I suppose Cindy and I are not alone in having a long-standing desire to visit Venice. It's got to be one of the most intriguing and exotic locales on the planet. Considered one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Venice is amazingly vibrant considering it's a millennium and a half old. A beautiful apartment in the ancient Jewish ghetto district was our home base while we explored the city, and what a delightful neighborhood! Friday nights were especially joyous, when our neighbors would celebrate the Sabbath in the square below our windows.
Venice, we discovered, came into being as a refuge for people fleeing the fall of the Roman Empire and the subsequent influx of barbarian tribes. The area originally was a collection of tiny islands inside a lagoon. Enterprising builders pounded over ten million wooden tree trunks into the waters of the lagoon, as closely spaced as they could, put limestone over the tops, and built their city on that foundation. And the city's lasted for 1600 years! It's a bittersweet experience to visit; on one hand, it is beautiful and vibrant, on the other, the city is slowly dying. The population is dwindling, the lagoon is vanishing through overuse, and the city is very slowly sinking, both because of the foundation and because of climate.
All things considered, though, we had a wonderful adventure in Venice, and we'd consider going back!

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Venice  --
​For a quick overview:

A nighttime shot down the Rio della Misericordia, one of the rivers bordering the Gheto Nuovo.

We stayed in Gheto Nuovo (New Ghetto), one of three areas in the Cannaregio district that were originally Jewish enclaves. The word "Ghetto" to signify a segregated enclave originated in the city of Venice.

Saint Mark's Basilica is one of the most stunning structures we've ever encountered. Its nickname, "Church of Gold", is well-earned. The church was built to house the remains of Saint Mark, whose corpse had been smuggled out of Egypt (in a barrel of pork fat) by a couple of Venetian merchants.

The Arsenale di Venezia, built in 1104, was one of the primary reasons for the dominance of the Venetian navy and its merchant fleet.

Striped poles indicate docking areas reserved for gondolas.

The Grand Canal dominates water traffic in the city. There was originally only one bridge that crossed it, the Ponte de Rialto, until the 1800s. There are now four bridges crossing the canal.

Best place for a pina colada on a sunny day: the beach on Lido Island!

Isola la Certosa is a short ferry ride from the main island. Here, Venice Kayak will take you on a spendid kayak trip of the lagoon . . .

. . . with a stop off on the isle of Murano, home of Venice's famous glass industry.

The gondola has been around since the 1200's. Each gondolier has his own built, to his specifications, and they cost upwards of 40,000 euros! Our gondolier, Pietro, was a lively young man, a 3rd-generation entrepreneur. Our gondola ride capped a truly memorable time in this lovely, grand, and vibrant city!

Gallery - For the whole story

We stayed in Ghetto Nuovo (New Ghetto), one of three areas in the Cannaregio district that were originally Jewish enclaves.

The other two areas are Ghetto Vecchio (Old Ghetto), and Ghetto Nuovissima (Newest Ghetto).

The word "ghetto" is derived from an Italian word, "geto" (pronounced jayto), meaning "throw away". This was abandoned land that at one point had been used for foundries.

Over time, Jews escaping persecution elsewhere came to Venice. There were three separate communities -- German, Spanish, and Levantine.

They lived a peaceful, if sequestered, life in Venice until the Second World War.

Nowadays, the only reminders are the narrow entryways that once were barred and locked at sunset every day.

The Jewish settlers built beautiful synagogues. At one time, there were four in operation. The grandest, the Scuola Tedesca, was built by the German Ashkenazim, called Tedeschi in Italian.

The Spanish Sephardic Jews immigrated after the Tedeschi, and built their own synagogue (Scuola Spagnola).

Later, Sephardic Jews fleeing the Levant also settled in Venice, constructing their own synagogue, the Scuola Levantina.

Today, only two of the synagogues are used, and they are alternated, one used in the summer and the other in the winter.

Our apartment looked out on the Ghetto Nuovo square on one side, and overlooked the canal, the Rio del Gheto, on the other.

Our neighborhood was a reasonably quiet area but only a short walk to shops, restaurants, and markets.

Popular menu items include spritzes -- soda water with Aperol or Campari -- and cicchetti (chi-kettee), the Italian version of tapas.

Quick, tasty, and fun! Many restaurants have a cicchetti bar, where you make your selections, order a spritz, and dive in!

There are 118 islands situated in the Venetian lagoon comprising the city of Venice. Transportation on and among the islands is almost totally by foot or by boat.

All sorts of boats ply the waters of the canals. The distinctive barber-pole moorings signify gondola-only landings.

There are over 400 bridges spanning the canals of Venice. They come in all shapes and sizes.

