Venice Photos

Venice
Photograph by Sam Abell
Flamboyant, radiantly beautiful, Venice, Italy, owes her grandeur to the sea, a bond celebrated yearly through regattas such as the Vogalonga. Today it is a human tide that washes over her—millions come to capture a glimmer of her charms.
—From "Venice: More Than a Dream," February 1995, National Geographic magazine.
Grand Canal
Photograph by Sam Abell
Adrift in bliss, Venetian newlyweds ride a gondola down the Grand Canal. In a city with 42 boating associations, rowing is serious business. "You should see no visible effort," says an aficionado, "just beautiful movement."
—From "Venice: More Than a Dream," February 1995, National Geographic magazine.
Carnival Costumes
Photograph by Sam Abell
Panache goes on parade during Venice's Carnival. Today's pageantry lasts only ten days—a shadow of the two-month-long bacchanals of the 1700s.
—From "Venice: More Than a Dream," February 1995, National Geographic magazine.
The Basilica of San Marco
Photograph by Sam Abell
Mirrored in troubling waters, the Basilica of San Marco floats over the central square, Venice's lowest point. High waters are a recurring fact of life in the city, which has sunk five inches [13 centimeters] during the past century even as the sea has risen four [10 centimeters]. Venice is still sinking, albeit more slowly.
—From "Venice: More Than a Dream," February 1995, National Geographic magazine.
Teatro La Fenice
Photograph by Sam Abell
Intimate arias unfold on the steps of Teatro La Fenice, Venice's opera house. Trapped in the myth of her lustrous beauty, Venice beguiles, and remains elusive. "She is like a girlfriend who drives you crazy," sighs a bargeman. "She's the girl you couldn't leave if you tried."
—From "Venice: More Than a Dream," February 1995, National Geographic magazine.