The origins of this boat date back to 1094, written in the records of the Doge Vitale Falier. Paintings and drawings from the late 1400s and early 1500s document their prevalence in society, though not as elaborate as the 1800s. Today there are approximately 500 gondola in Venice, all controlled by the society. This is a…
Category: Venice, Murano
Incident on the Grand Canal
It has been a difficult summer in Venice, Read about the major Incident on the Grand Canal.
Ca’ Rezzonico Palazzo Venice
Ca’ Rezzonico is a prominent Palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice. With a rich history from 1649, it is probably best known today as the residence of Robert Browning, the poet who died there in 1889. Like all the Palazzo of Venice, they are lovely old ladies who have seen a lot of changes. Each time…
More Traffic on the Grand Canal
The discussions on how to best control the traffic in this narrowest stretch of the winding canal continue, in official meetings, between residents, and is rehashed daily in the newpapers. Vested interest abound on all sides, with no one wanting to give an centimeter (literally). And I can’t picture the Grand Canal without all these wonderful…
Pickpockets & Gypsies – Oh My!
UPDATE on the problem with Gypsies!This summer has seen more “gypsies” in Venice than normal and they have gotten progressively more aggressive. Their newest business ventures are selling vaporetto tickets, baggage handling and tourist information.But there’s a bit of a hitch in these new ventures.(1) They are selling used vaporetto (imob) tickets they have recovered from the…
Cruise Ships in Venice
Update: Cruise Ship Comes Dangerously Near Venice Read about the fight to ban these “Mega” Cruise Ships from Venice and the “No Grande Navi” Protests.
Murano Glass Factory
The glass factories of Murano have long been a tourist favorite to visit and watch a small horse being made. The maestro (though usually not a maestro, rather a production glass blower who has been hired to demonstrate to the tourist). The major work goes on in the furnaces off the main streets in Murano.…
Vaporetto Rebellion
Every summer in Venice, the vaporetti become over-crowded with tourist, the boat stops jammed with people from every country, all speaking different languages and very few who know where they want to go or how to get there. Mix this with the locals who absolutely know where they want to go and unlike anywhere else…
Visiting Venice Update 2013
Update on Venice 2013: Visiting Venice is easier than ever, though more expensive than ever as the hotels have increased their room rates for the summer for the tourist season by as much as 36% according to a local source. To save some money, you can buy some tickets on line in advance. In addition to…
Bye Bye Love Locks
Ok, so if you declared your love in Venice by attaching a small padlock to any bridge, be prepared for the removal of your lucchetti dell’amore. They have removed some 600 last week and are prepared to remove the more than 2,500 on the Accademia bridge alone. But, it seems they reappear almost as fast…