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Piazza
San Marco |
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Castello - East |
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San Croce and San Polo
- West |
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Dorsoduro - South |
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Islands in the Venice
Lagoon |
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Boats, boats, boats – Venice is really hundreds
of islands in a lagoon, connected by bridges. When you first arrive, take
a water taxi from the airport, car park (Piazzale Roma), or train
station – you'll get a great introduction to this watery city. Remember
no cars are allowed in the city proper – this is a real pedestrian
city. |
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 Vaporettos
(water buses) go up and down the Grand Canal, and out to the islands
of Murano, Burano and Torcello. Lines #1 and #82 go up and down the Grand
Canal, with views of the all the fancy palazzos. You'll also want to take
the circle lines that go completely around Venice, from the train station
to Fondamente Nove, around Sant' Elena, through the Guidecca Canal, with
stops all along the way. For the map of vaporetto routes and fares, check
out the ACTV Web site.
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Gondola rides usually last about an hour, nighttime is an especially magical time
to go. Gondolas hold six people (excluding the gondolier), and there are
plenty of places to pick up a gondola on canals throughout the city (not
just in front of Piazza San Marco). Tell your gondolier to explore the
smaller canals (if you go on the Grand Canals, it 's the same view as
the vaporetto ride...) |
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If you want a short, but very cheap gondola trip (with two
gondoliers), take the gondola ferries (traghetti) that go back and
forth across the Grand Canal. You do typically need to stand up, so it's
best for older kids, and the perfect thing for teens. The traghetto crossing
is a real short-cut across the city. |
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Winged lions – The patron saint of
Venice is St. Mark, and his body is buried in the great Basilica of San
Marco. St. Mark is represented as a winged lion, with his paw on an open
book, the gospel. Everywhere you go in Venice look for the winged lion in
all sorts of places – emblazoned on the red and gold flag of Venice,
statues, fountains, door handles, bronze gates, church sculptures, even
gondolas and cannons are festooned with the lion. |
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Stone wells – Hundreds of years ago,
ever wondered how the Venetians managed to have fresh water, living in the
middle of the lagoon? Ingeniously, in each campo (small square), they built
a sand-lined cistern, which collected and purified rain water. While you're
walking through Venice, keep your eyes peeled for the stone cisterns, still
in the center of each campo. |
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Churches – Venice is packed with churches, many decorated
with paintings by Venetian artists, but our favorite church is the exquisite Santa Maria dei Miracoli in the Castello sestiere. The church is covered
inside and out with lovely pastel-colored marbles. Water from the canal
laps against the stone foundation on one side. The scale of this church
is small and intimate, something kids can relate to. And on the altar
is an bejeweled 15th century painting of the Madonna and child –
it's believed the painting itself can work miracles. |
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Jewish Ghetto (Cannaregio) – In the
16th century, the city of Venice decreed that Jews should live in one part
of the city, called the "Ghetto Nuovo." This was the first ghetto in Europe,
and today is a still active Jewish community. Visit and the Jewish Museum
(Museo Ebraico, which includes the Museum of Hebrew Art), then
stop into a kosher restaurant in the neighborhood for lunch. |
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Go to a concert – Venice is a very
musical city – Antonio Vivaldi born in Venice, and was a violin
teacher and concert master at an orphanage for years. One of his most famous
pieces, the Four Seasons, is often performed at different churches
around town – ask at your hotel for a concert schedule. |
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Tip: Strollers in Venice. Remember there
are hundreds of bridges over the canals in Venice, and steps up and down
each side. Taking a child in a stroller will involve a significant amount
of lugging the stroller up and then going down, over each bridge. |
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Fun food – |
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At all seasons, gelato (ice cream) is available,
in all kinds of flavors. In cold weather, hot chocolate with whipped cream
is the drink to try. Venice has a sweet tooth, and there are lots of different
pastries (some with an Austrian touch) – cookies, strudels,
meringues, croissants filled with honey or jam, and the traditional zaletti,
large cookies (plain, chocolate, or pistachio) made with corn flour and buranelli, s-shaped cookies typical of Burano. |
