Venice

From Florence, we headed to Venice.

This was the view from our Vaporetto (water taxi) the first morning on our way from our hostel into the main part of town.

St. Mark's Square early in the morning when the fog was out, which kept tourist levels low. A good view of St. Mark's Basilica and Tower from across the huge plaza.

One of the many stores selling the traditional masks of Venice. The masks originated from the Venetian Carnival, and are worn at many occasions throughout the year at gatherings.

Looking down one the many channels, with the typical flat-bottomed boats. Many houses have doors that are directly on the canal so they can be accessed from boats.

Once the sun came out, the canals showed their true beauty. In residential neighborhoods, people strung their laundry out to take advantage of the sun.

This was the island of Murano, which is known as The Glass Island. Mostly a residential neighborhood, Murano also houses the workshops of the glass masters of Venice, who produce their famous Murano glass art. 

The Bridge of Sighs. This connected the Doge's Palace to the New Prison, and was named because the view through the marble shutters would be the last thing that convicts would see before imprisonment.

Another canal, but this time with the traditional Gondolas moving down the narrow canal. Gondola operators must make good money, as the minimum price for a half hour is $80!

A view of some of the lesser-known Venetian islands from the top of St. Mark's Tower. The views were incredible, and you could easily see all the hustle and bustle on the canals and in the streets as well. It gave a true sense of how Venice truly is an island.

In the late afternoon when the sun came out, the colors of the streets and the canal really started to pop.