Only four of those bridges cross the Grand Canal, and we crossed each of them. This is the Ponte degli Scalzi (Bridge of the Barefoot Monks) . . .

. . . the Ponte della Constituzione (Constitution Bridge) . . .

. . . the Ponte dell'Accademia, named for the nearby art galleries . . .

. . . and the oldest bridge, the iconic Ponte de Rialto or Rialto Bridge. The original bridge was a pontoon bridge built in 1181, and was replaced when the Rialto market became a popular attraction.

Venice is a great city for enjoying a glass of wine and a meal, whether it's along a canal . . .

. . . down one of the fascinating side streets . . .

. . . or having a cooling pina colada on the beach on Lido!

And, when one prefers to eat in, there are colorful, well-stocked markets with all sorts of goodies!

Statuary is a big part of the ambiance of Venice. Venitians have a deep-seated love for musicians and playwrights. Hence, this statue of Carlo Goldoni in, of course, Goldoni Square.

At the Venice Arsenal, Neptune guards the portal, an apt representation of Venetian sea power, along with . . .

. . . the goddess Bellona, the Roman goddess of war.

Garibaldi, one of the fathers of modern Italy, stands tall on the street named for him.

Modern statuary adorns the parks and streets throughout the city.

We also loved the carvings on the capitals of columns and on the sides of buildings, throughout the city. Not sure who this is -- maybe Pan? . . .

. . . and this looks like Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, always a favorite!

Lions are featured throughout Venice -- and really, throughout most of Europe!

Saint Theodore, the original patron saint of Venice, shows up everywhere, slaying his dragon . . .

. . . But we really loved this dragon, just hanging out on a corner near Goldoni Square . . . !

One of the Guggenheims, Peggy, settled in Venice and created her own museum.

Venice has established green spaces, especially on the western side of the island. This park -- the Parco delle Rimembranze -- is one of the largest. From here, you can catch the vaporetto -- water taxi . . .

. . . to Isola la Certosa, where Venice Kayak will take you on a paddle tour of the lagoon, including . . .

. . . a captivating trip to Murano, home of the Venetian glassblowing colony.

The Church of Saint George (another patron saint of Venice) stands across the Grand Canal from the Basilica of Saint Mark.

For over 1,000 years (762-1797), Venice's chief administrator was the Doge, an elected position. The Doge's Palace is one of the iconic edifices in Venice.

Doges were elected for life. Their role was equal part symbolic and administrative; they weren't rulers. They maintained control through devices such as this little box -- sort of an early whistleblower function -- where folks could insert their allegations against corrupt officials.

Punctuality was important to the Venetian Empire, and clocks of various sizes and functions adorn the walls of the palace. This one shows the passing of the months by zodiacal sign.

Proud Venetians made sure their Doge's palace reflected the grandeur and honor they felt their city deserved. The Golden Stairway led to the Doge's chambers.

Every surface -- floors, walls, ceilings -- is covered in lovely artwork. Much of it depicts the Doge in heroic stance . . .

. . . or symbolic depictions of Venice as an honored denizen of Heaven.

Of course, in addition to the grand and glorious, there were the seamier aspects of administering an immense city. Here, a view from the Bridge of Sighs, where many a criminal had their last glimpse of their beloved city before being thrown into a cell.

Saint Mark's Basilica is one of the most stunning structures we've ever encountered. Its nickname, "Church of Gold", is well-earned.

The church was built to house the remains of Saint Mark, whose corpse had been smuggled out of Egypt (in a barrel of pork fat) by a couple of Venetian merchants.

Mark became the (final) patron saint of Venice, and the Venetians have revered his remains in this magnificent church ever since.

When we first entered the Basilica (in a special nighttime tour), the lights were turned off. Then, after everybody was seated, the lights were gradually turned on.

I'll confess that the sight brought me to tears. The magnitude of the adornment, the beauty of the artwork, the intensity of the golden surfaces, cannot be fully understood unless you see it.

Depictions of biblical events -- such as the fall of Adam and Eve -- cover every surface in loving detail and intense color.

Angels, saints, and apostles gaze down from the heights to bless the faithful below. It's awe inspiring!

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi is revered in Venice, his hometown. No visit would be complete without witnessing a production of "The Four Seasons". This group did a fantastic job of bringing Vivaldi's masterpiece to life!

The gondola has been around since the 1200's. Each gondolier has his own built, to his specifications, and they cost upwards of 40,000 euros! Our gondolier, Pietro, was a lively young man, a 3rd-generation entrepreneur.

Our gondola ride capped a truly memorable time in this lovely, grand, and vibrant city!