Vicenza is a small town about an hour away from Venice by road; it is famous as the home of Andrea Palladio, who has been called the “father of American Architecture” – not that he ever visited America, but because the Palladian style greatly influenced American architects, including Thomas Jefferson. Monticello, the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, and the White House are all built in Palladian style, featuring strong symmetry and arches surrounded by windows.

Vicenza has nearly two dozen of Palladio’s buildings, including the Teatro Olimpico (the first purpose-built permanent indoor theatre in Europe).

We returned to the ship and sailed to Burano, a small island near the northern end of the Lagoon, where we’re docked for the night. We took a short walk to Martina Vidal Lace where we saw one of their life-long lacemakers at work (she was in her 80s), and then had an opportunity to shop. Credit card receipts were generated.

This evening, we had a special visit to Saint Mark’s Cathedral Basilica, beginning with a short sailing to Saint Mark’s Square.

Our group of about 80 people were the only ones in the Cathedral, giving us time to look around without being hurried or jostled. My photos do not begin to do justice to the beauty of the Cathedral, but I tried.

We were also able to visit the crypt, which is not possible on a regular visit. Our guide explained that Saint Mark’s relics were originally stored in the crypt, but were moved after a flood. There have been several major floods in the crypt in the centuries since then, most recently when a window broke under the pressure of the water.

The cathedral is amazing; I’m glad Uniworld was able to give us the opportunity to see it in peace.