Venice / A VERY special place!
Download MP3Hey, everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Azorcan Tours Podcast. Today, it's beautiful Venice, the timeless floating city of canals. I'm Bryn Griffiths. Paul Almeida with us falling in love with Venice. It does not take much, Paul.
Paul:No. I've been there many times and, you know, it's such a unique place. You know, imagine a place with no roads, no cars, just canals, boats, centuries of history floating on the water. That's Venice. Or as it's called in Italy, Venezia.
Bryn:I thought the first time I was there, this place would be much better if they could just drain everything. I'm kidding. Anyway, let's talk about how do we arrive in Venice. Well, first
Paul:we take the Della Liberta Bridge used by cars, trucks, and trains to get to Venice from the mainland. Once we arrive at the bus parking area, we have a private boat ready for us to take us to Saint Mark's Square. Your first views feel like it's cinematic. Boats glide past you instead of cars and the air smells faintly of the sea, buildings rise straight out of the water. When we arrive at our dock, Saint Mark's Square is only a short walk away.
Paul:Venice is built on more than a 100 islands connected by over 400 bridges. It feels like a maze and that's part of the magic is being lost in that maze.
Bryn:Yep. And you'll you'll probably stop for a moment and think to yourself, I can't believe I'm actually here. But it's it's true. But, you know, the other thing too, history is big for me. I don't know about you, but the historical importance of Venice is amazing.
Paul:Well, for many centuries, Venice was a powerful maritime republic known as the Republic Of Venice, of course. From the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, it controlled the trade routes between Europe and the East, and it became wealthy, extremely wealthy. And that's why you see such grand palaces lining the canals. Merchants and nobles competed to build the most impressive homes. Yep.
Paul:Venice wasn't just rich, it was sophisticated, artistic, and politically powerful. And it even had its own elected leader, the Doge. The Doge's Palace is right on the water next to St. Mark's Square and you can still visit it today.
Bryn:Hey speaking of St. Mark's Square, when you walk in there you're going to go I've seen this place a million times before. It's really quite special. It's really the heart of Venice, is it not?
Paul:Well, and Napoleon once called it the drawing room of Europe. And when you're there, you understand why. On one side, you have Saint Mark's Basilica with the golden mosaics and domes.
Bryn:Right.
Paul:Step inside, you'll see the shimmering artwork that reflects Venice's strong connection to the Byzantine world. Saint Mark's Campanile or the Bell Tower of Saint Mark's Basilica is right beside it. Huge landmark. Huge landmark. And it's one of the first things you see as you're coming in on the boat, Bryn.
Paul:Yep. And it was reconstructed in 1912 because the previous one collapsed in nineteen o two. But it's nine 98.6 meters in height. It's the tallest structure in Venice. And you can take an elevator to the top.
Paul:That's where you get your most amazing views of Venices from up there. And then next door, have the actual Doge's Palace, once the political center of the republic. And you can do a tour. The rooms inside are enormous, decorated with dramatic paintings and gilded ceilings. And you can even walk across the famous Bridge Of Sighs
Bryn:Oh.
Paul:Where prisoners once crossed on their way to jail. Okay. Not so nice. And standing there surrounded by centuries of power and art, you feel how Venice once was a superpower.
Bryn:Okay. Let's talk about experiencing the Grand Canal and gondolas because I know some people, they didn't wanna do the gondolas. They thought it was too expensive. I'm thinking you're in Venice. This is what it's all about.
Paul:And that's what the first thing that comes to people's mind when they think of Venice is the gondolas. Yeah. And the Grand Canal is Venice's main street. It curves through the city in a giant s shape, and it's lined with the most elegant buildings in town. They have a thing called the vaporetto, which is the public water bus.
Paul:Right. It's cheaper than a gondola, it but still gives you the amazing views if you wanna do that instead. But if you want the full romantic experience, you take the gondola. It's a little bit expensive, but you know what? It's the same cost for thirty minutes whether there's one person on the boat or five people on the boat.
Paul:So grab some friends, share the cost of the gondola and enjoy this experience. And drifting through the narrow canals, hearing the water splashing against ancient walls, it feels timeless and the world just slows down.
Bryn:It's funny because the one thing I remember was the the the gentleman who's steering us through the canals knew everybody. There were people coming out on the balconies, and, it's it's an unbelievable experience. But you know what? You can go you can go to places where it's not crowded, not as touristy. It's really a special place, but you gotta do some exploring.
Paul:Yeah. And like you said, it gets crowded, Brynn, especially in the summertime. Yeah. And in addition to Saint Mark's Square, you're gonna want to visit the Rialto Bridge area. It's the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal.
Paul:It's been rebuilt several times since its first construction as a pontoon bridge in November, and it's now a significant tourist attraction in the city. But here's the secret. Walk away from the main attractions. Head to the quiet neighborhoods like Dorsoduro or Canagerio. Cross the small bridges.
Paul:Sit by a canal where locals hang their laundry above the water. That's when Venice feels authentic. You'll find tiny bakeries, neighborhood wine bars, and the small squares. Venice becomes calmer and more personal that way.
Bryn:Let's also talk about Venetian cuisine because it's heavily influenced by the scene and the sea. The scene part is when you wander into the some of those back areas, you find the most fascinating places. And then, of course, you go from the scene to you go to the sea. You can smell it, and man, you can taste it.
