Venecia

Welcome, curious traveler, to a city that defies logic and engineering alike. You are standing at the threshold of La Serenissima, the Most Serene Republic of Venice. …

As we navigate the winding, pedestrian-friendly streets, we arrive at the pulsating economic heart of the ancient republic: the Rialto Bridge. Suspended elegantly over the Grand Canal, this sixteenth-century architectural marvel…

Let us pause upon the wooden expanse of the Accademia Bridge. From this elevated vantage point, you are granted one of the most sublime and romantic views in the entire city. …

We now step away from the bustling canals and emerge into Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Notice that the Venetians call their open spaces a campo, which translates to field, rather than a piazza. …

We have arrived at the dazzling political and social epicenter of the city: Saint Mark's Square. Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have called this magnificent space the finest drawing room in Europe, and it is easy to see why. …

Commanding the eastern end of the square is the breathtaking facade of Saint Mark's Basilica, an absolute masterpiece of Byzantine and Venetian architecture. As you approach its grand arches, consider a fascinating historical…

Directly adjacent to the Basilica stands the monumental Doh-juh's Palace. If the Basilica was the spiritual heart of the Republic, this grand edifice was its undeniable brain and muscle. …

As our scholarly journey through the winding streets and grand canals of Venice draws to a close, let us retreat from the monumental squares and lose ourselves in the quiet, labyrinthine back alleys. This is where the true heart…