VENEZIA

Venice - An awesome maze of canals and alleys

Despite all the hype surrounding a visit to Venice, the city doesn't disappoint. Made for wandering, its seemingly endless web of canals and alleys show off grand buildings, beautiful Venetian masks (right) and glassworks, museums and restaurants. History abounds, showing off the many influences and riches brought to Venice as an important port. Even the crowds of tourists couldn't dampen the beauty of gondoliers gently rowing couples in (expensive!) gondolas down the quiet waterways and Grand Canal.

Central Venice is actually 118 islands, divided into six districts (sestieri). Our strategy for a day in Venice? Get lost.

Even the great artists and poets can't portray Venezia, so I won't even try - but here are a few highlights of what we saw:

• Piazza San Marco (right)
• All of the cafes had their own string quartet entertaining customers. Ballin'.
  
• Basilica San Marco
  
• Campanile San Marco
  
• Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace)
• Ponte Rialto (bridge) & Market (below)
  
• San Polo
• San Giorgio Maggiore

For more pictures, please check out the facebook album here.

We ended the evening by dining along the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge (above), before heading back to our cozy hotel in the mainland area of Marghera.