Great Canal Journeys (2014) s05e01 Episode Script
Venice
1 And I'm Timothy West.
Beautiful.
We've been husband and wife for over five decades.
Amazing.
Cheers.
We've been wedded to stage and screen for even longer.
Great hair, Pru.
But we share another passion Canals.
Cast off, please.
Aye-aye, sir.
Canals wind through our lives, carrying our treasured memories.
Of families growing up Of moments of wonder .
.
and hidden beauty.
Is this the most remote canal we've ever been on? I think it probably is, yes.
Of love And laughter.
Sorry about that.
Things are bit harder for me these days.
I'm not strong enough! But we get by.
We're at the summit.
Hooray! Pru has a slight condition.
It does mean she has difficulty remembering things.
Oh, my darling, I'm so sorry.
I didn't cast you off.
One has to recognise that Pru's domestic life is getting .
.
a little narrower by the day.
Well, it can be a nuisance, but it doesn't stop me remembering how to open a lock gate or make the skipper a cup of tea.
OK, cast off.
OK.
This time, we'll explore new countries Rialto, of course.
Make new memories This is canal perfection, isn't it? .
.
and return to old haunts.
Hello, I remember you.
Yeah, about a year ago, wasn't it? Yeah.
But one thing stays the same We're always together.
Let's stay right here.
So peaceful.
Anoraks? Probably.
Maps? As actors, one or other of us is always packing to go away, either on tour or to a film set.
Which hat do you think? And we've not had the time for as many romantic trips away together as I'd have liked.
Oh, bring them all.
And don't forget your handbag.
Ha! And every marriage needs a little romance.
Even after 53 years? Especially after 53 years! So, we're embarking on a voyage to one of the world's most romantic destinations - Venice.
Unbelievable.
Founded 15 centuries ago from a cluster of malaria-infested mud flats, the city rose to become Europe's richest trading empire.
Not what we have in England, is it? Old mills and a pub, if you're lucky! Yes.
Tourists flock here, drawn to its opulence and its beauty.
Far too many people.
Yes, too many actors.
Yes.
And no director.
But it's the city's relationship with its canals that really sets it apart.
So we're going to experience Venice at water level .
.
exploring the veins and arteries of a living city.
It's a lot busier than British canals, isn't it? Yeah.
And the boats move quicker, too.
Look out! We're going to hit that boat coming towards us.
I think we're stuck.
Oh.
It's certainly not the kind of canal journey we're used to.
Oh, God.
We've got a packed schedule.
La donna e mobile.
We're going this way.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN But there should still be a little time for each other.
We start our journey 14 miles west of Venice, on the Brenta Canal.
First canalised in the 13th century, in the Renaissance period, the canal became a fashionable place for noble Venetian families to spend the summer.
And its banks are lined with their great villas and palaces.
We'll be following the same route the Venetian nobility took when they returned to Venice after their hols.
Yes, that's all right.
A Penichette, isn't it? OK? Probably, just about.
Eccellente.
Right, in you go.
Wow.
Very luxurious.
Pretty nice, isn't it? Yeah.
Didn't the Venetian nobles use to come on this canal? Yes, they did, absolutely, at the end of their summer holidays.
And they'd have travelled in very magnificent boats called burchiellos, full of velvet and gold leaf and so on.
Don't suppose they had a fridge, though.
Oh.
Oh, erm, no, I think we ought to get on.
Sorry.
All right.
Later.
OK, cast off.
All right? Yep, fine.
Are we off? Right, Venice, here we come.
The city of lovers.
Yes.
And canals, of course.
Do you love canals more than me? HE CHUCKLES When you're ready.
We start on the Italian mainland, at Dolo.
We'll pass the sumptuous summerhouses of well-heeled Venetians .
.
travelling east to the port of Fusina.
Then we'll cross the lagoon to the main island of Venice, mooring in the heart of the city.
And, transferring to a smaller vessel, we'll weave our way through its narrow canals.
