Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Venice Days and Nights

Venice, this legendary city of art, capital of the Veneto, encompasses about 180 square miles, 100 of which are water. The city is built on an archipelago of more than one hundred small islands, separated by a dense network of 177 canals, and joined by 400 small bridges. The city rests on millions of larch wood pilings driven into the sediment of the lagoon, and are protected from the Adriatic Sea by long strands of sand bars.

Venice is an exotic blend of Gothic, Byzantine and Renaissance styles, seen today as it was in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Everywhere there is water, shaping and reflecting the life of the city, its compelling beauty, curiosity, and interest. Cathedrals, gondolas, and the daily life provide continuity between past and present. Dark passageways end in sunlit squares, neighbors gather at medieval well heads, gondolas moor under tiny stone bridges, elderly women haul baskets of vegetables to their balconies, cats dart in and out of streets marked with ancient signs and stone relief.

Artists and photographers alike marvel at the quality of the light in Venice, when the faded pastel thirteenth century facades glow. As you explore Venice and sense its romantic past, Ron will help you maximize the photographic possibilities all around you. Laura, your Venetian guide has led photo tours for years and is particularly sensitive to their specific needs.

Itinerary

September 21: Home - Venice

Board your overnight flight to Marco Polo Airport in Venice.

September 22: Arrival to Venice

After checking into the hotel, you will have time to relax and settle down after your flight. We meet our Venetian Guide, Laura in the hotel lobby this evening for our introductory tour to the city and to visit one of its most significant monuments: the Ducal Palace. The Palace situated in Piazza San Marco, the central landmark of Venice and home of the grand Basilica and towering Campanile. The Piazza is flanked by arcades of shops and open-air cafes. The Ducal Palace was built in 1340 to be the home of the Duke – the head of the Venetian State – and the seat of government. Here the ruling Duke forged the decisions that made Venice one of the most powerful states in the Mediterranean; the palace is the most stunning civil building in the city. The Basilica San Marcol, built in the eleventh century, is an intriguing mix of eastern mystery and western opulence. In its shadowy interior, filled with the plundered riches of Constantinople, candlelight flickers off the golden mosaic walls. Nearby, the famous Bridge of Sighs arches over a narrow canal. Afterwards we will have a welcome dinner and presentation of your week’s program. All overnights Villa Igea (D)

September 23: A City of Merchants and Churches

Venice with its 118 little islands and 400 bridges is undoubtedly a very special and unique city. Laura leads us off-the-beaten path through narrow alleyways and across bridges and side canals to discover the beauty and the very structure of this alluring city. You will learn about the city’s origins, how its magnificent palaces were constructed “on water”, and how aspects of the past way of life lives on in the present. Crossing the stunning Grand Canal we reach the Rialto, once the commercial heart of the city, now a colourful and bustling market with fish and fruit stalls. Continue through a maze of alleyways – once the “red-light” district - to reach the Church of San Polo. There we admire a unique version of the Stations of the Cross painted in 1747 by Giandomenico Tiepolo in which the characters are all depicted in eighteenth century costumes. Proceeding to the Frari Church, the most imposing example of religious Gothic architecture in town where you can admire Titian’s masterpiece, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. (B)

September 24: The Lagoon Trip: Burano and Torcello

Today is a unique experience to discover the beauty of the lagoon where Venice is situated, stretching thirty miles from north to south and interspersed with sandbars and small islands. To reach our destination, the islands of Burano and Torcello, we board a public motor launch for a 40-minute boat ride across the northern lagoon. The boat offers a wonderful vantage point from which the beauty of the lagoon can be enjoyed. Our first stop, Burano, is a picturesque, quiet island of winding streets, canals lined with fishing boats, and tiny houses washed in bright colors. The town looks like something straight out of a storybook. It is a photographer’s delight. Torcello, our second stop is just the opposite. The island is practically deserted, although it still houses the beautiful Cathedral Santa Maria Assunta, Venice’s first cathedral. As we return to the main islands of Venice, those interested in shopping for Venetian glassware may stop at the island of Murano, famous for its unique and colorful creations. (B)

