and the two replica`s of bronze horses that stand above the entrance were part of Venice`s booty from the Sack of Constantinople in 1204. The originals are now in the museum inside. The nearby Palazzo Ducale was the official residence of the doges and the seat of the republic`s government. Following years of Byzantine rule Venice evolved into a republic and was ruled by these doges or chief magistrates. This period of independence lasted 1000 years. During this time the city grew in power and dominated half the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the trade routes to the Levant. It was from here that Marco Polo set out on his voyage to China. The palace displays paintings by Tintoretto and Veronese and admission allows you entrance to some other museums. The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) connects the Palazzo Ducale to Venice`s old prisons and must be the most photographed bridge in the city. It was once the thoroughfare for prisoners being led to the dungeons who probably had better things on their mind than looking at their surrounds. One of the best things to do in Venice once you`ve tired of walking is to catch a vaporetto. These link destinations all over the city and eventually return to the train station or San Marco so it is impossible to get lost. But eventually can be a long time so it is probably best to plan where you want to go. But it is more fun to just jump on a boat and see where it takes you. It`s even more fun when you discover the south Indians eating gelato next to you in blue business suits have done the same thing. This is how I believe I discovered the real Venice. The quiet streets of the isle of Guidecca are almost tourist free and a maze of canals and bridges. The Dorsudoro area and San Polo are full of quiet streets and squares. The buildings are more run down with flaking paint, rusty brass door knockers and ancient fishing boats that look about as sound as a sponge. But it has to be as close to the old Venice as you can get. The islands off the coast can be touristy but are highly underrated. Murano is where Venetian glass is produced. Entrance to the furnaces is free where the glass blowers work. They put long sticks of glass into the furnace to soften and then design vases, glasses and other ornaments with just a few twists and turns. Surely not as easy as it looks. Small shops line the canals selling all kinds of coloured glass ware - tiny animals, clocks, watches, saucers, chimes, rings and necklaces. The shops themselves seem to be full of grandmotherly type tourists who on closer contact turn out to be retired wheelers and dealers who buy the products and sell them for inflated prices back "home". But the Murano people must have the first laugh. Their workmanship is highly skilled but they can produce an intricate prancing horse in seconds and then sell it for a ridiculous price. Shop around and you will get some bargains and it`s all pretty enough to warrant a more overdrawn credit card. On Burano the women make lace and shops are filled with elaborate scarves, shirts, clothing and table cloths. The Burano village itself is delightful. The village painters were either colour blind or had strange artistic sense. This is a fishing village and the houses that reflect in the canals are an eccentric mix of hot pinks and purples, soft greens, electric blues, embarrassed reds and every other colour you can imagine. It is particularly striking at sunset. In fact evening or early morning is best when there are few tourists and the residents walk about, hang out washing, mill in the squares with prams all the while chatting with expressive hand gestures. Torcello, even further out from Burano is not as built up and has a lovely cathedral with Byzantine mosaics. It is described by most Venetians as being "more wild". Of an evening the pink glass lamps around the city glow in the setting sun and the gondola men get their best sales as Venice glows golden and the waters take on shadowy depths. When the Basilica of San Marco lights up and the street musicians pull out their instruments at the cafes around the square, this is definitely the best place to be. Some of them are great entertainers and can get the crowd toe tapping, clapping and even dancing with familiar tunes. Italians love to eat and so do tourists and you can easily find restaurants and gelato here, although it is the most expensive part of town. But not even the sceptic in me could say that this was not a romantic city when I saw young couples leaning heavily on each other listening to the music or hand holders on a gondola tour in the dying twilight. OTHER THINGS TO DO
There are literally hundreds of canals and islands to explore in Venice and its worth wandering aimlessly for hours. Venice also has a wealth of churches from the Gothic buildings of SS Giovanni e Paolo and the Frari, to the canal dominating Church of Santa Maria which was dedicated to the Madonna after a plague in the 17th century. The Peggy Guggenheim collection contains a modern art collection set in a sculpture garden. MAJOR EVENTS
The Festival of the Redeemer in July features a fireworks display and marks the July 1578 deliverance from a plague that had gripped the city. It is centred arond Chiesaa del Redontore (Church of the Redeemer) on the island of Guidecca. The Regatta Storica (Historical Regatta) takes place on the first Sunday of September. This race along the Grand Canal is an extravagant seagoing parade with decorated gondolas manned by crews in period dress. HOW TO GET THERE
Venice is accessible by train and boat. Trains leave here for major points in Germany, Austria and the former Yugoslavia every day. Ferry and hydrofoil services operate to Greece all year round and Croatia in summer, and there are day trips to the Istrian peninsula. GETTING AROUND
Boats (vaporetti) are the only option on the islands for getting around. If you are here for any length of time buy a three day pass. There are also one day passes or you can pay for each boat, but this can become expensive. WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation in Venice can be difficult to find and pricey, particularly during festival times. Book ahead if possible or stay in one of the neighbouring towns like Padua or Verona. Otherwise the tourist information centre at the train station provides a list of hotels, pensiones and hostels and costs. The cheapest accommodation are the hostels at AUS $10-15 per night but there are only two, both on the Island of Guidecca. One is run by nuns and is for women only. BOOK HERE |
