A Night in Venice

Last night, I took a free traghetto ride around Venice courtesy of a perky American backpacker who was happy to gift me her 12-hour pass since she was off to her next destination. That's a €13 value.

Cruising the Grand Canal was absolutely amazing! The lights glowing from buildings that appeared to float on the water was magical. It was like living in one of those postcards you see back home. With the help of my Rick Steves guidebook, I was able to pinpoint major sites along the way, making the ride more meaningful.

Click pictures to enlarge.

St. Mark's Cathedral on Piazza San Marco, "the drawing room of Europe" - It is the only great urban space in a European city where human voices prevail over the sounds of motorized traffic, which is confined to Venice's waterways. 

Cruising the Canal

St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is a favorite with people and pigeons.

No cars, scooters, or bikes allowed. Instead, boats are used to get around. Everyone has one and parking spaces are assigned for LIFE.