Visiting boats can tie up free of charge in the centre of town, just a stone's throw from St. Mark's Square, but you have to be prepared to put up with the passing traffic that makes the water quite choppy. The turbulence makes for a tricky manoeuvre getting lines from both stern and bow to the mooring piles. But being in the middle of a place like Venice makes it all worth while.

This is the Square and the Cathedral. It was always busy and there were always queues to see the church and the Doge's Palace. Even from the outside the buildings are impressively beatiful.

The arches around St. Mark's are decorated with paintings.

The Grand Canal is the main waterway in the city. We went on a tour around the town in our inflatable dinghy, along canals broad and narrow. This is an amazing place to explore.

Hundreds of bridges connect the parts of the town together.