The first view of Venice as we exit the train station.
A water taxi under Pier Rialto. Just after sunset is my favorite time to shoot pictures, this is when you get a nice balance of ambient light and glow from the city lights.
This is no way to travel Europe! Leave those giant bags at home, you will enjoy your trip much more. I carried about a cubic foot worth of clothing in a carry on backpack, it was great to be so mobile. Most travelers will tell you they wore only half of the clothes they brought. It’s super easy to buy clothes if you need them, and most hostels and hotels have laundry service. If you are carrying this much luggage, for God’s sake, splurge for a water taxi ride to your hotel. Better yet, pack two days worth of clothes in a day pack and leave your suitcase in a locker at the train station.
We didn’t take a gondola ride, I seem to remember it would have cost about 80 Euro.
Getting lost in the crooked alley ways in Venice. Shooting at high noon, I always try to find a way to block the sky, it is often boring to look at, and causes the camera to lose details in the shadows. Trees and umbrellas work well.
Getting lost is inevitable, we found the street names weren’t consistent with the names on our map, there are also some street names that appear in three different places in Venice. What worked best was just looking at the shapes of the streets and canals on the map. There are signs to get you to the major land marks, and from there you can find your way. A compass would have come in very handy.
Ristorante Omnibus is officially my favorite restaurant in Venice. It is right on the grand canal, located just beyond the two water taxi stations near Pier Rialto. Try the “Noodles and Olive Oil” and the Tiramisu. They get a little pissy if you just want an appetizer or dessert, but don’t let the rude service get to you, the food is good!
I love taking pictures of store windows!