Venezia: A (Touristy) Fairytale Dreamland

Strolling the streets of Venice felt less like a stroll and more reminiscent of salmon rushing upstream to spawn. It was fairly anxiety inducing and I couldn’t wait to get back into open waters, or rather, an open square. Interestingly, the squares, often referred to as piazzas elsewhere in Italy, are actually called campos in Venice. This unique usage came about due to their historic use as agricultural fields (campo, meaning field in English), which can still be imagined today due to the presence of a single well in the center of each campo. Other agricultural highlights included the central market that boasted produce grown on it’s very own Venitian island of Sant’Erasmo and fresh fish from the Adriatic Sea and Venitian Lagoon.  

More weaving through narrow paths congested with tourists eventually brought us to Basilica San Marco which has undeniable Eastern influence from the very first glance. In my opinion, the most impressive part of the Basilica can only be observed from inside, the mosaic work. A total of 8,000 square meters (Procuratoria di San Marco di Venezia) is covered by tiny golden and multicolored pieces that make the inside glow the way I imagine a heart full of joy would look. 

Basilica San Marco

Art Sampling:

Regardless of the discovery of my minor claustrophobia, there was an undeniable magic about Venice. The warm and beautiful light at almost every part of the day, the water creeping up the canal stairs, and the tiny doorways that let out into peaceful alleyways made it feel as if I was living out a childhood dream in some touristy fairytale land. I’m filled with gratitude to have been in such a beautiful place and experienced the art at every turn.