Flying Into Venice, Italy

 

Flying over Venice © A. Harrison

Everyone should fly into Venice—preferably in a window seat—at least once in their life. A personal opnion, but the experience is amazing. As the mainland of Italy is left behind, the history of the city unfolds below the plane, from the malarial swamps that offered shelter from invaders to the days of the Venetian Republic and her maritime glory. Suddenly all the islands and canals make sense.

From this height, Venice is simply beautiful, a bejewelled beauty seemingly afloat on the waters. All of the city is on view: the wooden channel markers in the lagoon, the Piazza San Marco, and Santa Maria della Salute guarding the entrance to the Grand Canal before it winds through the city. A myriad of canals run between the city’s ancient buildings, dividing Venice into areas such as the Dorsoduro and Cannaregio. Beyond lie the notoriously treacherous waters of the lagoon, stretching to the Adriatic.

Approaching Venice © A. Harrison

Not only does Marco Polo Airport offer a dramatic entry into Venice, it's small enough to clear customs, collect luggage and navigate to outside the terminal without having to walk for miles. Banks, ATMs, currency exchange booths, transport and hotel booking facilities are all available.

From the airport there are a few options for reaching the city. Yet after flying over the city to land, what other option could there be but to approach by water? After all, she is a city built on the sea; indeed, it is rumoured her gondoliers are born with webbed feet, the better to walk on water.

Leaving everything in our wake © A. Harrison

Simply follow the signs to the vaporetti (water bus). Boats head towards San Marco and all stops en route. The

 boatmen proved incredibly helpful in helping me find the right stop (despite laughing at my attempts at Italian!) 

Tickets can be bought at all vaporetti stops and are the same price for any length of trip. There are also options 

such as a 12-hour or 24-hour ticket, which allow for unlimited travel during that time.

The trip is a slow one, taking around an hour as the boat chugs along between the wooden channel 

markers, making stops at various islands of the Venetian lagoon (including Mirani, Burton and the Lido) before 

arriving at San Marco and continuing on past the Rialto Bridge.

Practising in the relative calm of the lagoon © A. Harrison

On a sunny day, it is a glorious ride. I once travelled in the early morning, with mists swirling across the waters

 as the cry of gulls filled the air. At the right time of year, flamingoes can be seen feeding in the shallow waters 

of the lagoon.

Should the budget allow, or there are enough of you to share the cost, a private water taxi offers a far quicker 

ride into Venice, plus it can travel canals closed to the vaporetti, and so can take you as close as possible 

to your hotel. The wooden boats are long, elegant pieces of art, driven by men who are as sleek and polished 

as the vessels they steer at break-neck speed. They delight in swerving past the ferries, the spray splashing 

over the bow as they race one another to the city, where the pace suddenly becomes more civilized as the 

boats amble along the smaller canals.

Destination in sight!  © A. Harrison

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