Sailing into Venice at dawn aboard Silversea cruise's Silver Wind took our breath away as this floating "city of water" revealed itself in dewy silence before our eyes. Hours later, the plazas and canals would be jammed with people and boats (unfortunately) typical of hot August tourism. But we experienced the postcard-perfect serenity that preserved the magic of the Byzantine-to-Renaissance grandeur of the Grand Canal and its singular landmarks, just like the Venetian explorers who returned after exporting the luxurious and refined lifestyle of Venezia to other exotic lands.
Venice is a city that you have to see and feel in your own way. It is primarily a miracle but can also seem an unpleasant nightmare (as in schlepping suitcases on boats and over pedestrian bridges where no cars can travel). That said, the memories of Venice will never leave you, despite any inconveniences.
Midday we caught a glimpse of Piazza
San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and its renowned Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale, mixes of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance styles and notable for the eras of Venetian commercial power that they represent. But because the lines were forbidding (and the pigeons aggressively teasing them), we meandered more peacefully through a few interior canals.
Best not to visit Venice in August!
Understanding the situation quickly, we opted for the best outing -- hiring a water taxi for an hour-long tour in the late afternoon through the Grand Canal and its offshoots
so we could explore on our own terms and see the "back streets" of Venice.
The gondoliers are charming as they navigate the 150 canals, but the water taxi ride gave us more space, more distance and a more affordable price. Just go to the Piazza San Marco docking area and pay the 100 euros for your own cruise through "La Serenissima" (Venice at its most serene) with a guide in your own language -- and a taste of the city's sturdy grandeur that you will never forget.
Passing the "palaces" or mansions still preserved over the water from the 12th to the 18th centuries by the city's richest families is a movie scene that you must witness in person. Viva Venezia!

