Sunday 27 May Venice to Florence

Got up early today to meet our guide at St Marks Square for a tour of the Doge’s Palace. Unfortunately we did not take into account the fact that there was a BIG boat race on in Venice today, starting at 9am, so the streets were absolutely jam packed with people. And we thought yesterday was bad. Today was unbelievable. Queues everywhere, not helped by the tiny narrow little streets that everyone was trying to squeeze through. We did get there in time though, and watched all the boats marshalling in the lagoon - very entertaining. It was more of a social event really, although there were apparently some serious Olympic rowers there too (we didn’t see them). 

Anyway, we met up with our guide and went into the palace. This is where the elected rulers lived during their lifetime rule of Venice, and where all of the Machiavellian (although he was actually a Florentine) politics went on. Our tour was called the ‘Secret Itineraries’ tour, and it focused on how the Doges and their court used secrets and information to control their subjects and their trade partners. We saw behind the scenes, and the contrasts between the fabulous opulence of the public and ceremonial areas of the palace, and the humble and tiny spaces occupied by the scurrying bureaucrats. It was fascinating to see, firstly, the torture rooms, and, later in the tour, the courtrooms, where the prosecuting lawyers had a secret passage behind their bench which connected directly to the torture rooms, so the could zip away for a quick bit of ‘research’ during trials. We also saw the prison cells, including the one where Casanova was held for three years, and then the one which he succeeded in escaping from. 

Pause for lunch, and then we braved the crowds once more to claw our way back to St Marks Square and join the queue to get inside the basilica. It was a long queue, but moved quite fast, and after 40 minutes or so we finally reached the front door. The guard there took one look at Romy and Kia in their shorts, and drafted them off to one side - ‘No shorts in the Basilica’. Like good loyal parents we waved them a quick goodbye, and headed into the interior for a look. It was pretty impressive, although a little marred by our thoughts of Romy and Kia waiting outside. Lots of gold leaf and massive spaces, and a sort of hushed, shuffling buzz of people. The fantastically decorated interiors of the five domes were quite something. We emerged blinking back into the bright sunshine to find Romy and Kia waiting, quite upset at being excluded, so I got my silk scarf out of the backpack, tied it around Romy;’s waist and marched her to the front of the queue. Luckily the nasty guard had gone, so I told the new one what had happened, and that my daughter had gone all the way home to change into a skirt (luckily she had a sweatshirt tied round her waist to hide the gaping hole at the back because the scarf was way too small to go all the way around her), and he let us back in. We walked around once more, and then I repeated the whole scenario with Kia - so I have now toured the St Marks basilica three times! Think I have had enough now! Note to all travelling females - always carry a large silk scarf in your backpack. It has also been used to cover up Jessa’s shoulders when she got a bit sunburnt in Athens.

Gelatos on the edge of the Grand Canal rounded off the afternoon, and late in the day we jumped on the train for Florence and another day in another city.

Boats marshalling in Venice lagoon

Bridge of Sighs - leads from Doge's palace to the dungeons, where prisoners took their  final glimpse of Venice and sighed as they left it (or sobbed or wailed or whatever, but Bridge of Sighs has the best ring to it).

Doge's Palace courtyard

The Golden staircase, leading to the sumptuous  chambers in the Doge's Palace

Jermey in Casanova's cell

Torture room, Doge's Palace

The Dungeons

Thronging crowds of tourists, on the way to St Marks Square

Display in the armoury, Doge's Palace

Queuing outside St Marks Basilica

St Marks interior

Fabulous decorated interiors of the domes of St Marks

Priceless gold and jewelled altarpiece, St Marks