A day in Venice

Venice, Italy

Midday - St Mark's Square

Warm stone under the arcades holds the midday heat as I cross Saint Mark's Square. The pink marble of the Doge's Palace rises beside me, the old seat of political power. Guided tours pass through its council halls of Renaissance paintings and over the Bridge of Sighs, where Casanova was once held.

Afternoon - narrow canal

Cool brick and ivy smell damp as I sit back and glide along this narrow canal. The walls stay close and the water sounds low against them. Sarde in saor, fried sardines in sweet and sour onions with raisins and pine nuts, was sailors' food on long journeys.

Golden Hour - Venice canal

Golden light ripples across the water as I board a black gondola. The canal sounds soft beneath us while we move off. July and August grow hot, humid and crowded, so April, May, September and October are kinder months to come.

Golden Hour - St Mark's lagoon

Salt air comes off the open lagoon while I look toward the distant domes. Saint Mark's Basilica overlooks the piazza with Byzantine domes and exterior mosaics. Inside, millions of gilded glass tiles cover the vaults, a mark of Venetian trade wealth and maritime conquests.

Golden Hour - St Mark's waterfront

The stone pavement is warm under my shoes as I step off the boat. Above Saint Mark's Square, the brick Campanile was rebuilt after it collapsed in the early twentieth century. An elevator rises to the belfry for views of red tile roofs, the lagoon, and distant mountain peaks.

Golden Hour - Venetian archway

Evening lights flicker on the stone arch as I pause beneath it. Venetian weavers once made silks, brocades and heavy velvets with metallic threads for nobility and doges. Today residents dress in refined, practical Italian clothes suited to a walking city.

Night - canal bridge

A cool wind moves over the intersecting canals as I adjust my shawl on the bridge. The Rialto Bridge has spanned the narrowest point of the Grand Canal since it was built in stone. Arcaded shops line its steps, and early morning is quieter for watching delivery boats.

Night - Grand Canal

Light from the palazzos falls on the Grand Canal as I rest my hands on the railing. Risotto al nero di seppia stains arborio rice black with cuttlefish ink, then adds wine, garlic and parsley. It is a rich seafood dish worth ordering after dark.

Night - quiet alleyway

Lamp light pools on the walls of this quiet alley as I turn and smile. San Polo stays calmer than the main squares, and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco sits there. Its halls hold Tintoretto's painted ceilings and walls of Old and New Testament scenes.

Night - canal bank

Silver moonlight lies on the water as I stroll the canal bank. Late autumn can bring high tide flooding, while April, May, September and October stay milder with lighter crowds. Cicchetti of seafood, meatballs or cured meat on baguette go well with wine or a spritz.