Some details of the exterior of San Marco, Venice
Author: get back, laurettadimmick
The Bridge of Sighs; Ponte dei Sospiri
The Doge’s Palace, Part 4
The Doge’s Palace, Part 3
The Doge’s Palace, Part 2
Following the tour started in Part 1:
Window shopping in Venice
An amazing opera singer in the Florentine evening!
I mean, wow! what talent and what a setting! Ah, Florence, ti amo!
Climbing atop San Marco, Venice
For each birthday celebrated in Italy, I like to make a memorable urban climb. Last year we were in lockdown, so this year I felt extra fortunate to be able to go up the steep staircase leading from the ground floor to the 2nd floor and then to the exterior terrace above the front doors of the basilica of San Marco. It was steep, but well worth the effort! I mean, look at these pictures from that lovely warm, sunny February afternoon! Wow!
The church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Once upon a time, a long time ago, a young American art museum curator was sent to Venice to bring home to Boston an important 19th century American painting that had been loaned to the Venetian Biennale. She could not believe her good fortune! The Italian government, being the Italian government, arranged for her lodging in a very disorganized fashion, which was to her added good fortune. They miscalculated when she would be needed in Venice and thus she was put up for a week at no expense to her or her museum, the MFA, Boston at the exclusive Hotel Danieli.
She had a beautiful room with a small balcony and French doors that opened onto the Grand Canal. She called this location home for a week while she explored Venice while waiting to be called to the Biennale to supervise the packing up of her painting.
During this week, she gazed across the Grand Canal at one of the most beautiful churches she had ever seen: the Santa Maria della Salute, with its large scroll-like volutes around the dome. She knew she would never forget the look of this church, and indeed she has not.
It was not until many decades later, however, that she ever went inside the lovely apparition, which seemed to float–though it was made of stone–above the water. This week, she/I had that chance!
I had to take a traghetto to get across the Canal (it was the best 2 Euro I spent during my time in Venice!):
Visiting the Doge’s Palace, Venice, Part 1
As much time as I have spent in Italy, and as many times as I have been in Venice, it was not until last week that I finally entered the truly astounding Doge’s Palace. It is so overwhelming to visit that I’m going to break these photos into many groups.
Below: the first few pictures are of the lovely loggia on the ground floor of the exterior of the palazzo. If you’ve been to Venice, you’ve seen this loggia.
Once you have purchased your ticket for 25 Euro, you are allowed to enter this inner courtyard which, if you didn’t know better, looks like the exterior loggia! It is every bit as ornate.
With the next photo, I have entered the palazzo and climbed the stairs to the piano nobile (2nd floor to Americans). The light was all wrong for the photo below, but the view is the Venetian lagoon. It is breathtaking!
Below: looking down at the inner courtyard from the piano nobile.
get back, lauretta! 
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