Venice – the city of Tired Gondolners

Even having been in Venice, it is difficult to believe that it exists in the world. Do not believe those who call the North Venice of St. Petersburg or Amsterdam, – with this Venice they have nothing to do!

Even in the Middle Ages, when Italy was divided into small cities-states (thanks to which all major Italian cities are so good and unlike each other), residents of Venice decided to distinguish themselves and built their city on the water! More precisely – on islands in some distance from the shore. Thus, the city managed to escape from the raids of barbarians and other militant neighbors and become the largest and richest shopping center of Europe. It is in Venice before XIV in. For the first time, there was a need to introduce exchange rates, and it was here that the first richest merchants lived. Much water has flowed since then, but the way of movement in Venice remained the same: there are no roads, cars, buses and even big streets – only water canals and little streets, but a little later later.

Over time, the Italians decided to make a real museum from their city, which daily visits at least 40,000 tourists (in the city itself, 50,000 inhabitants). The city has not been restored for several centuries, and it seems, the locals specially seek to preserve the authenticity of Venice.

Walking along the stone gorges

From the city to the mainland goes not so long ago built 6-kilometer road, which you easily overcome by bus. Then on the river tram – the only form of public transport in Venice. Be sure to go through the Central Channel of the city – Canale Grande. Buy a ticket immediately all day – you will not regret! Side streets from Canale Grande. No shores – only growing unusual beauty from the water. You may notice the only luxurious casino in the world, in which you can only get into. Another attraction – the bridge changed that halfway to St. Mark.

The area is mandatory for visiting and photographing the place, despite the many pigeons that not only create a wonderful background for pictures, but also desperately. Here is the Doge Palace, Palacco Doggi, where the rulers of Venice once lived. Back in the XIII in. They were chosen by a nationwide vote, in which all taxpayers who lived in the city could take part. After inspection of the burnt opera and Santa Groce – the most famous church, turn into the first alley, and you will find yourself in the San Rocco area (former Jewish Quarter II Ghetto). Most Venetian streets are such that in the houses standing on different sides, the road of the house can be redesigned with hands. And even straighten your hands will not succeed. And the height of houses often reaches 7 floors. The length of the street can also be rather big. In windows overlooking such a street never looks up the sun. The latter in general in Venice is not in honor. Can be a clear day to walk around the city and do not even understand what at the moment the time of day. That is why there is no greens in Venice at all. But on the roofs of our own homes, local residents are divorced by real hanging gardens of semiramides.

Gondolas and Gondollara

All who heard about the Venetian Channels, probably know about the gondolas. Emphasis, which is important for Russian-speaking, does not fall on the second, but on the first syllable. Gondolas perform a taxi role here. The most popular of them – Gondolas with singers. True, in reality they look at all not so wonderful as in the movie. Tolstaya arrogant Americans swim along the green dirty water, and the tired gondoller sings and dilutes the pathetic semblance of a smile on his face, and everyone is very boring, with the exception, perhaps observers.

In Venice still need to go, and not swim. And although the city is not too big, bypass it in two days, as some Paris, will not work. It is not limited to narrow gorge passages (although they were enough to attract tourists from around the world). There are still humpback bridges, long curves transitions from one channel to another and dead end. Tourists filled with tourists on the waterfront Canale Grande are replaced by completely deserted scan, where for 400 years nothing has changed.

Channels goes into stone gorges and the complete absence of elements of natural landscape – anywhere neither puddles, nor busta, nor heaps of sand – produce a strange impression. It seems that the city is artificial scenery for cinema. Puppet-cinema impression complement the corners of the tilt of local towers. Save money on visiting Pisa – in Venice Towers sometimes stand under the angle that I want to get around them away. And no one is worried! And in narrow streets you can see jumpers connecting at home. The first thought coming to the mind – they are made so that the neighbor can always overwhel a neighbor, but they often stand away from the windows. The true purpose of these jumpers is to protect at home from falling on each other! Some of the jumpers greatly sang. Suffering from claustrophobic, do not miss the chance to rinse the nerve!

Always dirty and not in the sea smelling water – also a noticeable element of any Venetian landscape, but the main thing is the walls painted in the gloomy tone. There is no bright paint. Most buildings are risen, and this is a conscious policy of the city-museum administration. But how does a giant bush look a dazzling bright red geranium looking out of the window opening of one of the Venetian huts! And the background of this beauty is a dilapidated house where the plaster falls off slices, the walls of the places have long been thinned from dampness to such an extent that it seems you can easily pour with your finger.

Local population, you most likely not meet. Its too little compared to the number of tourists. Most likely, you will constantly come across the cheerful faded Americans, to whom Venice loved for some reason, much more than Europeans.

For St. Mark’s area there is another settlement, which is standing on the water, where the roads and buses are not so rare. This is a Lido – the resort, famous for the fact that it is here that the novel is happening (and later – and the film) "Death in Venice". Manna lovers should not miss this town, all the rest of the rest there is a strong enough. The usual seaside resort, boring, like all European resorts, with more or less luxurious hotels (in Eilat much cooler) and a clean beach. Although there you can swim (in Venice, water is so dirty that it does not even arise to check, it is warm or not): the coast of Lido Sea is much cleaner, and the water is almost always warm – the current brings it here from the Mediterranean Sea.

In Venice, tourists, as a rule, arise two problems – with food and housing. There is nothing even to think to stay in hotels in the city itself – incredibly expensive and very bad conditions, live better on the coast, for example, in the Margera. The problem with food is so easy not to solve. Public catering establishments in Venice are divided into very expensive and bad and just expensive and "Inedible". The only way out – take with you sandwiches or search McDonaldes.

Mystery of the humpback bridge

With sunset, vintage streets turn into incapsidate sidewars – Venice is practically not covered. Walking through the night Venice have their own colorable flavor, but it’s not a scary to get lost: the only real perspective is to fall into dirty water.

Returning back to the bus stop on the central transport artery of the city, to the right you will notice a beautifully lit bridge (the bridge itself is so-so). This is the famous suicide bridge, where they often ended with him convicts from Venetian prison.

The bus quickly dishes 6 kilometers, and you find yourself in Northern

Italy, little different from the Black Sea coast of Crimea. Nothing reminds of gloomy, wet and at the same time beautiful ancient monster, remaining dark in the sea. Visit there and really looks like a dream.