Full Description
After 60 years and with over 150,000 copies sold, J. G. Links' classic remains for many the best book ever written about Venice. Structured as four walks, it takes the visitors from the grandest campi to the tiniest alleyways, with surprises and unexpected delights at every turn. But as well as a wonderful companion in Venice itself, it is also one of the most evocative accounts of the city in English, by a writer who wore his learning like the finest gossamer. In Jan Morris's words, "None of Venice's innumerable chroniclers have portrayed the Serenissima's character with quite such a combination of the scholarly, the informal and the intimate... Over the years, thousands of readers, starting this book, have been relieved to encounter its famously undemanding approach to the city: 'Generally the first thing to do in Venice is to sit down and have some coffee'. But by the time they get to the end of it, all the same, they will have learnt virtually everything that an educated stranger needs to know about the place, its art and its history - besides being subtly entertained throughout."
Contents
Foreword by Jan Morris p. xi
Preface to the Sixth Edition p. 7
Preface to the Tenth Edition p. 9
Introduction p. 12
Author to reader 12
Approaching Venice 16
View from the Molo 23
The Doge's Palace and the Basilica 30
St Mark's: The Piazza 41
A little Venetian history 52
View from the Campanile 61
Walk 1: The Accademia, the Zattere, the Frari,
the Rialto Bridge p. 65
Preface 67
Piazza S. Marco to the Accademia 68
The Accademia 79
The Grand Canal seen from the
Accademia 88
Between the Accademia and the Zattere 89
The Frari and its neighbourhood 95
The Rialto Bridge to Piazza S. Marco 106
Walk 2: The Riva degli Schiavoni,
SS. Giovanni e Paolo, The Rialto
Bridge p. 113
The Scuola di S. Giogio degli Schiavoni
and the Arsenal 115
View from the Public Gardens 128
The Riva degli Schiavoni to SS. Giovanni
e Paolo 134
View from the Fondamente Nuove 145
Between the Fondamente Nuove and the
Rialto Bridge 147
Walk 3: The Sestiere di S. Marco p. 155
The Sestiere di S. Marco 157
The Correr Museum 165
Walk 4: The Grand Canal and the
Canareggio Area p. 169
The Ca' d'Oro 171
Northern Venice 175
The Canareggio 183
The Fondaco dei Turchi 188
From the Pescheria 194
Around Venice and the Islands of the
Lagoon p. 197
The Ancient Settlements 199
Around Venice 201
Murano 207
Burano and Torcello 210
Venice for Children's Pleasure
and the Delights of the Brenta p. 213
Children in Venice 215
Exploring the Waterways 224
The Delights of the Brenta 225
Solutions 232
Appendices
A. The Services provided by ACTV, p. 235
B. Books about Venice, p. 243
General p. 243
Guide Books p. 246
Art and Topography p. 250
C. The Street Signs of Venice, p. 256
D. Food and Drink, p. 258
About J. G. Links p. 262
List of Illustrations p. 265
Index p. 267
Maps, drawn by M. A. Verity
venice - Key Map, inside front cover
walk 1 - Southern Venice, p. 66
walk 2 - Eastern Venice, p. 114
walk 3 - The Sestiere di S. Marco, p. 156
around venice - p. 198
