Following The Path of The Exarchate of Ravenna - Part 4: Venice

Venice was difficult to love. Every historic landmark, museum, and performance we attended were incredible, unbelievably beautiful. But once you were out in the streets, trying to walk, get something decent to eat, or even just enjoy the surroundings, it was nearly impossible. It's like watching a person that is extremely talented in its craft, but very rude in its manners.

We parked the car in mainland and we travel to the island in a ferry boat. Incredible views, I highly recommend to try it. We made the whole deal with the same company, Marive Transports:

The day was simply magnificent! Perfect for a short boat trip.

We arrived in Venice, checked in at the hotel, which was located in the very center of the Castello section. The location was excellent, but the accommodations were not that great, which is why I'll abstain from adding its name in this post.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Saint Mark's Basilica:

Our first stop was the Basilica, but at the moment was under construction and there was a certain protocol we needed to follow to get in. Maybe you'll have better luck on your trip!

Maybe it's completed by now

When we finally got in, the first thing we admire were....you know it....the mosaics!!!:

Noah's Arc!

More mosaics (do you know what saints are depicted in this mosaic?)

The Drunkenness of Noah and The Tower of Babel

As you probably know by now, after taking this trip, mosaics are my thing. I'm not gonna give away all the magnificent mosaics in this post because you need to go and admire this beauty yourself!

2. Interpreti Veneziani

I don't think I've ever heard a most heartfelt live performance of Vivaldi's music. Ever. I'm not sure if it was a mix of the church setting, the lack of A/C, the packed room, but I can tell you that these musicians gave it all in that stage:

Unfortunately I cannot remember the name of this piece.... :(

3. Musica a Palazzo

This was by far my favorite performance! The entire setup was a mystery from the moment we followed the GPS to get to the venue. The place was poorly signaled, the entrance was nowhere to be seen unless you walk under one of the bridges towards a side street. 

We ring the black doorbell because we arrived early and the staff member kindly suggested us to come back later, lol.

Again, all very suspicious, like we were going to a speakeasy, but for music. When we arrived, a short line was forming, and seconds later, the place was packed! 

We were directed up a set of stairs to the reception located on a  fancy lobby in which we had to write our contact information and purchase the program. Then we were seated in that same lobby and a lady announced that cameras and cellphones were strictly prohibited. The pictures I had the luck to take were in moments of transition.

Suddenly the reception space disappeared and the opera started right in front of us! I was less than 4 feet from the singers, I could hear their singing voices resonating in my chest!

This was the room that became the stage a few minutes later!

Turned out that throughout the opera we were moved to different rooms of the palace. The last scene takes place in a bedroom, in which at the moment of applauses the tenor takes out his wig as a symbol of "now we're all a big family and we can be ourselves!". It was probably the most exciting and intimate experience I had in an Opera. Obviously, 100% recommended!

Waiting for the last scene to begin.

I know I'll be reviewing and adding more hallmarks to this posts throughout the years, since I don't think I'm giving too much credit to Venice given the fact that the most amazing events and landmarks happened here. 

4. Torcello:

The next day, we woke up early to take the ferry towards Torcello for a half day trip:

The upper part of the apse in the Church in Torcello was made of mosaics!!!!

For an affordable fee, you can climb up to the bell tower and enjoy this view:

Torcello from the top

On our way back, we visited the Greek neighborhood, and bumped into the church were Vivaldi was baptized!:

The Greek Church

Church were Vivaldi was baptized!!

The thing is, what left a bad taste in my mouth and so many mixed feelings was that, when you were outside the events, the entire city felt like an amusement park: crowded, overpriced, and not even a water fountain or a simple bench with a tree to rest and catch your breath. 

We HAVE to go there again and redeem it (sounds like another trip is in the planning! :)

Check out our full itinerary for ideas about how to plan your time between cities, and make the most of your 30-days trip.