venice

These gondolas are nothing more than flat-bottomed row boats used for years in Venice. Originally used as the primary means of transportation, they have largely been replaced by more modern watercraft…usually with engines. Nonetheless, these boats are very well suited for the Venetian Lagoon and are often found along the Grand Canal.

Once the single most important watercraft in Venice, the Gondolas now are seemingly only used by tourists. People come from all over the world keep these boats from going extinct and their captains in business at the same time. This picture here is nice because it shows Venice as a nice, peaceful city…those who make it out to Venice for carnival however know better!

IF YOU GO: You’d better hurry up, check out one of the many Apartments in Venice for rent, and visit this place before it is too late. The city is sinking and although modern engineering will probably keep it afloat for years to come, there will likely be some serious changes. Trains come to Venice from all over Italy and Europe so there really is no excuse not to visit!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user Dr. Savage via a creative commons license.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo series.

Venice, the city of canals. Stretching across 117 small islands, the city is most renown for it’s waterways, which create a labyrinth of tiny canals between buildings. What fascinates most visitors is the architecture, the buildings literally built atop the water. Perched on wooden piles, the buildings have withstood the tides and floods of the centuries and even to the untrained eye appear as architectural marvels. It may seem illogical to build on wooden piles, but below the surface of the water, where there is little oxygen, alder wood decomposes at a very slow rate.

Today however, Venice is undeniably losing the battle against the water. A series of industrial wells dug in the early 20th century began draining the aquifer below Venice, causing buildings to begin sinking. Although the wells are no longer in use, it’s unclear as to whether the damage can be undone. For now at least, it’s a losing battle.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

IF YOU GO: Venice is know for it’s beautiful art- from music and performances to incredible art and architecture. You can stay on the mainland (Mestre) and take a boat across, but it’s more atmospheric to find apartments in Venice for short term rent and soak in the ambiance. It’s not an inexpensive place though, a coffee on St. Marks square can set you back 10 euro.

Photo credit: Flickr user Danny Nicholson under a creative commons license.

Photo: Venice – The history of the gondolas

Photo: Afloat in Venice

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