It’s just like back in 1994, when Lilicub sang about travelling in Italy (in French)! We’re off on a trip, just the two of us, cruising along on our barge, strolling along the paths: it’s going to be great! There’ll be stars in the sky or the sun will be shining. We’re getting away from it all, cruising through Italy, exploring Chioggia. Every minute of the day bringing something new!
When you set off from the base at Chioggia, you can cruise beside historic villages, fish markets, fishing villages and lots more. If you’re keen on heritage, culture and getting away from it all, you’ll love this Italian and Venetian journey. Dolce vita, here we come!
Chioggia with its Ponte Vigo and famous fish market
The base is located in Chioggia. This town in the Veneto, on a small island in the southern entrance to the Venice lagoon, is the romantic gateway to Venice. With both a fishing port and a commercial port opening onto the Adriatic, the town has a typically Mediterranean fish market and it’s a real meeting place, with lots of lively conversations going on. After all the excitement of the fish auction, it’s time for a stroll through the olde worlde streets of the town.
The town is sometimes known as ‘Little Venice’ because of its narrow streets, bridges, squares and canals, the main one being the Canale Vena. It’s a very pleasant first stop on your canal boat holiday. The Ponte Vigo is the most beautiful and artistic of the nine bridges spanning the Canale Vena. It marks the entrance to the lagoon and leads to the Piazza Vigo, where a Greek marble column overlooks the square, crowned by a Byzantine capital on which a majestic lion stands, the symbol of Venetian power.
Pellestrina: a traditional fishing village
Pellestrina is a town in the Venice lagoon but it’s also the name of an island barrier between the port of Chioggia and the port of Malomocco, which divides the lagoon from the Adriatic.
As you arrive in this town, you’ll notice it’s most beautiful and authentic feature: the many fishermen’s cabins. This natural spot, between sky and earth, lagoon and sea, is a place of magical contrasts. Pellestrina would be the perfect place to stop for some rest and contemplation before you experience the excitement of Venice!
Treviso and its cultural treasures
The perfect way to continue your journey is by taking a short trip to Treviso, located between the plain of the Pô and the nearby hills of Asolo and Conegliano, not far from the beaches of the Veneto. History buffs will probably like to know that Treviso is completely surrounded by ramparts, which were built in the early sixteenth century by the Venetians to turn the town into one of the strongholds of its hinterland. The lion of the Republic of Venice can be seen in several places around the town. With its Medieval and Renaissance history, this town is a real cultural treasure.
Barge holidays to Venice offer a unique experience. There are countless architectural and historic treasures on its lagoon, making each new place that you stop to explore more exciting than the last. Have a good trip and arrivederci!
