Gondolas and Glass

Part of the group took a bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma and transferred to a water bus. The rest of our group took a water taxi directly to Piazza San Marco, a quick 45 minutes from the airport.

The Grand Canal is the main thoroughfare in Venice; the Venetians have a much more scenic commute than most!

Hotel Bonvecchiati hosted Team Alpine, and combined a central location with four star lodging.

Piazza San Marco, one of the most visited areas in Venice...

While some people come for the architecture, others come to watch the spectacle of international Ace Venturas bond with the pigeons. Not the most hygienic of friends however!

One of a multitude of shops selling masks of every type; Venice has everything from inexpensive tourist options to handcrafted Carnival masks.

A local artisan utilizing the Murano glass to make the trinkets in his shop.

A visit to the nearby island of Burano known for its lacemaking, as well as the vibrant colors of the homes.

Other than leaving, the hardest thing about Venice is limiting the number of pictures you take to a couple [hundred]. It was a very picturesque end to an excellent trip!