Venice Floats My Boat
Amy Harker sets afloat on the Venetian waterway and enjoys the best that the countryside, lagoon and fascinating city of Venice has to offer, the local way.
Ever since Wall’s “Just one Cornetto” commercial back in the ‘80’s I have truly believed that the Venetian gondola ‘drivers’ would sing as they rowed, creating the perfect romantic back drop to while away some time, amidst the stunning architecture of the sinking city. And I wasn’t disappointed on my recent trip, when I caught sight of four gondolas all perfectly lined up in the Grand Canal, with their drivers in traditional black and white striped uniforms, singing their hearts out, under a gently moonlit sky. Clichéd it may sound but I tell no lie - OK, so I was lucky, they don’t usually sing but even without such operatic performances the romance in Venice was almost tangible. I don’t just mean romance in the loved up sense, though that is there in abundance, but romance in the sense of mystery and adventure, with an almost fairy tale like quality.
We had decided to get to Venice without flying, so first we hopped on a train to reach it and then, to get a better understanding of not just the fascinating city itself, but also its surrounding islands and countryside, we hired a boat for a week. Our "cruiser" was a four-berther named Caprice and whilst we initially embarked on our journey full of trepidation (we had after all only had a 15 minute lesson and it was pelting down with rain) we soon realised that this cruising malarkey was a breeze. Besides which, if the boat staff trusted us, why wouldn’t we trust ourselves?
We joined our boat at Casier, a small town with not a great deal to enjoy but a fine starting point for the six hour cruise to Venice, that can easily be done in a leisurely couple of days - though you might like to stretch it out a little more if you want to take in the sights of local villages and towns. Cruising is a blissfully relaxing way to take in the Veneto, the only stresses coming in the form of locks, which, for a first time cruiser definitely saw the heart rate rising!
Impressive Venetian summer villas of the Italian gentry line the river’s edge and there is plenty of wild life to watch out for and in particular an abundance of bird life. As you near Venice the waters of the river Sile start to open out as you enter the lagoon and you can instantly see a difference as the water stretches into the soft skyline and becomes dotted with folk wading knee high looking for shrimps or chilling in their little speed boats, basking under the afternoon sun. Here you will pass many more cruisers than you have to date, along with dodging the local’s boats and as you get nearer, the Vaporetti (water busses) that ply the lagoon.
We moored for most of our visit at Mazzorbo, which is attached to the stunning island of Burano. Famous for its lace industry and brightly coloured houses that line a miniature network of canals, Burano is picture perfect and a must on any visitor’s trail. It is supremely more beautiful and welcoming than its more famous neighbour Murano, home to traditional glass making. Indeed you can pick up some stunning gifts in Murano but a couple of hours on the island will suffice, where as you could lose yourself for at least a day in Burano. It may not be big but it is truly beautiful and a wonderful place to unwind, enjoying an early evening glass of prosecco and delicious Venetian food whilst people watching. The social scenes you will witness as you pour another glass are like relics of a long lost idealistic society. Everyone knows everyone. The men and woman gather separately catching up on the daily gossip and in true Italian style gesticulate with passion and vocalise everything a little louder than really necessary. Meanwhile, as night falls on the island you can kill time before heading back by counting the cats that come out to play – it is quite extraordinary!
Another must for an afternoon is Torcello, the smallest and longest inhabited island on the lagoon. Torcello is where Venice began and was once inhabited by over 20,000 people. Now there are just 20 who live alongside the island’s two Byzantine churches.
Of the week we had in the Veneto we naturally spent most of it exploring the incredible city of Venice itself. You can’t actually navigate your own way through the canals as this is the right of the locals, in their small boats, so we chose to make full use of the Vaporetti to get around (get best value for money by buying a Venice Card).
Highlights of this glorious city include soaking in the striking sites of the famous Grand Canal, described in the 15th century, by the French writer Phillipe de Commines as the “finest street in the world, with the finest houses”. It arguably still lives up to such standards. The only way to take in the Grand Canal is by vaporetto (the small outside decks at the back offer by far the best vantage point).
Not to be missed is the glorious St Mark’s Square (also known as Piazza San Marco) which is a theatrical experience at any time. By day you will share the crowded square with locals, tourists and far too many pigeons for one’s liking, whilst late at night it is much more serene as you drink the most expensive coffee you will ever have, to the sound of opera singers and music quartets. The Basilica di San Marco is a glorious example of the city’s incredible architecture and a must do for any visitor.
Throughout the maze of Venice there is a wealth of museums to marvel at during the day with Gallerie dell’ Accademia, Ca’ Rezzonico and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection being two of the best and plenty of churches to explore including Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute, on the Grand Canal. Of course, on a sunny day you might like to simply wander and meander through the winding streets of Cannaregio, Giudecca, the Rialto or San Polo, ducking into coffee shops tucked away in little streets to watch the fascinating world go by or on one of the many central squares, where the community gathers and children play – kicking a ball nonchalantly against one of the ancient building’s walls. A tour of the ghetto offers another fascinating stroll or if you simply can’t holiday without a beach break a trip to the lively lido will satisfy.
There is in fact so much to see in Venice it is near on impossible to do it justice in a mere few words, or indeed as many of my own that I care to try with. That said, Arthur Symons manages to sum it up in just 17, as he eloquently states that “a realist, in Venice, would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him.”
Sinking Venice
There is nothing new about the seasonal flooding of Venice expect for its increased frequency. Since the early 1900’s the city has sunk by 23cm, which may not sound much but with climate change causing a global rise in sea levels the city may well become uninhabitable within 90 years. The controversial plan to install 78 mobile flood barriers will be complete by 2012 but many fear it will have little or no impact. Meanwhile five years ago work began to protect Piazza San Marco and similar work is being carried out throughout the island.
TRAVELLER'S GUIDE
Getting There
Forget carbon heavy flying and instead travel more eco friendly and in style by train. Rail Europe offer return fares from London to Venice starting at £119pp in standard class. Visit www.raileurope.co.uk.
Staying There
Amy cruised Venice and its surrounding waterways with Le Boat. Le Boat offers a range of self-drive cruisers for parties of between two and ten people with prices starting from £770 per week rising to £1,265 in the summer months. No previous boating experience is required. Short-breaks of 3, 4 and 5 nights and longer stays are also available. Visit www.leboat.co.uk.
Useful links
Venice Card
Venice Tourist
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