Venice Wrap-up

Our final day in Venice is spent revisiting some areas we've seen before, as well as exploring areas we've yet to visit.

We start off by heading up into Cannaregio. The traghetto crossing near our apartment is closed (perhaps permanently?), so we backtrack and cross into Cannaregio near the railway station.

Our first stop is the Jewish Ghetto. This is located on a small island, with only two entrance points. Since the Jewish population had no room to expand, they had to build up, resulting in buildings 7 stories tall, the tallest residences in Venice.

In one corner of the central Campo, there is a wall topped with barbed wire, with a series of plaques depicting the Holocaust. It is a very moving memorial.

Departing the Ghetto, we are approached by a restauranteur offering samples of his lunch fare. We decide to have lunch canal side at Gam Gam Kosher Restaurant, and it's absolutely delicious. The food is distinctly Mediterranean in style. For example, here is the mixed appetizer platter, which included falafel, marinated mushrooms, chickpeas, celeraic, humus, eggs, and onions.

I enjoy a delicious moussaka and Mrs. Zuke digs into some chicken shwarma. It's a great place to lunch, particularly if you grab an outside table beside the canal.

We continue our trek through the quiet and picturesque Cannaregio district, stopping to view the "three moors". One has had a rhinoplasty.

Here and there, we see banners flapping in the breeze, which read "NO Grande Nave", protesting the huge cruise ships that call on Venice. Even having once been an avid cruiser, I understand the sentiment...these large ships are (in my opinion) destructive to the city. It's a chilling sight to view one of them entering the basin and working its way up the grand canal to the cruise terminal. On one of the days we were in Venice, three mega-ships were also calling there, disgorging almost 10,000 tourists in one mighty horde.

As we reach the eastern end of Cannaregio and the marina, we're treated to a view of the lagoon. On the right is the Cemetery island of San Michele, surrounded by a brick wall. On the left, you can see the white Faro lighthouse of Murano, the island known for its many glass factories.

As we cross over the bridge, we spot a couple of ladies learning how to row with Row Venice. They shout out their email address so I can send them a photo.

Our stay in Venice has been wonderful. We've really had the opportunity to enjoy the city, and the evenings have been enchanting. Tomorrow, we'll be taking a fairly short train ride to Florence for a one-night stay, but for tonight, one last opportunity to enjoy La Serenissima.