Venice
"In Milan, traffic lights are instructions, in Rome they are suggestions, and in Naples they are decorations."
And in Venice, there is no need for traffic lights.
No cars. This is the single biggest difference between Venice and every other city in Italy.
I know, you were waiting for me to tell you about the channels and museums and all that touristy stuff. But for channels, you can go to Saint-Petersburg, and they won't be so smelly. For museums, you can go to Paris, and Louvre will blow you away. But if you want a city that looks the same as it did to your grandparents, if you want polluted water instead of polluted air, and if you want to walk through 2000 years of history in 2 hours, then Venice is your woman.
From Piazza San Marco to Piazzale Roma, through thin tiny streets, Venice is easy to get around and easy to get lost in.
Masks are everywhere. They are sold in small shops and kiosks, on the streets and on bridges. Venice itself wears a mask. On San Marco, you would think it's a tourist's paradise, dynamic and bustling, like the lion - the symbol of the city. But when you walk around for a few days, a little farther away from the main sites, this impression fades and Venice pulls off its smiling mask.
Underneath it all, Venice is still charming. But it has a different feel from most Italian cities - much more melancholic. The "touristy stuff" doesn't really fit with its past glory and aristocratic decay. But Venice is an old, old actress who plays her part very well.
Devil Bridge:
And in Venice, there is no need for traffic lights.
No cars. This is the single biggest difference between Venice and every other city in Italy.
I know, you were waiting for me to tell you about the channels and museums and all that touristy stuff. But for channels, you can go to Saint-Petersburg, and they won't be so smelly. For museums, you can go to Paris, and Louvre will blow you away. But if you want a city that looks the same as it did to your grandparents, if you want polluted water instead of polluted air, and if you want to walk through 2000 years of history in 2 hours, then Venice is your woman.
From Piazza San Marco to Piazzale Roma, through thin tiny streets, Venice is easy to get around and easy to get lost in.
Masks are everywhere. They are sold in small shops and kiosks, on the streets and on bridges. Venice itself wears a mask. On San Marco, you would think it's a tourist's paradise, dynamic and bustling, like the lion - the symbol of the city. But when you walk around for a few days, a little farther away from the main sites, this impression fades and Venice pulls off its smiling mask.
Underneath it all, Venice is still charming. But it has a different feel from most Italian cities - much more melancholic. The "touristy stuff" doesn't really fit with its past glory and aristocratic decay. But Venice is an old, old actress who plays her part very well.
Devil Bridge: