Italy 2004 – Venice
The Hotel Bembo, a 14th Century palace, was right on the Grand Canal. The two windows, top left, were our room. Fabulous.
The marble floor sloped, the carved old bedstead was very ornate, etc. it really was the most charming hotel room.
I could have spent all day just looking out of our bedroom windows on to the busy Grand Canal. At night the nearby Rialto Bridge looked straight out of a fairy tale.
There is a very grainy video I took from our room.
Santa Maria Della Salute. All views from the Grand Canal were very photogenic.
It was great (and cheap) to take the Vaporetto up and down the canals. Even the tranquil back water canals were a delight – day or night.
The above photo was taken on the way back from a restaurant, very spooky, shades of Don’t Look Now.
Basilica San Marco
Very busy with tourists. Trafalgar Square – eat your heart out! There is a great view of the Piazza from the Basilica’s balcony.
The main courtyard in the Doge’s Palace with the Giant’s Staircase. We took the Secret Itinerary Tour of the Doge’s Palace which was fascinating. Below is a view through the forbidding Bridge of Sighs.
When you get to the top of the Camanile, one of the first things the audio commentary mentions is that the original Campanile collapsed earlier in the century & has since been rebuilt. Reassuring.
At least this one has a lift
San Giorgio Maggiore. It was a tremendous day for views from the top of the campanile – until the bells started ringing.
Farewell Italy. Fine food & wine – one of our favourite restaurants which was in Florence near Santa Maria del Carmine.
