Venice Day 2
On our first full day we started off with coffee and a chocolate cornetti in a local cafe, Majer, just down from the Campo Ghetto Nuovo.
In the sunshine we headed for Scalzi, briefly sidetracking along the Canale di Cannaregio for a view of the Grand Canal outside San Geramia, the church visible from our altana. Inside the church it was cool and peaceful, the church housing the remains of St Lucy.
We crossed the Grand Canal by the Ponte Scalzi and wound our way down through the sestiere of San Polo past Frari and on to the church of San Rocco and the adjacent Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
The guy at the ticket desk very kindly put as through on the ‘young person’ rate despite our protestations and we were soon upstairs marvelling at the Tintoretto decorated main chamber. Leslie quizzed me on my (terrible) Biblical story knowledge.
We looped back around towards Rialto, emerging into the wide hot open space of the Campo San Polo. On the far side of this was a welcoming pizzeria which we sat at, soon enjoying Spritz and pizza under their cooling canopies whilst watching the activity in the Campo.
After lunch we crossed the Rialto and headed back to our apartment for a siesta whilst the heat of the afternoon was at its fiercest.
We emerged later, the temperature a little cooler, and decided to head towards San Marco following the popular route along Strada Nova and past the Rialto. The city was starting to quieten down a little by this point.
We reached Piazza San Marco with the sun still shining on the campanile and the front of the Basilica. The Piazza was busy but not crowded and the golden light was glorious.
After enjoying the atmosphere in the Piazza we wandered along the side of the basin taking in the beautiful views towards San Giorgio Maggiore which was catching the last of the sunlight across the water.
We made our way towards Salute, passing San Moise and the fancy shopping area, and eventually finding a narrow side street that emerged on a dock immediately opposite the Basilica.
With the evening advancing we headed back towards the apartment, passing the lively Rialto bridge and then back down the Strada Nova as darkness fell.
We picked up food and drink from the local shop on our way home and enjoyed a late pasta dinner.
