5 Passports: Venice

Where do I start? For anyone who has not been to Venice it’s hard to explain. It’s got to be the most unique city in the world and somewhere everyone should visit at least once. When we were here a couple of years ago we took in all the major sights, so this time we planned to take a more relaxed approach with the kids. Our list of “to-do’s” included playing with the pigeons and climbing the Campanile (bell tower) in St. Mark’s Square, taking the boat out to Murano and Burano islands, going to the beach on the Lido, visiting a gondola maker, and just getting lost in the maze of alleyways and canals.

It’s hard to imagine without seeing firsthand, but every product in every store has to arrive by boat, and then pushed or carried to where it’s going. You use a boat or you walk. You have police boats, fire boats, ambulance boats, Fed Ex boats, garbage boats, taxi boats, and over 400 gondolas throughout the city. By the way, a new gondola will set you back between $55,000 and $75,000, depending on the options you choose, while a 30 minute cruise will run you $150 dollars.

A good map here is a must as Venice is made up of 117 small islands, over 410 bridges, and who knows how many tiny alleyways. I don't remember this many tourists the last time we visited, but I guess I'm not surprised.

Venice was originally built in the lagoon over 1,500 years ago as a place to seek refuge from barbarians. As the city grew and gained power, it elected its first Doge (Duke) to take control in 726AD, whose successors would lead for the next 1000 years. In the Middle Ages, Venice found a way to be the middlemen for all East-West trading. They made huge fortunes taxing everything that came through the port. Venice’s powers started to decline however, as the Americas and rounding of Africa’s Good Hope were both discovered in the late 1400’s. This led to new trade routes allowing European importers to avoid Venetian taxes. Aside from the wealth they made on taxing goods, Venice also had a few luxury goods of its own. Murano glass, mosaics, and fine silks and lace were all specialties. Although the trade routes changed, Venice was able to sustain its extravagant lifestyle from all the wealth it had accumulated, making it one of the richest and most powerful cities in the world. A title it would hold for almost 400 years.