Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore

One of the mornings we spent in Venice, we visited the Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore. San Giorgio is the church that is visible across the lagoon looking from the Doge's Palace. I was very excited about this visit because it involved another vaporetto ride. I love everything about Venice, but I particularly enjoy traveling over the canals and waterways.

It is a leisurely and enjoyable, five-minute ride across the lagoon from St Mark's Square on vaporetto #82. The closer you get to the church the quieter it seems to become and the slower things seem to move. It was a very peaceful and relaxing place to visit, quite a contrast with the busy pace of St Mark's Square.

San Giorgio The church itself looks somewhat like a Greek temple rather than an Italian church. It did not have the baroque style of architecture typical of most of Venice‘s churches; instead, the facade was very simple with four columns and a triangular pediment.

The interior of the church is also rather understated with its white walls and clear glass windows. On the side walls near the altar are two Tintoretto’s: The Last Supper on the right and Manna from Heaven on the left. As nice as these paintings were, it was the view from the top of the bell tower that we came to experience.

Getting to the top of the bell tower starts with a ride up a small and slow elevator. Six people could barely fit into the elevator, including the Monk who operated it. I had my doubts about the wisdom of using the elevator, but the trip to the top was worth it. The panoramic views from the bell tower are breath-taking.

Venice Waterfront Venice Waterfront Venice Waterfront

Looking back towards Venice, the entire Venetian waterfront is before you. Directly in front is St. Mark's Square with the Doge's Palace, the Basilica and bell tower. On the far left you can see the entrance to the Grand Canal with the Church Santa Maria Della Salute sitting on its left bank. Everywhere there are boats churning up the waterways - water taxis, gondolas, vaporettos all moving people to their destinations and work boats repairing or resupplying the city. Next to the Doges Palace you can pick out "the Bridge of Sighs"; a little further to the right is the luxurious and very expensive Hotel Danieli. San Giorgio View The view continues with a sweep to the right all the way to the northern tip of the island. Of course, you can walk all around the bell tower and see other islands in the lagoon, but nothing compares to the dramatic beauty of the Venetian waterfront. It truly was a Kodak moment.

We could have stayed up there for hours watching the comings and goings of the city, but we had more sights to explore. So down we went and back across the lagoon to the crowds and bustle of Venice.