I Left My ❤️ in Venice (Part 2)

Our second day started out cool and cloudy but turned into a beautiful and very warm sunny day which was perfect for discovering all that Piazza San Marco had to offer.  As we entered the square from a narrow street we were absolutely awe struck with what was in front of us!  St. Mark's Basilica is an absolutely incredible work of art both inside and out.

Outside the artwork, marble and tiles are so meticulous and breathtaking.

Inside the marble tiles are so incredibly beautiful! It is hard to believe that they are over 1100 years old and are still so vibrant.  Every time I looked at a new area of tile work, all I could see were quilt patterns…

Like this little corner of a step. I could totally see this in a quilt..ha!

And then there is all of the gold!  The inside of the Basilica just shines with all of the real gold work both on the walls, the ceilings and the special altar, Pala d"Pro. You can read more about the history of the Basilica here.

Then it was on to Doge's Palace…there are not enough words for the beauty inside this building!

I loved this carving, "Mouth of Secret Accusations".  If you look closely to his mouth, you can see an opening….if you suspected someone was an enemy of the state, you could write a note, drop it in the Mouth and the Council of Ten would deal with it.

We walked through so many amazing rooms filled with such rich life-sized artwork in the Palace, but my favorite part was when we crossed over the 'Bridge of Sighs" into the prison.  I shared this Bridge in my very first post, it was the last bit of light that prisoners would see before they were brought down into the prison to serve their time. I really loved this old door!
I just don't have enough space to share all of the pictures, but if you ever get a chance to go…..say yes!!!

We also went to The Museo Correr, which has mixed reviews, but I loved every part of it and I am NOT a true museum lover.  I truly would have loved to have spent more time here, but after 13,000 steps that morning my back was squawking at me loud enough to admit it was time to take a break.

So we decided to take that break and head over to Dal Moro's for a quick pick me up lunch and a chance to sit down and catch our breaths.  I had watched a gazillion Vlogs on Venice and Dal Moro's came up over and over as a great place for a takeaway meal, and it didn't disappoint!  
Ken got Pasta Carbonara and I got Pesto Parmasan…so good!
 We took a short walk around the block, sat on some steps very close to where Gondoliers were sitting in the water waiting for customers, along with some school girls feeding the seagulls.
The sun was warm, the scenery inviting and the food….hot and delicious!

I will finish up my Italy posts on Friday…but beware, I am already thinking about and loosely planning for another trip to Italy in 2026.