Having girded our stomachs with food and drink — well, ice cream and water — we set off in the general direction given to us by our very helpful gesticulating Italian Policeman.

Our route took us out of the heat and the seething masses of St Mark’s Square and into the shade of the maze of narrow backstreets that exist between and behind the main waterways. It takes some time for your eyes to get used to the lack of light.

Venice is similar to another famous canal city — Amsterdam — where the only way you can build is up! The backstreets are narrow — often one person wide — and I am sure some of them never see the light of day.

As you can see, we are walking in half light — at least on this street we could walk side by side.

One can only imagine the marketing strategies that you would have to employ if you had a business here to get people to your doorstep.

Continue reading → Venice on Foot: The Backstreets