The daily diary of a wandering restaurateur In Italy
July 16 - Venice

St. Marks Square St. Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Square in Venice, where all the old pigeons come to die! Napoleon described it as the outdoor drawing room of Europe and it really is quite a spot, if impossibly tourist-y. The Basilica is supposed to be quite spectacular as well, but we weren't up to the crowds. Maybe if we get an early start tomorrow . . .

Typical canal scene Rialto Bridge

Where we would have streets, Venice has canals. Particularly the ones around San Marco and the Rialto Bridge are filled with gondolas. At $60 for a 45-minute ride ($100 at night) it is a pretty pricey mode of transport, but they certainly add some color to the scene. The Rialto Bridge is one of only three that span the Grand Canal. The whole area around the bridge seems devoted to separating the tourist from his money . . . and I suspect they do it quite well, legally or otherwise!

Vaporetto in Venice

This is a vaporetto, the workhorse of mass transit in Venice.

[Italy Itinerary Page][Top] [Email Restaurant Doctor]

© 2000 Restaurant Doctor