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Shopping – |
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Venice is a fun place to shop, opulent windows filled with colors and
textures. There are wooden or plastic models of gondolas in all shapes
and sizes, and models of other Venetian boats. Look for glass items such
as animals or miniature vases, necklaces, earrings, rings in all colors
of the rainbow. Mosaic is a traditional art in Venice – pendants
and paperweights. Masks and marionettes are fun, as well as gondolier
hats (straw with red trim) and blue and white shirts. Lots of choices
for lace fans, parasols, and appliqué with winged lions or gondolas. |
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We discovered this book on our last trip to Venice, and it's a delightful guide to this magical floating city! Legends and traditions, boats you'll see in Venice, yummy treats, fish of the lagoon, Venetian songs and rhymes, palace styles, color the mosaics of St. Mark's, and more. (Illustrated chapter book)
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This pocket-size book is a scavenger hunt for Venice. Count the bridges over the Grand Canal, feed the birds in Piazza San Marco, taste an espresso, visit a pasticceria, get your photo taken with a gondoliere, and more. Fun for everyone in the family! (Actvitity book)
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In
Venice, Filippo Veroneo's family owns a peerless diamond pendant,
the Ocean of the Moon, a jewel created by his father. To escape
the clutches of his greedy guardian, Filippo leaves Venice on a
fishing boat, but he carries with him the precious diamond, a ransom
for his father in far-off Hindustan. A shimmering adventure of 17th
century Venice, crossroads of the world. (Chapter book)
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Step
into a fabulous dream of Venice – a talisman transports teenage
Lucien from present day to Belleza, a 16th century Venice-like city.
Fantasy, adventure and mystery ensue as Lucien and violet-eyed Arianna
explore the city together, and foil a plot to depose the Duchessa.
(Chapter book)
This
dazzling series continues in City
of Stars and City
of Flowers, and the latest one, set in Padavia, City of Secrets
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16th century
Venice. Donata breaks the rigid confines of her noble family to
explore her beloved city. Sparkling story of a teenage girl who
would rather wear smelly clothes of a fisherboy than silks and parasols,
and glowing with the light and colors of Venice. (Chapter book)
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After
running away from their irritating aunt, two boys, Prosper and
Bo, explore Venice on their own. Picaresque adventures of Prosper
and Bo, and a bunch of street kids, led by a 13 year old "Thief
Lord," as they are pursued by a kind-hearted detective. (Chapter
book)
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Music's in the
air, as Gabriella hums a song of Venice, a tune that inspires the
baker, the widow Santucci, a gondolier, and a composer, who writes
a wonderful symphony. "Sing it again, mio amore."
(Picture book)
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Breezy
adventures of Zoe Sophia (and her dog Mickey) in Venice, as she
feeds the pigeons at Piazza San Marco, eats spaghetti al nero,
shops for beads and masks, and slurps hot chocolate at Caffe Florian.
Zoe Sophia's scrapbook is filled with hand-written entries and
lively illustrations. (Picture book)
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Before
you head off to the Galleria dell' Accademia, find out about the
artist Titian – real name Pieve di Cadore. Ten year old Titian
arrived in Venice to work as an apprentice, learning to paint.
Titian became so popular, kings and queens lined up to have their
portraits painted. (Picture book)
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Jack and Annie
are whirled back to Venice 250 years ago, right in the middle Carnival,
the big yearly festival. They've got to find the Grand Lady of the
Lagoon, a painter named Tiepolo, a clock with the right time, and
the winged lion, before a flood destroys Venice. (Easy reader)
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Whimsical
whirl through Venice, on the back of a dolphin. Luca works in
his parent's caffé, and it seems that nothing ever happens,
until he spots a fun-loving dolphin in the Grand Canal. A delight
for little ones. (Picture book)
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Gaspard
travels to Venice with his family, but "just as we were about
to go into another museum, I saw a little red kayak, just my size,
and … I took off." (Picture book)
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Take a trip through Venice – a unique city with 117 islands, vaporettos, gondolas and water taxis, Venetian specialties (lace, glass, seafood), the Grand Canal and beautiful marble palazzos, weddings on the water, famous buildings and churches, pigeons at Piazza San Marco, and more. Whimsical, fabulous illustrations, fun facts, this is a classic. (Picture book)
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(More children's
books on other Italy pages) |
