Venice and Verona

Verona's Roman Arena

Venice

Descending out of the mountains of Slovenia onto the fields of Northern Italy, we set our sights on Venice. Our campground was right next to the Fusina ferry which transported us into the city every day. Cruise ships and cargo ships alike passed close to our campsite near the water’s edge.

Click here for our photos, (i) for information.

It was Dermot’s first time in Venice and I enjoyed trying to make the most of his experience. Of course, thousands of others were trying to do the same so there were long lines at sights, crowded vaporettos, bridges bristling with selfie sticks and people all trying to get their best side in a photo at each viewpoint. After the peace of the mountains, it was a bit overwhelming, and of course, hot.

We were lucky to have the benefit of a flexible schedule so we extended our intended stay to make the most of it. Not all of Rick Steve’s’ tricks for skipping the line at the big sights worked but we found one that did and it made a huge difference. The evenings were less crowded and we were able to enjoy Venice at a slower pace.

The history of Venice is fascinating but I won’t go into all that, except to say that it’s a bit sad to know that it was once so much more beautiful and we’re seeing it in decay. Sometimes that’s great from a tourism point of view, but we both imagined how difficult it would be to live here. On a cruise of the Grand Canal via vaporetto, I noticed that there were far more dark windows than when I came many years ago. Covid gave the city quite a blow but also time for a reset to make tourism more sustainable in the future. 

We had time to eat more like locals by going off the beaten tracks to enjoy a Venetian Pub Crawl for dinner. You order a drink and a few cicchetti (Venetian version of tapas), savor them and then move to the next place. Every place we really liked, we only found with the guide as they were tucked down little alleys and not always where google maps said they’d be. 

We also really enjoyed getting away from the crowded streets and wandering down the little back streets and alleys. It’s so much more peaceful and there are lovely homes and little surprises tucked into corners, above doorways, on balconies and in the tiny “rivers” (only the Grand Canal is a canal).  We took hundreds of pictures so they’ll have to take up the slack where my description falters.

The two most noteworthy sights we visited were the Doge’s Palace and San Marcos Basilica. The Doge’s Palace was once the seat of enormous power and was built to show just that. If you’re interested in the history, you can Google it, our pictures reflect some of the fabulous art and armory. One room was once the largest expanse without supporting columns and it also contained the largest oil painting in the world. The ceilings were incredibly ornate and filled with beautiful artwork.

San Marco's Basilica was being renovated.

San Marco's Basilica was unique for its variety of decorative styles and Byzantine flavor. Many of its treasures were actually stolen, ransacked, or “liberated” depending on your point of view - including the remains of San Marco himself! The bronze horses that once graced the front of the basilica (now inside to protect them from the elements) originally pulled a chariot, were gilded and had ruby pupils. Historians aren’t sure where they were made or even when but the range is about 175 B.C. to fourth century A.D. According to our guide, legend says they were made in the time of Alexander the Great, taken by Nero to Rome, then Constantine took them and then the Venetians stole them during the looting of Constantinople in 1204. Next, Napoleon took them when he conquered Venice in 1797 and they were installed over the triumphal arch in Paris. They were returned to Venice when Napolean’s empire fell. 

The incredible mosaics suffuse the entire expanse of the basilica with a golden glow and told the stories of the Bible in full color. This effect isn’t really captured in our photos but they do show little glimpses of this enchanting place.

Verona

I’m a sucker for a city with layers of history and Verona has that in spades. We followed the guided walk thru Verona’s sights. Much of the Roman Arena was off limits as they constructed the stage for the annual opera festival. The Erbe market was full of touristy trinkets but the surrounding buildings had painted exterior walls. The Basilica of St. Anastasia is Gothic architecture and is beautifully painted and decorated inside. 

My favorite was the Cathedral Complex or Duomo. During the Roman Empire, there were villas with private thermal baths and probably a few temples - one dedicated to Minerva. The first early Christian Basilica was consecrated between 362-380 A.D. The site was added to and reconstructed after natural disasters or fires over the years. The intriguing thing about it is that you can see parts of all these structures here as areas of the excavated site are left open for viewing and an early church is still in use as a chapel.