More Burano:

Where does this lead?

No touching allowed:

Much less crowded than Venice:

A working canal:

Contrasts:

The old...

...and the new

Burano Life:

A partially coloured house:

An amazing doorway:

Daily life:

Laundry:

Main Street:

Burano:

Our first glimpse of Burano from Mazzorbo:

Brightly coloured houses:

Bikes are permitted in Burano:

Burano has a small canal system:

Murano glass:

We watched the artisan craft this delicate horse in less than 2 minutes!

An elaborate chandelier:

This style can be found in Peles Castle in Sinaia, Romania:

A Murano glass pipe tree:

Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato:

Mosaics:

A few of the glorious mosaics on the Basilica di San Marco:

Basilica di San Marco:

Palazzo Ducale:

The Piazzetta San Marco facade of the the Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) features sumptuous Istrian stone Gothic columns and pink Veronese marble:

Look for the two darker columns in the photo above - the 9th and 10th columns. Death sentences would be read out from here!

Porta della Carta - the main entrance to the Palace:

The Basilica and the Palazzo - glorious examples of Venetian grandeur:

Ponte di Rialto:

Since 1180 it's been possible to cross the Grand Canal here. This version was designed by Antonio de Ponte and completed in 1592:

A single arch span of 28m high and 7.5m wide allows all manner of traffic to pass underneath:

A shrine at the base of the Rialto bridge:

Surprises around every corner:

Mercato di Rialto:

Fresh produce abounds in the Rialto markets:

These tomatoes were divine with some fresh basil:

A spice shop near Campo San Giacomo:

Melons - among other things - just delivered:

Piazzetta San Marco:

The Piazzetta San Marco was the state entrance to La Serenissima. It's one of the lowest areas of Venice and so is one of the first areas to be flooded during acqua alte.

The winged lion of St Mark with St Mark's Campanile, the Libreria Sansoviniana and the Basilica di San Marco.

Public executions were held between the two columns - after death, the quartered bodies were displayed around the city as a macabre warning to others.

St Theodore - the original patron saint of Venice - standing on top of a crocodile. His column is 12th century red and grey granite.

In the Book of Revelation, St Mark is symbolised as a winged lion - imagery embraced by La Serenissima Repubblica.