Finally, we'll head north across the lagoon again to the island where Venice began.
It may be three centuries since Venetian nobles sailed the Brenta, but some things, like traditional rowing, haven't changed.
Very quiet canal, isn't it? Yes.
Weeping willows.
Lovely willows.
Cheer up, willows.
Nothing to cry about.
Are you allowed to have some wine at the wheel? Certainly, yes.
It's a boat.
As the Venetians say, for every 4km of canal, you need one litre of wine.
How very sensible.
Lining the Brenta Canal are reminders of Venice's prosperous past, when, despite beginning life as a small European city state, it grew to become one of the wealthiest places in the world.
A lot of people built very elegant villas Oh, that's quite elegant.
Wow! Palaces beside a canal.
It's not what we have in England, is it? Not quite.
Old mills and a pub, if you're lucky.
Yes.
Today, a few of them are for rent - if you've got the money.
And it's not just the canal-side properties that are grand - some of the passengers on the Brenta were pretty high-class, too.
Dante, Casanova Good lord.
Byron.
Imagine being on a boat with Lord Byron and Casanova.
You'd have a busy time.
Which would I yield to first, do you think? Well, you're a bit of a snob.
Go on.
Lord Byron, go for it.
Ahead lies an elegant Palladian villa owned by the Foscari family, whose most illustrious ancestor became the Doge of Venice in 1423.
It's also famous for the tragic life of one of its occupants, hence its name - Villa Foscari Malcontenta.
Which of the wives was Malcontenta? Why do you assume it was one of the wives? Interesting.
Because of Malcontenta, not Malcontento.
Well, she was.
She was very malcontent about being shut away because she had committed a considerable indiscretion.
The allegedly promiscuous Malcontenta is said to haunt the villa.
Oh, right.
Buongiorno.
Buongiorno.
How was your journey? Local historian Cristina knows the tragic tale.
We have a phantom here - it's Lady Elisabetta Dolfin.
She was the wife of Nicolo Foscari.
And she misbehaved.
Can I say that? She loved men, but she was married, and that was no good.
So he locked her in for about 30 years, and people say that 30 years? Yes, isn't it awful? She lost her? She was locked in for 30 years.
The villa is an architectural gem, designed by Andrea Palladio himself, whose work influenced countless English stately homes.
Our host, Professor Foscari, is a descendant of the original owners.
Oh! Beautiful.
It is monumental.
You see, the floor, it's still the original colour.
And Palladio, he liked white, and this brownish colour, so he liked simplicity.
Natural colours, yes.
The professor believes Palladio wouldn't have wanted all these frescoes - it's way too overwhelming for Palladio's style.
They do actually obscure the shape of the ceiling slightly, and therefore, I can see that he would perhaps not be very pleased.
You're absolutely right.
It's quite special for a holiday home.
Che bella vista! Professor, do you yourself live here some of the time? More in summer, because in winter we have fireplaces but it's not so easy to have sufficient heating for my wife.
No.
Enough said.
Now, the room where the Malcontenta was imprisoned.
May I introduce you to .
.
Elisabetta Dolfin, La Malcontenta.
La Malcontenta.
There she is.
Ah.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN You understand that she is a young bride, by the necklace, by the clothes.
She was locked in this half of the house for about 30 years.
Oh.
Poor lady.
Aww.
Elisabetta was unlucky to have been locked up for having an affair, because back then, it was quite the done thing for a Venetian wife to take a lover.
Well, apparently, you could have, in addition to your husband, one lover, called a cicisbeo.
A cici? A cicisbeo.
An extra friend.
Would you allow me a lover or two, if we were Venetian? It would depend.
He would have to be very, very handsome.
Well, I won't do it, I promise.
OK.
It's now just half a mile to the Venetian lagoon.
We are getting to the end of the canal.
Will we see the sea in a minute? Yes, we shall.
Yes, we're coming to it now.
Just past this last lot of cranes.
