The city on water - Venice.

We finally made it to Venice! I've been looking forward to visiting Venice since Marco and I started dating. 

We arrived to a very chaotic point where the final car park is. After a long que, we parked up and headed for the water ferry. 

There are no cars at all in Venice. The only way to travel is by water. The transport ranges from public boat (about €7pp) to a water taxi (€60).

On the water taxi. 

Talk about exploiting a captive audience. We got the public boat and was hurded like cattle. It was so busy with people getting on and off the stops.

The water is a beautiful bright green. I wouldn't want to swim in it as you can see it's very polluted but it was still a mesmerising colour. 

On arrival by Grand Canal. 

There are so many beautiful buildings and churches. As soon as we got off the boat, I spotted Harry's Bar. Apparently this is a famous bar that does incredible cocktails overlooking the Grand Canal. 

We took in the sights of beautiful Saint Mark's Basilica. I am so impressed with the glorious colours of the paintings and gold detail. 

We didn't go inside as we didn't have time but I would love to come back and spend more time learning about Venice. 

St. Mark's square is the perfect place to people watch. It's also the perfect place to get robbed. Marco keeps saying rape but meaning robbed. I was petrified when he first said it - bloody langauge barrier. 

Marks square. 

We spent the day strolling the cobbled streets and lots of bridges with Marco, Gianne (Marco's papa), Denis and Selena. It was so special spending the time with them all. 

I kept thinking how much my parents would love it here but there is far too much walking. 

I loved looking at all the gondolas. They are so well made. The lovely bronze statues symbolising different things. 

I was so excited when Denis said we were going on one. It was so relaxing and you see Venice from a different angle (obviously!!). I adored looking up at the buildings and noticing the little things like the shutters on the windows and looking at all the marks from where the water has risen over time. 

There were plenty of fish being fed the disgarded galato cones from children.  

You can see so many people in love in Venice. Plenty of couple strolling hand in hand, stopping for the perfect picture to capture the moment. 

It was the families I enjoyed watching the most. The children were so excited with some of the simplest things. Making beautiful memories for their futures. 

Obviously there is an abundance of bridges here. Some little going between water ways and others much grander. 

Ponte dell'Accademia was one of my favourites. It's one of only four bridges which spans the grand canal. It originates back in 1854 but it was demolished and replaced in 1933.

Stunning bridge. 

It was a really long day simply walking around and taking in the sights. We stopped at an incredible seafood restaurant called Dalla Clara. 

I was so overwhelmed (as I have been a few times this holiday) with how much choice there was. In the end everyone else ordered for us all to eat. 

I discovered I love clams!! I ate so many of them. I also really enjoyed the risotto which had lots of different seafood (called  risotto ai frutti di mare). I also discovered I can't eat the poor little baby octopus. Seeing everyone behead them and eat their little legs was too much. 

Yummy dinner. 

Hopefully next time we will be able to spend a few days in Venice. The hotels look incredible. So quaint and personable. 

It's so difficult to choose a favourite place I've visited. Each city has so many special sights. 

Perhaps I need to go back and view them all again...