Daily Archives: 20 December 2014

Venezia (Venice), Italy

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I’d made an earlier assertion Avignon’s Saint Bénézet bridge was perhaps the most photographed bridge, however I’d forgotten about the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

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The only way home? I wouldn’t want to do this after a big night out …

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But then again, you might consider a Gondola ride – very romantic but can be quite costly and here’s a guide for you.
•Gondola fares are standard and set officially and the minimum fares for a standard gondola ride is approximately 80 Euro but rates can go higher.
•A standard gondola ride is 40 minutes so if you negotiate for a lower fare, you’ll end up with a shorter ride.
•Gondola fares are higher at night.
•Gondolas hold six people and can be shared without affecting the fee so you can save money by sharing a tariff with several people.
• If you book a gondola ride through a hotel or agency, there’s likely to be an additional fee built in to the price.

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Water Taxi, be it private or shared public is the cheapest and fastest way to make your way around.

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20 Euro will allow you to have 24 hours access of water taxis, local buses and the train which shuttles between Maestro and St Lucia Stations – about every 10 minutes. The ticket is activated upon the first time you use it.

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Although the island of Venice itself is not famous for glass blowing, the island of Murano, just north of the city is world renowned for glass making.

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Nearby Burano’s main claim to fame is its centuries-old lacemaking tradition.

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The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival and ends with the Christian celebration of Lent and is famed for its elaborate masks.

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Walking around Piazza San Marco whereby there’s no shortage of cafes and restaurants.

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St Mark’s Basilica, the whole of the west façade with its great arches and marble decoration cannot be missed.

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At 5:30 pm Sunday evening there was a free concert given with the Cathedral’s organ being played with some of Bach’s compositions to a captivated audience.

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Cutesy café for a cuppa.

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Leather handbags at 43 Euro each, think I’ll have one of each colour at that price!

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It’s said Venice is sinking. I checked www.livescience.com and it seems the case.

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Time to have something to eat and drink myself. Umm so many choices and really cheap by Sydney prices, but then again it’s low season.