Venice’s houses can be beautiful or ugly, clean or dirty, elegant or rough, crumbling or pristine…there are many versions. Each street level building is protected at least at its windows and often also at its doors. The variety of the doors and windows and their coverings is incredible. So I did photograph quite a few.
We had decided that on our way back from Venice, we could go to Padova (Padua). It’s a fairly short commute from Venice and on the route back, anyway.
While doing a bit of research about whether we should choose Padova or Verona, I found out some pretty interesting facts about the city no one really knows all that much about (outside of Italy).
It’s a small city with under a quarter of a million people. Padova claims to be the oldest city in northern Italy (1183) and still has a lot of its medieval walls. Its university was founded in 1222 and had as a lecturer, Galileo. While Verona is the setting for Romeo and Juliet, Padova boasts The Taming of the Shrew. (How much time did Shakespeare spend in this region, or was it just a place name that captured his attention? It’s not known but it’s likely he would never have left England.) Padova hosts the second (after Bologna) univeristy. Founded in 1222,  Galileo Galilei was a lecturer there and Copernicus studied medicine (the university was one of the best-known centres of medical education in Europe).
When Padova was liberated from German occupation in 1945, Padova went from being one of the poorest places in Italy to becoming one of the richest and most active in modern Italy. It’s now considered part of the Venetian area, along with Treviso,
We took a train that was just like the Go train in Toronto – a fast and comfortable ride. Padova’s station, for such a small place, is really large with 11 platforms, none of which were quiet. It’s not clear to me why it’s so large but from here you can travel to Nice, Paris, Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, Zürich, Schaffhausen, Innsbruck, Munich and Vienna. Impressive!
I was a bit surprised that the city looked very modern and commercial as we left the station. I was expecting something more charming. The charming happened as we walked along, though. I confess that I was pretty tired in the few hours we were there. We had walked all around the university area in the morning before leaving Venice, and I was seriously out of energy, with my legs feeling a lot of pain. In fact, if I had been left to sit on a bench for the entire time, I’d not have minded. But I would have missed seeing what I did. I took photos but my heart wasn’t in it as much. I was ready for the couch and Netflix back in Torino.
Tired of disappointing Italian offerings, we spotted a Chinese restaurant on our way to the University. It was packed with Chinese people – likely students? What did we have to lose? We had an extraordinarily botched up conversation with the lackadaisical young server. Three different things were delivered by mistake, including a large beer instead of the green tea we’d asked for. This wasn’t going well!
The students were inhaling the food. Did we order the wrong thing?Called shrimp with chili and peanut, this gluey dish also had sweet peppers (ugh) and no peanutsThe Bacchiglione River with one of its many bridges. The ancient blends with the newChurch by the riverMore of the river in a more upscale area
The university was a lovely old complex of buildings. As we walked through the main one, I thought of John telling me to breathe in the molecules – in this case of Galileo and Copernicus!
From the university we wandered through some very old porticoed streets. I had no idea where we were headed, and was just glad to still be upright – one foot in front of the other at this point.Â
In many ways, Padova was reminding me of Bologna without all the red! More of a city but still with so many porticoes and students everywhere.
From this quiet area we headed towards the Old Town – the one place I really wanted to see while I was here. But on the way we went past the Palazzo della Ragione (the medieval Palace of Justice) This was one of the things I’d wanted to see and dates from the 13th century. It’s extremely difficult to photograph because it’s really large. With more time and more energy I’d have tried for a panorama but instead…
And right behind this elegant building was the Old Town and Jewish ghetto. At this point I lost the will to do much other than take photos and sit on a step wishing I had more time and new legs. There were places I’d wanted to see but maybe another time and maybe only online. I’d missed the largest piazza in Italy – the Prato della Valle, a 90,000 square meter elliptical square. It’s described ass a large space with a green island at the center , surrounded by a small canal bordered by two rings of statues, 78 in all! Ah well.
And the ghetto was gorgeous, a real contrast to the Venetian one.
And then it was time to head for the station. Another long (or so it seemed to me) journey, all the while thinking I could just board that ‘unique’ tram.
The station was still lively and we grabbed some food at the Despar inside the building. Nothing too elaborate this time – a ham, cheese and tomato foccacia sandwich, some water, and some chocolate. Done.
Appreciation for the guy who played the Play-me piano!
Much confusion on the train and which platform to use, since as we arrived at the displayed platform, all indications were that the train was travelling only to Milan. it turned out that this was a delayed train with ours following it quite quickly. Relief reigned and we settled in for the journey ‘home.’ And home was what Torino was feeling like.
Lastly, there was a lot of wall art in Padova so I’ll choose some at random, ending with what seemed to be a dominant fish theme. I’d like to come back here and see everything properly. Whether that ever happens, who knows…
I can’t write about anywhere without talking about the food!
Venice was recently in the news – tourists were given exorbitant bills. In Italian restaurants, fish may be priced by the 100g. Unsuspecting tourists think this is the full price and then freak out when the bills arrive. Beware! However, food is quite expensive in Venice. Everything is quite expensive in Venice. It’s had quite some journey to your plate.
I did read about excellent meals served in Venice. I sadly didn’t see or have one. But, for the record, Venice is beside the sea and so has a lot of seafood. In a better world, this is a no-brainer. Hint – stick to the three Ps: pizza, panini, and pasta…as usual!