I can't see it yet - I think I'm not tall enough.
Story of my life.
Pru's always been charmingly self-deprecating, but I do worry that she's starting to lose her confidence.
That's why these sort of trips have become so important.
And I'm hoping Venice, a place we visited together many years before her condition took hold, will bring back happy memories.
See that amazing channel? At the end is Venice.
So there it is.
It's exciting to be going there.
I haven't been there for years and years and years.
Look at it.
Looks extraordinary, doesn't it? It looks unreal.
We are on a voyage to Venice.
Today, we'll cross the Lagoon, heading for the heart of the city.
Would you cast off? Easier said than done.
Tell me when you're off.
OK, we're off.
Are we off? Yeah.
Right.
Pru.
Hello.
Coming.
Up you come, love.
La Serenissima, here we come.
Leaving the mainland behind, we'll pass Venice's outlying islands, before taking the Guidecca Canal south to St Mark's Square.
Transferring to a smaller boat, we'll navigate through the city's canals, to Venice's famous opera house, La Fenice.
So, we're taking the route that the first settlers in Venice took 1,500 years ago.
They were refugees from the Barbarians in the north and settled in the marshlands of what became Venice.
So, a city built on fear and flight became one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Exactly, yeah.
Amazing.
Although we're not being pursued by the likes of Attila the Hun today, these are still deceptively hazardous waters.
And we must stick to the narrow navigation channel.
Now, we can see the city of Venice emerging out of the mist.
Yes.
Wow.
Very beautiful.
It's a city of imagination, isn't it? Oh, yes.
Inspired countless poems.
Including the great English Romantic, Lord Byron.
Who arrived in 1816, drawn to La Serenissima, the most serene city.
Fresh from Ocean Rising with her tiara of proud towers At airy distance with majestic motion A ruler of the waters and their powers.
Fine words.
But clearly Byron never had to moor his boat at St Mark's.
It would be easier to park a car at Piccadilly Circus.
We've got five boats all trying to get in.
Jam-packed, isn't it? And I don't know whether he's coming out.
Can we get in there? Oh.
Charming(!) Patience, darling.
Could you get in to the left of the one on the No, you wouldn't quite.
Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know.
No, I don't think you could.
Nobody takes any notice.
Thank goodness for that.
We have arrived at last in St Mark's Square - the symbol of Venice's once great power.
I love it.
Piazza San Marco.
Yeah.
It's amazing, isn't it? Unbelievable.
Yeah.
Starting out as marshy island dwellers, the Venetians used their mastery over water to establish the greatest maritime trading empire in history.
For over 1,000 years, this city was Europe's gateway to the east.
First time you see a Venetian, tell me.
It's like an enormous stage.
Far too many people.
Yes.
Yes.
Too many actors.
Yes.
No director in view.
Fancy some coffee? Yeah.
In the 18th century, the city boasted a mere 200 cafes, with 24 vying for business on St Mark's Square alone.
Today, there are just five.
And one of them has claimed to be the oldest coffee house in Europe.
Caffe Florian.
Been serving coffee since before you were born.
When was that? Oh, 1720.
Oh, charming.
Thank you very much.
Buongiorno.
Buongiorno.
Hello.
Hello.
Nice to meet you.
Very nice to meet you.
Welcome to Caffe Florian.
We're joined by Annarita, who's a manager here.
Would you like to have something to drink? Caffe Florian is very famous for hot chocolate and of course coffee.
Hot chocolate, perhaps.
Something that we never have at home.
Yes, I'd like to start with a small black coffee.
Venice was the first town that imported coffee.
And of course here they've been serving coffee for 300 years.
It's thanks to the merchants of Venice that we can enjoy a coffee break today.
Trading with the Ottomans in the early 17th century, they brought coffee beans to Europe for the very first time.
And I suppose that's why we now think of coffee as the quintessentially Italian drink.
Coffee and naughty bickies.