September 25 - September 25: Venice

After a sunrise photo walk and breakfast, you will have a day on our own. Those who wish can remain with the group, otherwise you are free to wander on your own for all or part of the time as you have another day to explore Venice. This evening you may partake in twilight photography walk or stroll around the city. At this time, the city is generally quiet, except for the occasional singing of a gondolier. There are magical places to explore, bridges with reflections in the still water, lights reflecting in the canals, and buildings lit by the glow of lanterns. (B)

September 26: San Giorgio Maggiore, Zattere and Salute

Today we beign with a trip to San Giorgio Maggiore, the small island just across the Bacino di San Marco, home to a Benedectine Monastery since the tenth century. The views from the island are wonderful, especially from the top of the campanile or belltower. It’s worth the small admission fee to get what some have described as a “God’s eye view” of Venice. We then proceed on a local waterbus to the district of Dorsoduro. We pass by a charming boat yard where gondolas are made, and walk through quiet alleyways leading to the massive Church of Santa Maria della Salute, on the Grand Canal. (B)

September 27: Venice

We’ll have the day to ourselves today, to explore the city, go for a gondola ride, do some shopping, or visit the museums. The great masters of the Venetian High Renaissance, including Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese, are well represented in the city’s museums. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection features twentieth century works displayed in her lavish apartments. For those feeling comfortable with vaporetto or water bus, you may want to take a trip to San Michele, the cemetery island founded by Napoleon. It will provide unlimited possibilities for any photographer. (B)

September 28: From San Marco to the Aresenale

Today, we will take a walk from St. Mark’s Square, proceeding through a maze of alleyways to the Arsenale, Venice’s historic shipyard. During the Renaissance, Venice was one of the most powerful maritime states in the world. The key to Venice’s naval supremacy was the efficiency of the Arsenale shipbuilders. At the peak of Venice’s power, the Arsenale employed 16,000 workers who reportedly could turn out warships in just twelve hours. Built in the fifteenth century the Arsenale’s impressive gateway, with its by four stone lions standing guard, serves as a reminder of Venice’s golden days. Although the Arsenale is not open to tourists, the nearby Naval History Museum offers a fascinating look at the city’s seafaring past. Inside are models of galleys and other historic ships, an outstanding map of Venice in 1500, and authentic nineteenth century gondolas. (B)

September 29: Venice

We will continue our explorations in some of the less frequented streets and campi (squares) of the city as we enjoy this last day on our own. Cobbled calles (pathways) follow the canals to hidden treasures in the city’s quiet neighborhoods. Narrow, winding soporettos (alleys) are filled with unique experiences and photographic opportunities -- flower pots, gleaming brass door knockers, Madonnas in carved niches, elegant facades with the patina of the ages. We will photograph in the liquid light of sunrise and twilight as we enjoy this last fulfilling day in Venice. We gather this evening to enjoy our farewell dinner and share our discoveries of this memorable city. (B, D)

September 30: Venice - Home

This morning we leave Venice. We board our flights home or on to other exotic destinations.

Accommodations

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Guides

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Food & Drink

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Notes

Join accomplished photographer Ron Rosenstock and Venetian Guide, Laura Sabbadin through Venice. Ron started leading photo tours in 1967. In those years he has led more than 175 tours to many destinations worldwide. Ron retired in 2001 from Clark University where he taught photography for thirty years. His published books, The Light of Ireland, Chiostro (Cloister), and Hymn to the Earth, showcase his exquisite black and white photographs. Ron’s work has been featured in over one hundred exhibitions, both in the United States and abroad, and his photographs are to be found in the permanent collections of the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts., The Polaroid Collection in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the International Center of Photography in New York City. Ron’s striking, one-of-a-kind photographs can be seen at www.ronrosenstock.com.

Laura Sabbadin, your Venetian host, has been working as a qualified guide in her home city since 1998. After graduating from the University of Urbino, with a degree in Modern Languages and Literature, Laura completed the rigorous training program for licensed Venetian guides. She has given extensive lectures about the art and history of Venice for a special UNESCO project. Since 1988, Laura has been an official interpreter for Venice’s Biennale Film Festival. With her charm and wealth of information, Laura will make your stay very special.

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $3,395 US Dollars based upon minimum of 9 paying participants. There is a small group surcharge of $200 if 5-8 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $645; single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

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