This group of photos are general pictures from the 4 days in Venice.

The belltower of St Mark's Basilica is The Campanile. Tours allow you to ascend to the top of the belltower which is the highest point in Venice and commands magnificent views across the entire city. Whilst I was there the bell tolled midday - very loudly!

The Dogana di Mare is Venice's Maritime Customs House where all ships used to stop to declare their cargo. On one side of the wedge-shaped building there are great views over the Grand Canal to the San Marco area, and on the other side the views are over the Guidecca Canal.

The Doge's Palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice. The present building was constructed between 1309 and 1424. Access is available to the Doge's Apartment and several of the Chambers, one of which (the Grand Council Chamber) contains what is believed to be the largest canvas painting in the world (74ft x 30ft): Tintoretto's 'Paradise'. The tour of the Palace includes a walk over the Bridge Of Sighs to the old prison attached to the Palace.

Venice's Grand Canal is around two miles long and snakes through the centre of Venice. It is lined with some of the most up-market buildings in Venice, notably many Palaces. It carries all sorts of water traffic from Vaporetti to Gondolas to industrial boats (like the Mail boat!).

La Fenice (The Pheonix) has burnt down and rebuilt twice over its 200 year history. The most recent [malicious] fire in 1996 closed the building for 7 years for rebuilding works. La Fenice is one of the most famous opera houses in Europe.

The Piazetta dei Leoncini is part of Piazza San Marco and is known for containing the columns of Venice's two patrons, Marco and Todaro. Atop one column is the Lion of St Mark and atop the other is St Theodore.

Venice's Rialto Bridge is perhaps its most iconic structure. The bridge is the oldest of the three bridges straddling the Grand Canal. The bridge was completed in 1591 and replaced a similar timber structure.

Unfortunately the massive dome of Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute was under heavy restoration when I visited.

San Giorgio Maggiore forms part of the islands of Venice and commands a fine view of the Doge's Palace and Santa Maria.

The present Basilica building dates from 1063 although its appearance (both inside and out) has changed over time. The interior decoration is mainly stunning gold mosaics which go right up into the dome interiors. A vault in the Basilica contains an assortment of treasures including sacred bones and even a cup from the 1st Century.
A Loggia in the facade allows for spectacular views across Piazza San Marco and to the Doge's Palace. On this level there are four Bronze Horses - these are replicas of the original Roman Horses which were installed about 1254.

The Piazza San Marco is the only Piazza in Venice; all other squares are called Campi to distinguish the grand scale of the Piazza. St Mark's Basilica sits at the eastern side of the Piazza, with its Campanile (bell tower) close by and the Doge's Palace next door. St Mark's Clocktower is on the northern side and dates from 1496. The remainder of the northern side, the west and southern sides are lined by the Procuratie, linked buildings for government and state use. The western and southern buildings now contain The Correr Museum.

The Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista is one of the six Grand Schools of Venice. The stunning Main Hall measures 34.5 x 13.5 metres and is 11 metres high.