Italy

Monday 22 June: Overnight Artesia couchette (5th mode of transport) south from Paris Bercy to Venice St Lucia then Vaporetto canal bus (6th mode) with a 72 hour pass to Ostello Venezia on Giudecca island, just 5 min from St Marco. With it's labyrinth of narrow-boat canals England's Black Country tourist board call Birmingham the Venice of the North, I wonder why the city fathers don't call Venice the Birmingham of the South?
Car free and with numerous bridges linking all the main islands it's a great city to explore on foot, especially with a good guide-book map in hand. Took a Gigolo ferry (6th mode) for €0.5 , a sensible man's Gondola, across the Grand Canal where there was no convenient bridge. Gondallas are €80 an hour.

Venice is fairly expensive by London standards but with a captivating charm that grows with each day. You can view my pictures by clicking Venice.