Venice Before the Tour |
We followed Rick's pre tour tip
and arrived in Venice a day early. This allowed us to explore the town on our
own and acclimate to European time.
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Aqua Alta |
On our first evening in Venice, the full moon caused an Aqua
Alta (high water) event at Piazza San Marco.
Although it was a very minor Aqua Alta, it was still interesting to see
the water bubbling up through the pavers.
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Get Up Early, and the Town is all Yours |
The next morning, my wife’s allergies woke her up, and she woke
me up in the process.
When I realized that the sun was still coming up, I jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes, grabbed my camera and rushed to Piazza San Marco to photograph the sun coming up over the Doges Palace. This gave me the idea to set my alarm each morning to get up and take a walk around town before everyone wakes up. You get to watch the town come alive, have the piazzas to yourself, and it’s the only time you will see the Rialto Bridge with no one on it! Below is a slideshow of photos from my morning walk. |
Settling in, Doges Palace and St. Marks |
I came back and we had breakfast at our hotel. We met
several members of our tour group who gave us some pointers on what that they saw the day before.
Later, following the advice of the pre-tour brochure, we toured the Doge’s Palace, and Saint Marks Church while the crowds were more sparse. We took the time to browse and listen to the Rick Steve's Audio Guides as we strolled along. Afterwards, we strolled the streets of Venice to soak it all in. One of the best things to do is to wander around exploring all of the back alleys. It is an island, you may get lost but you can't get off accidentally. If you do get lost, just follow the signs to a familiar attraction and you will quickly regain your bearings. |