In the 18th century, caffeine and coffee houses like this one fuelled artistic creativity like never before.
Same time as Venice was falling down economically, it was growing culturally, wasn't it? Absolutely, yes.
That's the point.
They stopped going around the world and they concentrated on culture and beautiful things.
Yeah.
By the 1700s, Venice was no longer an imperial power.
And transformed itself into a seductive haven, dedicated to art and pleasure.
Many a young toff on his grand tour was lured to the city, hoping to emulate the exploits of the infamous Venetian womaniser Giacomo Casanova.
Lovely.
The legend says Casanova used to come here and have hot chocolate because it's an aphrodisiac.
Yes.
That must have had a particular attraction for Lord Byron.
Byron.
We say, "Oh, this is the sofa "Lord Byron preferred to meet women.
" Yes.
Time to explore.
But we'll leave the flashy gondolas to be tourists and travel the city's canals the Venetian way.
Marco, hi.
Marco.
Aboard a traditional working boat, a topetta.
It's small and very wobbly.
OK.
Fantastic.
How many people fall over when they come aboard? Quite a lot, but you were good.
So, have a seat down there, Pru.
Grazie.
OK.
OK.
We're away.
Have a nice trip.
Thank you.
Grazie.
Canals are the original streets of the city.
It's how Venetians have been going about their business for centuries.
It's a lot busier than British canals, isn't it? True, but this is rush-hour on the Grand Canal.
And they're all Italian.
HORN TOOTS What do I do to crew? Just keep a lookout and see if there's anything behind us, would you? Because I can't see or hear.
No.
There's nothing behind us at the moment.
Oh, look out.
Yep.
We're going to hit that boat coming towards us.
HORN TOOTS I'm scared out of my socks.
I'm trying to put on a brave face for Pru.
But this is all rather alarming.
Right.
OK.
Well done.
With relief, we turn off the Grand Canal and go in search of our first destination, La Fenice, the world-famous opera house.
And it feels like we've entered a different world.
Amazing.
You all right? You were looking a bit pained and anxious earlier.
I was? Yeah.
Oh, sorry.
Canals here are totally different from canals in Britain because we form canals by making a cut, don't we? Yes, that right.
Through the terrain.
Venice was once just a series of marshy islands and many of its canals were originally the streams and channels that ran between them.
There are 170 of them altogether, threading their way through the city.
We just have to choose the right one.
Yes, I hope we have.
I hope we have.
I'm struggling to find the theatre.
It's a while since I last came here.
45 years, in fact.
In 1971, I played King Lear here for the very first time.
A part I've performed a number of times since.
Getting to the stage door is turning into quite a performance in itself.
Watch your head.
Are we stuck? What? I think we're stuck.
Oh, do you want me to push you off? OK.
This is the only theatre in the world where both cast and scenery have to access the stage door by water.
Oh, fart.
This is impossible.
Good job you're not on tonight, Tim.
I'm not sure you'd make the curtain call.
THEY SPEAK ITALIAN Oh, that was balls up.
All by water.
Yeah.
Wow.
Things have changed since I played here, as tragically in 1996, this building was virtually burnt to the ground.
La Fenice had to be completely rebuilt.
It took two years and 90 million euros to recreate the Opera house's mid-19th-century heyday.
Wonderful to be back.
What do you think, Pruey? It's incredible.
The detailing.
During that period, Venice enjoyed artistic freedom like no other city in Italy.
And at its heart, was La Fenice.
We're joined by its artistic director, Fortunato Ortombina.
It was possible for Verdi to premiere here in Venice pieces that he would have never been allowed to premiere in Milano.
For example, Rigoletto was premiered here.
La Traviata was premiered here.
They were too modern.
Can you imagine, in the 18th-century to have the subject where you put the prostitution on stage.
Not only Verdi, but before, Donizetti, Rossini, Bellini.
Everybody wanted to compose a piece in La Fenice.
Verdi wrote and rehearsed Rigoletto in secret.
