Venezia remains my favorite place in the world, and, as I was recently looking back at some of the images from a prior trip, I again marveled at its beauty even when far away from the better-known historic locations.

Venezia is divided into six districts, San Marco being the most famous and most frequently visited by thousands of tourists every year. The traditional flavor and atmosphere of this incredible place remain unchanged whenever wandering around the calle (fig. 1) and the small squares (fig. 2) of Castello, one of the residential districts of Venezia where the historic Naval Arsenale (figs. 3,4) is located, the original ship-building site of the Venetian Republic.

The Arsenale remains under the administration of the Italian Military Navy and is not routinely open to the public. Several historic gondolas and other vessels (fig. 5) remain visible throughout its pavilions.

Locals can enjoy the daily arrivals of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish vendors who will dock their boats (fig. 6) along some of the canals early in the morning and be ready for business.

I was also intrigued by the accidental finding of Nautico al Margherita (fig. 7) off via Garibaldi, one of the few remaining gondola repair shops, along with the Squero di San Trovaso, one of the very few gondola builders still operating in Venezia, located in the Zattere district. Quiet canals and calle (figs. 8,9) are the norm in this part of the city, as mass tourism has yet to discover these marvelous parts of the Serenissima. 

Slowly walking back towards S. Marco, modern art creations and graffiti (figs. 10,11) are often found, since the Giardini are where the world-famous Biennale pavilions are located, along with a new wave of art galleries (fig. 12). As Venezia is a paradise for walkers, it is critical to locate the ideal osteria (fig. 13) for a mid-day break of cicchetti with prosecco or pinot grigio. The cicchetti are the Venetian appetizers typical of the local cuisine with a great variety of choices often based on fresh local fish, regional cheeses and other delicacies. Buon appetito!

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