B8 - San Gregorio, Venice

Advantages: Beautiful
Disadvantages: Can't think of any

...Yes, another Venice review...Probably my last one though... Okay...Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) was built in 1071, and is in Venice, at St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). The square can be hard to find, or very easy, depending on how good you are at navigating the streets (needless to say, we had a bit of a struggle!) Even though the basilica is enormous, I couldn't see it at all until we stumbled straight onto St Mark's Square, where it suddenly leaps out on you, dominating the place. If ever you go to Venice I would strongly recommend a trip to St Marks Square, as this building is probably one of the most amazing you will ever see. The thing that struck me first of all was the sheer colossal size of it. It is toweringly tall, and extemely wide, I have never seen anything like it. I was expecting to see... Read review

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Advantages: History Beauty and Style
Disadvantages: No Free Seats

...PIAZZA SAN MARCO. is like falling in love with a Beautiful Woman, when with her you can not stay long enough, when away you can not wait to return to her. You may speak to people who have only visited her on a Day trip, they will probably have not been impressed. They will only have seen her in the company of thousands. To see the Piazza at its best and Romantic you must Visit her late at night with your wife, husband, lover or just a friend. The sqaure seems to be your own, so beautifully lit. Which really highlights the shape of the square. When you enter from the Grand Canal DO NOT WALK BETWEEN the two columns, in the past you only passed between when being sent for execution. The Doges Palace is on your right, this is well worth a Tour, get there early to beat the queues. (Day Trippers normally decend on Venice about 09... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful, unique, hasn't disappeared yet
Disadvantages: Daily budget - ouch

...on a causeway to the edge of the main city, but that’s as far as you get. For reasons which I hope to show you later, the boat is better. A boat shuttle all the way over to Piazza San Marco costs €10 each way, using a firm called Alilaguna, whose blue, white and yellow boats are easy to distinguish. This route takes you in a very roundabout way to the city centre, but, heh, who’s got a train to catch? On the way over, you’ll be taken through the middle of the picturesque island of Murano, famous for its glass factories, over to the Lido (the inward facing side of the large sand bar that forms the outer barrier to the lagoon, and thence Venice’s beaches), before being dropped at journey’s end, right in front of the Piazza San Marco. What a classic setting for an arrival! NOW I SEE WHY IT’S CALLED “LUGGAGE” You have to lug it, geddit... Read review

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