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| The island of San Giorgio Maggiore across the lagoon from St. Mark's Square |
I realize that exploring Venice by boat isn't exactly a revolutionary suggestion. None of you are reading this title and thinking, "Boat, huh? Who would have thought? That's something new." I may as well be suggesting that as long as you're in Egypt, go and see the pyramids. If you go to Antarctica, make sure you bring a coat. On the surface, it's not exactly from the trenches travel advice. But in case if you've never been, you may be wondering about some of the details. That's why I included a few choice tips.
The most natural introduction to this city, once one of the most opulent in the world, is the backwards S-shaped Grand Canal that cuts through this collection of islands surrounded by a marshy lagoon. As the main thoroughfare for centuries, this waterway is lined by one magnificent palace after another. Most were built between the 13th and 18th centuries. My head seemed to be constantly swiveling back and forth trying to take in all the sights on both shores along its more than 2 mile route. Built on wood pilings driven downwards 15 feet into the clay and facing the constant threat of being flooded by high tide, these stone buildings were a far cry from the wooden huts on stilts I had seen on Southeast Asian lakes and rivers.
