The Church of San Giovanni in Bragora is located in Campiello del Piovan.  Though it originally dates from the early 8th century, the church was rebuilt a few times, the latest being in 1475.  Both, Pope Paul II and Antonio Vivaldi, were baptized in this church. The small Ponte del Purgatorio crosses over a tiny…

Crossing the Rio di Palazzo, the Ponte dei Sospiri, or the Bridge of Sighs, is the second most famous bridge in Venice.  It was designed by Antonio Contino, and dates from 1600.  It connects the prison area with the interrogation rooms of the Doge’s Palace.  After being sentenced in the palazzo, prisoners were then led…

The Testa d’Oro, or the Golden Head, hangs on the facade of a building, not far from the Ponte di Rialto, in memory of what was the most important spice shop in Venice.  The shop was called “Alla Testa d’Oro”, and since most of the populace could not read, at the time, it was thought…

The monument pictured above pays tribute to the Venetians who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Up to this point, we had managed to avoid any of the horrible crowds that Venice is notorious for, especially around the Easter holiday.  But, as we approached the Ponte di Rialto, or the Rialto Bridge, the crowds began…