Paul:Lots of fresh seafood, grilled fish, squid ink pasta, soft shell crab when it's in season. One of the traditional dishes is to try which is sweet and sour sardines with onions and raisins. I know it sounds a little bit crazy, but it is delicious. Another thing you gotta experience is the chiquette. And chiquette are small snacks served in local bars similar to, like, Spanish tapas.
Paul:You'll stand at the counter, order a few small bites, maybe have some marinated seafood, creamy cotton bread, all sorts of different chiquette and enjoy them with a small glass of wine. And for something comforting, maybe try the risotto with the seafood and for dessert, tiramisu. Tiramisu was invented in the Veneto region, this region of of Italy. And you can always pair your meal with an Italian espresso, then you're living the Venetian life.
Bryn:You you had me at creamy caught on bread, but the other thing too, souvenirs. Everybody wants to get souvenirs, and there's a wide variety of souvenirs in Venice. That's for sure.
Paul:There are, but the traditional ones, Murano glass first and foremost. So the nearby island of Murano has been producing beautiful hand blown glass for centuries. You can visit those workshops, can see the artisans at work and it's a really good souvenir from Venice. Another traditional souvenir is the Venetian carnival mask. During the annual annual carnival of Venice, people wear elaborate masks and costumes that date back hundreds of years.
Paul:I've been to Venice during Carnival Yeah. And seeing people walk around in these costumes and masks with Venice as the backdrop, it takes you back to a different time, Brynn. Like, I don't know where that where I am when I'm standing there watching that. But if you wanna buy a mask or a costume, make sure you look for handmade item items rather than the cheap imports. Sure.
Paul:You know, the craftsmanship that goes into these things are part of the city's heritage.
Bryn:I remember just standing on the edge of Saint Mark's and looking across at some of the islands of the lagoon. Yep. And I thought to myself, wish I had a little more time here because this is more than just walking through some of the familiar spots. There's a lot of things to look for.
Paul:Absolutely. Like, if you have extra time, taking a boat trip to the lagoon is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. We've mentioned Murano and visiting the glass shops. Another town is Burano. It's cheerful, photogenic, has brightly colored houses, and a lace making tradition.
Paul:It's almost you walk there, it's almost like a painting coming to life.
Bryn:Right.
Paul:The other one is Torcello. It's one of the oldest settlements in the lagoon. The atmosphere is quiet and it feels rural. These islands show you a slower, softer side of Venice that a lot of people really don't see.
Bryn:Getting off the beaten path is a great idea. What about the feeling of Venice? Because it's really hard to describe the vibe. Well And and there is one.
Paul:And there is one. And the the biggest thing that I take away is that Venice almost feels fragile. The city faces a lot of challenges. There's rising sea levels, mass tourism, flooding. You'll see sometimes the raised walkways during the high water times Yeah.
Paul:Called Aqua Alta. And despite all that, Venice remains breathtaking. There's something about the light reflecting off the canals at sunset, the way footsteps echo in the narrow alleys at night, the sound of church bells carrying across the water. In the evening, even when the day trippers leave, Venice becomes quieter, more intimate, almost a little bit mysterious. And as you experience Venice, you feel the soul of that city.
Bryn:And there is one. Okay. Let's let's talk about tips for visiting. Let's, let's break it
Paul:down a bit. Well, the early morning's a great time to go. That's when we usually like to arrive there, to do our tour, see the popular sites before the big crowds arrive in the afternoon.
Bryn:Right.
Paul:And in the off season, if you can go in the off season, the lines for gondolas, the bell tower, Saint Mark's Basilica, way shorter. The big thing is you gotta wear comfortable shoes. It's a walking town. You gotta walk through all those bridges, the squares, back and forth. That's how you see Venice.
Paul:And like any busy city, you gotta keep your your valuables safe. Right. You gotta watch out for that. But most importantly, slow down, wander, don't worry if you get lost, you could always ask for Saint Mark's Square, People will send you in that direction to get back to where you need to.
Bryn:And numerous helpful apps which will help find your way around
Paul:Absolutely.
Bryn:Venice because there's a lot to explore there. Okay. So let's get to final thoughts. You mentioned it's kinda like stepping into a living museum where people still live and work, and that to me is part of the charm.
Paul:Absolutely. And you have to remember, it's a city that rose from the water. It's built on piles. It became a glower global power, filled itself with art and beauty, and somehow it's still standing there today, which amazes me.
Bryn:It's a great place. Let's get to, the website people. I I'm pretty sure people know your website, but let's get to all that in the priority list and everything else, Paul.
Paul:Yeah. Azorcan.net is our website. You can go there to see what we have going on for tours and or or if you would like to take a group of your own. And the priority list, get on that priority list. If you have friends who like to travel, get them on the priority list as well.
Paul:Because on the priority list, you get all our tour announcements emailed to you. You get any updates as well. The other thing that's great to do is follow us on Facebook at Azorcan Tours. That way that Facebook page has been growing exponentially. And the reason is we include little clips, information on our destinations, tour announcements, plus when we are on a tour in Europe, you can follow us.
Paul:We post pictures every day while we're in Europe. So it gives you an idea. For example, if we're in Croatia or we're in Venice, we're posting pictures. We're posting what we're doing every day. If you're interested in joining a tour like that in the future, it gives you a good reference as to what we're doing.
Bryn:And it'll put a smile on your face every day. It's, it's great. And the other thing too, this podcast, make sure you subscribe to the podcast because you don't wanna miss one, and it's always helpful stuff. Hey, Paul. Thanks for your time, and enjoy Venice.
Bryn:Right?
Paul:Thank you, Brynn. Venice is fantastic.
