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| Venice, Italy |
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| Grand Canal, Venice |
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Kidnapped in Venice Blog:
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| Deb Stewart, "gondolier for a day", Venice |
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| Floating farmers market, (grocery gondola), Venice |
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| Pisa |
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With vastly alluring appeal and fascination, Italy without question is one of the magical places of the globe. Venice alone boasts a vast treasure of architecture and art, but its much lauded and legendary canals add wonder and amazement to its timeless mystique. Upon arriving via vaporetto one cannot ignore the awe inspiring glimpse of the Doge's Palace luming over the Grand Canal. Venice, steeped in history and marvel, immediately captivates its visitor. Upon entrance into the Grand Canal, one is struck by the phenom that is Venice. A jewel of gothic palace architecture, the Ca' d'Oro, Italian for “golden house”, Palazzo Santa Sofia, once flaunted and flashed its brilliantly gilded walls against the ripple reflection of the canal. It was built between 1428 and 1430 for the Contarini family, Venice Doge royalty between 1043 and 1676. Other notable architecture include the Ca' Rezzonico et Vendramin Calergi, Fondaco dei Turchi, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Foscari, Grassi, Labia, and Malipiero. The churches of Venice epitomize ornate beauty and historical relevance, as in the Basilica di San Marco (St Mark’s Basilica), Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. Countless other notable Venetian landmarks and points of interest include Florians coffee bar in St. Mark's Square, a famous gathering place in Venice, not to forget the Accademia, La Fenice opera house, La Torre dell'Orologio (St Mark's Clock), The Arsenal, Rialto Bridge, The Bridge of Sighs, Accademia Bridge, Scalzi Bridge, and the famous Vecchia Murano Glass Factory. The islands of Burano, Lazzaretto Vecchio, Lido, and Mazzorbo are scattered around the Venetian Lagoon and edge the Aegean Sea.
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Florence by some accounts outshines Venice, with its Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Il Duomo, Giardino di Boboli, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, The Baptistery, Ponte Vecchio, Galleria degli Uffizi, Galleria dell' Academia, and Piazza San Lorenzo.
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