We continued our exploration as we generally aimed towards the piazza San Marco, including crossing through several major piazze, some tiny little canals filled with singing gondoliers, and busy thoroughfares (as you'd expect in the San Marco district).
courtesy JInnes
courtesy JInnes
We also decided to pay a little side-visit to a particularly interesting little hidden attraction - the Scala Contarini del Bovolo. Roughly translated, the "snail staircase". Situated in a tiny little open area and grafted to the side of a building, it is a six-story winding staircase that leads to a wonderful lookout over the rooftops of Venice. When we finally arrived at the base of the tower, I was disappointed to find that access to it was closed (normally one can climb this staircase, but it is currently closed for restoration work). Still, just seeing it from below is pretty neat.
Spiral Staircase of the Snail
Shortly after half-past noon, we arrived at the busy Piazza San Marco - the cultural heart of Venice. We were here to see two of the piazza's landmarks: the Doge's palace, seat of power for the Venetian republic for centuries, and the St. Mark's clocktower, built into a seaward-visible corner.
courtesy JInnes