LOVE ON THE WATER

Known as the definitive spot for lovers of the world, the grandeur of Venice can never disappoint. Situated on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges, it sits between the mouths of the Po and Piave rivers.

Recently it has been beset with bad luck. Not only is the city sinking because of increasing subsidence, but the floods of 2019 meant the city was declared a state of emergency. Built on a muddy lagoon with inadequate foundations, the ground beneath it has slowly compacted over time. This, combined with the groundwater being pumped out from under the city and a gradual rise in sea levels, has resulted in the city facing a potentially perilous future.

Add COVID-19, and it has been very difficult for local tourism to recover. In fact, of the 14,000 gondoliers of yesteryear, only around 500 remain.

But the silver lining is that the lack of tourists and water traffic has resulted in a lack of pollution, and the water is cleaner and clearer than it has been in decades.

Even entering on an overcast morning, I felt wildly blessed. Disembarking, you are just 15 short minutes away from St Mark’s Square and, for architecture lovers, it does not get better than this. Dominated on the eastern end by St Mark’s Basilica, with its great arches and Romanesque carvings over which four horses preside, it sits aside the mighty clock tower and the Doge’s Palace, with its red marble pillars

– where the guilty were executed.

To the left, the long arcade features restaurants and cafes including the legendary Caffè Florian, which opened in 1720. It’s much beloved of the Venetians; it was attended by Napoleon, more recently Elton John and – on the day I was there – a very dapper-looking Hugh Grant. And, for a compact city, there are an awful lot of churches,

139 of them to be precise.

But, if shopping is your heart’s desire, enjoy the elaborate and colourful Murano glass, which is blown on the island of Murano, less than 2km from here. There’s also an abundance of local lace and leather.

I yearned to stay longer. The whole visit was soul-enhancing and beautiful. A masterpiece, rather like Italy itself.