The first night we decided to follow Chowhound advice and went to a fancier restaurant. It was along the Cannaregio canal so it was easy to find. We had a 72 Euro meal. Was it worth it? Judge for yourself.
Shrimp with leek starter – mushy but not badTagliatelle with scallop and porcini, I think – bit of a messCuttlefish with ink – blobby, couldn’t finish itTons of diners on the Cannaregio canalPizzete for saleCake!The prettiest meringues I’ve ever seenCichetti – snacks for lunch – shrug, boring, expensive, very tinyThese snacks were better- note the Korean – I had battered mozzarella with anchovy – greasy and delicious
And, yes, Venice has fast food — misnomer! Italians don’t do ‘fast.’ At the McD’s – where I caved and decided a McMuffin for breakfast was better than a sweet pastry (the usual Italian breakfast food) there was one server, one cook, everything done slo mo. I left after 15 minutes of standing, certain I’d be another 15. At the KFC I had an awful time telling them what I wanted but eventually it arrived – a tiny container of barely BBQ beans, and a corn cobette – ah, roughage!
McDonald’sAnd you know who (both of them)
Shopping is interesting. There are a lot of small shops. I did see one department store near St Mark’s Square that looked absolutely fabulous but it wasn’t open yet so I couldn’t go in. I was not going back to that area again! Venetians also seem to like pretty fashion items, leather, and lots of lots of souvenirs here.
Shopping streetShoe fashionShopping in an alleyPretty bagsFruit and vegetable market by the Rialto BridgeRialto fish marketTourists shopping at RiatoPorticoes and columns at RialtoInside the Rialto Fish Market – there in some form since 1097Heaven knows what they were sellingBooksellerMemorials to the shopkeepers, everywhereOne of the hundreds of mask shopsSouvenir glass balloons – they seem nicer in dozens
Venice is built on the water. There are many canals that come from the sea into the city. And that’s interesting too since there is a smell of the sea around you – quite comforting.
Venice has more than 150 canals dividing the city into over a hundred little islands.
Venetians are completely at home on the water. They speed about in their boats, often standing rather than sitting, hopping in and out. This reminds me of how much at home the motorbike riders are in Naples. Yes, there are streets but there are no roads. You walk about on car-free lanes and alleys, moving about across bridges that connect the various bits of ground from canal to canal.
Just another day in Venice – commuting?Boats line one of the larger canalsBoats line a small canal
The bridges are interesting and varied. As you get closer to the centre, they become crowded with people taking photos of themselves, of their friends and family, and of the scenery. This is prime selfie territory.
The bridges are simple or fancy, wood, iron or stone – no two are alike, or so it seemsI definitely don’t want to cross THIS bridgeAnd the tourist bridgesAbove all, the canals can be extraordinarily beautiful
When work needs to be done, there are the work boats. They pick up garbage, they repair bridges, they deliver goods, they pick up sick people, and they run water taxis. Everything is done by and on the water. If you ever wonder why prices are so high there, it’s good to remember how difficult it was to get everything and everybody everywhere!
Working boat – delivering construction materialGarbage boatAmbulance boatDelivery by cartLaundry aross the canal
Then there are the gondolas. They are a staple of Venice and I’d imagine that many young men – and sometimes these days, women – who know this is one way to earn a living in a city that relies on tourism and boats. For 80 euros you can ride in a gondola for 40 minutes. The gondola is meant to hold four people but can stretch to six. Each one has pillows to make the journey more relaxing and luxurious, and each gondolier is happy to tell you something about the city, and to take your photo!
Gondolier waiting for business
At home on the smaller canals…and on the largeHappy to take your photo!Photo shoot left, Gondolier right –Â
Yes, Venice does have streets! On some of them you can’t tell that there’s a canal anywhere close. And it has squares. Once you get away from the canals peace settles and there are mostly locals, except for the occasional tour group. There are no cars and the roads may be cobbled or made of bricks. There are many narrow alleyways, some lined with homes and others just passageways to the next street or square. And sometimes there are trees, and parks. With no roads, you don’t see stop signs, traffic lights, or vehicles of any type. What you do see are people pulling or pushing large carts from place to place. It’s a whole other way of life and I wonder how it feels to have been born into such a place.
There are lots of old, old houses. There isn’t really anything new. There are also lots of renovation works, old cavernous and dirty spaces where people are working to bring yet another space up to scratch. As you walk along the canals, if you look up, you’ll see fantastically large rooms with very high ceilings and, if you’re lucky, art and tapestry hanging on the walls, and even magnificent chandeliers. (I tried to photograph one of these but it was dark and the image was blurred. Krish said it looked like there was a Chihuly.
Pictures speak louder than words…
My failed ‘Chihuly’
And always laundryOne of many streets that end at a canalNotice they are sometimes called Calles – Spanish influenceSometimes there are old signs in the pavementTrees!Some even with pomegranates
A park, with ruins!
Little squares
Big squares – St Mark’s – yes, large and with a very impressive cathedral!
Alleyways, passage ways, and entrancesCome in!
And some street art. I’m not fond of Italian street art but there were a few…
An Alice (Pasquini) from 2010I love the little street level cartoonsRoomz had a fewWhimsicalAnd academic
As we left Venice, there was a nice farewell. While wandering around the University area of San Polo, an older man was engrossed with playing his violin-type instrument. Finally, a truly romantic view of Venice.
