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Cats of Venice
PHOTOS: Cats sun themselves in Venice's former royal gardens, a few steps from St. Mark's Square. The Lion of St. Mark is Venice's mascot, at least among sculptors and decorators. In real life, the closest lion is probably at the Parco Natura Viva just outside Verona, 74 miles (118 km) away. With no living lions to reign over Venice, the local feline population has adopted a surrogate leonine role. Back in the 1990s, when we took the photos in this article, cats were seen everywhere in the city: sunning themselves on park benches, perched on bridges, wandering the streets, and dining on leftovers at the Rialto fish market. In a delightful book titled A Venetian Bestiary, Jan Morris wrote:
Are Venice's few remaining stray cats dangerous? Some worry-warts might think so, for it's doubtful that any feral cats wandering the streets of Venice have had rabies shots. Still, if you leave them alone, they'll probably leave you alone--unless, of course, you're a fish or a rat, in which case all bets are off.
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Hotel tip: Location can be important when choosing a hotel in Venice or on the mainland. Before booking, read our No. 1 Warning and Venice Hotel Recommendations by Area.
From our Venice Travel Blog:
A water taxi ride to Venice Airport
From Maggie in Venice:
A dog's life in Venice Venice cruise review: |
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