What can we say - Santorini one day, Venice the next!
After a no-fuss flight aboard Aegean Airlines we caught a bus, 20 minutes later crossing the causeway to Venice and then a short walk to our accommodation - right beside a canal! And in a 15th century palace!
We knew we were still in Europe as the canal walkway bridges (pontes) all have steps but reasonably easily negotiated as the pontes are quite small while the steps in our accommodation were very steep - be fit before you travel (or take VERY little luggage). We were given a local map and set off for a walk which gave us a good initial feel for Venice - clean (given the numbers of tourists), quiet (no cars or trucks) and quaint with narrow streets and lanes, although the main canal and gathering areas are a sea of people.
There are lots of active churches and museums in Venice and it's also a hub for theatre and opera. As a result there are the most extraordinary Venetian mask shops.
For our full day in Venice we slept in a bit but after a fresh and tasty breakfast (served by dedicated uniformed breakfast ladies - servants for all intents and purposes) and accompanied by some of the regular tolling of church bells, we set off for Piazza St Marco and the Basilica. You are negotiating one of the narrow walkways when you break out onto this magnificent piazza surrounded by stunning buildings and with lots of pigeons.
We discovererd Venice is even more beautiful from the Grand Canal after we'd bought a 12 hour canal boat travel ticket, and took a vaporetto ride. We even saw a water postie!
We then had an interesting boat ride to one of the nearby islands, Murano where Venetian glass is made. The canals on Murano are full of glass shops and the variety and artistic design are simply staggering. The street art is equally impressive with colorful and large glass designs (see photos). (These creations would last ten minutes in Australia prior to being vandalised.) After looking at various shops we bought some cups which we intend to use back home. Being off the main island, Murano runs at a more leisurely pace especially further from the main part of Venice. Upon returning to the main island we took in more of the streets, canals and lane ways before dinner. We had booked dinner at the recommendation of the hotel, the proprietor saying that it was one of a number of restrauants where the locals eat. We wish we had done our own thing as they were quite curt with tourists. But we made up for it by enjoying gelato and sitting in one of the piazzas people-watching and enjoying the evening. And to finish the night a round trip canal boat ride past the cruise liner docks and then back up the Grand Canal. The boats were packed!
Another observation of Venice: everything is so close and so it is easy to get around, and easy to get lost if you don't keep on top of where you are on the map. But that's part of the fun and around every corner there's always something to see.