Venice - Lynn to Win

Getting to Venice

From Como we took the train back to Milan. Even the dogs were fashionable there.

We then took a fast train from Milan to Venice or Venezia in Italian. The fast trains here reach up to 300 km/hr.

Covid testing

Our train’s arrival time was 2:15 and it was a couple of minutes late. I needed to get a covid test at a walk-in clinic that was a 15 minute walk from the train station. That wouldn’t be a big deal but the clinic closed at 3:00. I would be out of luck If there was a lineup and I would have to make my way to the airport to a clinic there. Results for the test are given in 24 hours. With my timing of within 72 hours of the flight departing to Canada, I needed the test that day. (See my post How to Get to Italy – 2021 https://lynntowin.ca/wp-admin/post.php?post=1011&action=edit for more details of covid testing.)

Fortunately only one person was in line ahead of me. I filled in and signed two pages of forms written in Italian, then paid ($112 euros, or $168) and had the test. Filling in my information was straightforward, but the conditions I agreed to are a mystery. I don’t normally sign something I haven’t read but I made an exception in this case!

The Americans in our group just needed a rapid test, while Canadians needed a pcr test. The rapid test could have been done for free right at the train station – until the very day we arrived, when it was discontinued! The reason was this was the first day that all Italian workers had to show vaccination or negative test results. They will now have to pay for those test results (22 euros, or $33 for foreigners).

The Streets of Venice

My tour leader figured out where to get the test and got me there, then came back to get me and take me to our hotel. Good thing, since our hotel is close to the main canal but then hidden down a warren of tiny streets.

Venice is known for being a place where you can easily get lost. It is built on a group of 118 small islands, separated by canals, and linked by over 400 bridges. Even our tour leader, who has been here several times, uses google maps to get around in Venice!

The hotel welcomed us with a glass of prosecco, the Italian version of champagne, and olives. Then we set off on a walking tour to try to get our bearings.

Venetian masks

We passed several shops displaying intricately decorated handmade masks. Masks were first used many centuries ago at the lavish Carnival each year. I found this fascinating blog post on their history https://rossiwrites.com/italy/venice/facts-venetian-masks-history/. I bought a small simple mask for 20 euros.

Cat masks and dolls are popular in these shops. The history of cats here is interesting too. Cats were imported back in the middle ages to combat the rats arriving with ships to the port. They are credited with saving the city from the plague back in 1348 by destroying the disease-carrying rats.

San Marco square

We walked to San Marco Square, the main public square containing St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. The square is in the lowest part of the historic centre, so is the first place to become flooded if there is high water. It had some water inside last week, so parts of the buildings were closed off for maintenance.