Old Venice meets New Venice in this photo of a package-delivery
boat on the Grand Canal.
The Rialto Bridge's balustrades are packed with tourists and
picture-takers on the Saturday of a holiday weekend.
Don't let the crowds discourage you--if you're patient, you can
easily grab a spot along the railing.
The views from either side of the Rialto Bridge are spectacular,
with a constant stream of boats and barges traveling up and down the Grand
Canal.
On the inside of the bridge, within the double row of stone
arches that provide much of the bridge's structural strength, shopkeepers sell
jewelry and souvenirs from stalls that have catered to vistors and locals since
Venice's heyday as the most important trading center in Southern Europe.
At night, the best views of the Rialto Bridge are from the No. 1
vaporetto. (Get a seat in the open
stern area, or up front if you're on one of the older water buses with seating in
the bow.)
