The early morning hours are the perfect time to explore a city like Venice for a number of reasons.  With my camera in hand, I couldn’t wait to capture the amazing sunrise from San Marco and explore Venice before the crowds began to fill the square.

It was a perfect crisp morning in the City of Lions with hardly a cloud in the sky.  The soft light of the golden hour was perfect for photographing the piazza, the campanile and the islands beyond.

Reflections and shadows rushed the square while vibrant hues of pink and orange saturated the sky.  The piazza glowed with a luminous shine as the sun began to rise.  With a coolness in the air and a growing flock of seagulls searching for an early morning breakfast, I was ready to return to the hotel to prepare for the beautiful day ahead.

The Hotel Centauro (Centaur Hotel) offered a European breakfast so I fueled up on a lite meal of coffee, meats and cheese.   The Rialto Market was a six minute walk from the hotel, so I ventured out following the Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge.  Crossing the bridge, there were spectacular views of Venice’s main waterway with its pretty pink palazzos and private boats tied up along its banks.

Along the Grand Canal were over 170 structures dating between the 13^th and 18^th centuries.   Cafes spilled out onto the widening walkways with tables and chairs for outdoor seating.  The historical homes along the waterway were once owned by some of the most rich and influential merchants of Venice and have been passed down for generation.  Others have been restored as art galleries and boutique hotels.

Arriving at the 600-year-old Rialto Market, vendors were setting up their stalls of meat, fruit, vegetables, spices and flowers.  The Pescaria is the section of the market designated for fish, offering tuna, shrimp and anchovies.  Taking pleasure in the colorful marketplace, I watched as merchants wrapped up the daily catch and bagged vegetables for their customers.

I set out to lose myself in the maze of straits, creating my own route, enjoying the smells of homemade pasta and fresh foccacia.  While  the Grand Canal is the central waterway of Venice, there are smaller and more intimate channels that connect the city’s backyard passageways with their own network of private homes, boutique shops and popular restaurants.

I found myself at Naranzaria, a local wine bar along the Grand Canal.  With outdoor seating and extensive wine list, I lost myself in the bliss of polenta and Prosecco.

By early afternoon, I was ready to return to the hotel and had miraculously found my way back to the Manin monument honoring Daniele Manin, an Italian Unification revolutionist.

I had registered for an afternoon excursion, so the timing was perfect for picking up my ticket from the hotel and making my way back to St. Mark’s Square.   I left early enough to leisurely wander through Venice to window shop, people watch and pick up a few souvenirs.   The scenic views captivated me at every turn and my upcoming behind-the-scenes tour of the Torre dell’Orologio was just around the bend.

Have you visited the city of Venice?  I would love to hear what mesmerized you most about the city if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading my post about Venice and I wish you a lifetime of Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco, 30100
Venezia VE, Italy

Rialto Market
Campo della Pescheria, 30125
San Polo, Venezia, VE, Italy

Where to Stay:

The Centaur Hotel
San Marco
Campo Manin 4297/a
30124, Venice (Italy)
Tel. +39 041.5225832

Where to Eat:

Naranzaria
San Polo 130, 30125 Venice
Telephone:  +39 041 7241035
Website:  http://www.naranzaria.it/

I ordered a glass of Prosecco and the Mozzarella “in carozza” (sandwich) deep fried in polenta crust with anchovies and cooked pork.

Ristorante Rosa Rossa
Sestiere San Marco 3709
30122, Venice (Italy)
Tel. +39 041 523 4605

I could not eat enough of their caprese salad.

What to Eat: 

• Aperol Spritz is made with Prosecco (bubbly) wine, Aperol and a splash of soda.
• Bellini’s were invented at Harry’s Bar and is my favorite brunch drink made with Prosecco and peach puree.
• Seafood, especially sea bass. Black goby is a local fish from the lagoon and another local dish is fried sardines.
• Vegetables from the Rialto Market
• Instead of pasta, Venice serves rice and polenta.  Rice and peas (risi e bisi) is a very popular dish.
• Appetizers such as Venetian meat and cheese (the salami is amazing!) or cicchetti (similar to Spain’s tapas) are small servings that are the right portions.  Baccala Mantecato is a topping for cicchetti made of creamed white fish.
• Polpetta are deep fried meatballs
• For lunch, the locals will order Tramezzino (sandwich) which is triangular in shape.
• Dishes served with Nero di Seppia (Squid Ink Sauce) are a delicacy and the squid ink is very dark, so it may come as a surprise when your dish arrives.
• Fritto Misto (Fried Fish and Seafood) can also include fried vegetables.
• Venetian cookies (Buranelli – from the island of Burano and Sfogliatine) can be purchased at the local bakery.

What to Read: 

• Donna Leon has a series of crime novels all based in Venice.
• The Glassblower of Murano, by Marina Fiorato
• A Venetian Affair, by Andrea di Robilant
• The City of Falling Angels, by John Berendt
• Dead Lagoon, by Michael Dibdin
• A Thousand Days in Venice, by Marlena De Biasi

Photo Guide for Venice: 

• The Bridge of Sighs leads to the waterfront dungeons and is best photographed from the Ponte della Paglia.
• Burano is one of the islands within the Veneto was once a community of fishermen.  The colorful homes can seen from a distance as the vaparetto approaches. The colors of the island and reflections make memorable photographs.
• Piazza San Marco / St. Mark’s Square is the main meeting place in Venice to explore the Doge’s Palace, the Campanile and the Clock.
• Pont de l’Academie translates as the Academia Bridge and is the second most popular bridge behind the Rialto Bridge.
• The Rialto Bridge at Sunrise and Sunset;  Take a trip on the vaparetto along the Grand Canal for some amazing photo opportunities.
• Rivi degli Schiavoni is where the gondolas are “parked” with the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore in the background.
• St. Mark’s Campanile is the bell tower in the square.  Visitors can purchase tickets to ride up to the top for spectacular views of the lagoon and nearby buildings.
• If you can visit during the Venice Carnival celebration, you will have many opportunities for some amazing, dramatic photos of people dressed in costume.