Ready for its world premiere at La Fenice in the spring of 1851.
You know that in Rigoletto you have La Donna E Mobile.
Yeah.
Yeah.
HE SINGS LA DONNA E MOBILE He wanted that this was a surprise, so that nobody knew the piece before the premiere.
When he came to the theatre on the night of the premiere on a gondola, the gondolier in leading him to the theatre HE HUMS LA DONNA E MOBILE So, he was absolutely disappointed.
Oh, yes! It sounds wonderful, echoing backwards and forwards.
Yeah.
It's magic.
The sound you have in the canal is absolutely, absolutely unique.
MUSIC: La Donna E Mobile by Giuseppe Verdi Down we go.
Mente la testa.
Watch out for your testa.
Timmy, do you know where we are? What? Well, yes, darling, of course I do.
Absolutely.
We're lost, aren't we? Erm.
Maybe a little bit lost.
We're on a canal journey through Venice.
They do canals a little differently over here and instead of spending the night on a towpath mooring, our Venetian digs Homely.
Homely, yes.
.
.
are a canalside palazzo.
Pretty good, isn't it? Oh, brilliant.
Brilliant.
London has the Mall.
New York has Broadway.
Paris has a Champs-Elysees.
And Venice has the Grand Canal.
It's all very romantic.
Like a second honeymoon.
First one not good enough, eh? What's wrong with a week in North Wales? Today, we'll be travelling along the city's main waterway, to the ancient Rialto Market.
Heading away from the tourist hotspots, we'll meet a master of traditional Venetian theatre.
And finally, a night-time voyage aboard the quintessential Venetian vessel, the gondola.
The two-mile Grand Canal has been the city's main thoroughfare since Venice was founded.
This morning, we're following it north to the Rialto Market, which has been in operation for over nine centuries.
Door to door by canal boat, you can't beat that.
It's our kind of city.
Oh, shall we move here? It would be a bit of a business.
Very lovely though.
I know.
I think I could cope with this.
Could you keep a narrow boat on the canals in Venice? I'm not sure.
Not sure.
What's that bridge called? The Rialto.
The Rialto.
Si.
Of course, yes! Until 1854, this was the only bridge across the Grand Canal.
Back then, to get around, you had to have a boat.
You're doing very well, darling.
You haven't bumped into anything, yet.
Not yet, no.
Or been shouted at yet! The whole Rialto area was once the commercial hub of the Venetian Republic.
Back in the 16th century, this was the bazaar of Europe, an enticing marketplace where you could buy or sell anything - luxurious fabrics, precious stones or exotic spices.
Parts of it are still in operation, the same as they were 500 years ago.
This is the ancient fish market.
Oh, right.
Been here since 1514, I think.
Having played an ex-Billingsgate fish porter Yes.
.
.
I can recognise the smell.
It might smell like Stan Carter's East End, but with barely a tourist in sight, it feels like we might have found a corner of actual Venetian life.
La pescheria.
Yeah.
This is as much traditional Venice as St Mark's or the Rialto Bridge, isn't it? Yes, it is, yes.
And don't forget, the, er All the fish comes in by canal.
Brilliant.
They're alive! Well, ish, yes.
Look, they're moving their Yes, yes.
Ooh-la-la.
Oh, poor darlings.
Venice is not just a tourist destination.
It's still a living city.
And our next port of call is another authentically Venetian area, Cannaregio, where we'll meet an actor known for his mastery of commedia dell'arte.
It must be dodgy hanging out your washing there.
Venice has been working its magic on Pru, bringing back all sorts of memories.
SHE SINGS IN ITALIAN Bravo, bravo.
Who'd have thought she could remember the libretto from The Barber Of Seville? And in very good Italian.
No time for an encore though - actor Alessandro Bressanello is waiting.
As we say here, salute.
Salute.
Salute.
Wonderful to be here and to meet people who are in our business.
I have been working all my life on commedia dell'arte, called commedia dell'arte because arte in Italian means work.
So, it was the first professional theatre, in the world.
'That's what we like to hear - actors getting paid for their art.
' And no women? No actresses? Sure, sure.
It's the first theatre that used women.
It was a scandal at that time.
That's why the Church didn't allow to bury the actors in a cemetery.
They had to be buried outside because it was a scandal.
Emerging in Renaissance Venice, Commedia dell'arte is a form of improvised theatre featuring familiar characters like Harlequin and Pantalone.
It's influence can be seen in everything from Shakespeare to Charlie Chaplin.
And even Mr Bean.
We have just stock characters.
You know, 10, 12 maximum, characters.
Yes.
They used to have what we call scenario, which is the plot.
So, from this couple of lines, the actors would improvise.
We can go just nearby, there is a tailleur, or costumes, where I can show you my mask and we can have some fun.
That would be wonderful, thank you.
Oh, you're finishing it? Don't get drunk before we start to play.
OK.
We'll go this way.
Ciao! Alessandro takes us to a local costumier, and with the help of his friend, Stefano, introduces us to a couple of his favourite commedia characters.
Hello, nice to meet you.
Buongiorno! Hello, buongiorno! Benvenuti.
Wonderful place.
There's the cowardly Il Capitano.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN Oh, good.
And the greedy nobleman, Pantalone.
Finally, this is Arlecchino, or Harlequin.
The servant is very rude.
He's stupid.
Ha! He reminds me of a Spanish waiter I once knew.
No, no, no, no.
Stop it.
Oh, no, no.
Please.
Rubbish.
Rubbish.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN Visiting a fellow actor has taken us deep into the backwaters of Venice, perhaps not always the most salubrious part of town.
No two bridges are the same, are they? Now, ahead of us is the Ponte delle Tette.
What does that mean? What do you think? Is it? It was where the ladies of the night used to stand up and Brandish their Brandish their wares for the passing boaters.
'Ha-ha! Just can't take him anywhere!' Venice is renowned as the city of lovers, thanks to the exploits of Casanova and Lord Byron.
They both discovered the city possesses a powerful tool for seduction.
I wonder if it works even after 50-odd years of marriage.
We are going in a gondola Ah! .
.
for a ride.
Most Venetians wouldn't be seen dead in a gondola, but then we are not Venetians, are we? No.
Absolutely not.
We're actors.
Oh, beautiful.
GONDOLIER SINGS IN ITALIAN It is lovely being at water level, actually.
Glorious.
A full moon in a gondola.
Yes.
On the canals in Venice.
Pretty amazing, isn't it? You do give me a romantic time.
Well, it's worked - Casanova, Lord Byron, and now Timothy West! It's early morning in this uniquely beautiful and serene city, and already the tourists start to throng the streets.
But I wonder how many of them know the secret behind the city's soaring spires and elegant squares.
Today, we'll discover the key to the power and success of Venice.
We're going to have quite a long trip today.
Are you up for that? Yes.
I want to go to the Arsenale, the Arsenal of Venice Right.
Which was the source of their great power, militarily and, more important, naval power.
Yes.
Will we have time for lunch, first? Maybe not first, but we'll certainly have time for lunch.
Right, shall we go? Threading our way through Venice's backstreet canals, we'll then skirt the edge of the city to visit the Arsenale.
Heading across the lagoon, we'll pick up a traditional rowing vessel before ending our journey on the island where Venice began.
We love exploring the watery underbelly of Venice.
But I still keep running into trouble.
It seems you have to be born here to understand the rules.
HORNS BEEP Yes, I'm just going to let him go first.
It's Venetian rush hour.
But then I think it always is.
When there's an emergency in Venice SIRENS Coming at such a pace.
My God! .
.
of course, it's a boat that comes to the rescue.
My word, that was close.
Coming to the lagoon now, you can see a boat passing by.
Batten down the hatches.
To reach the Arsenale, we have to skirt the edge of the city, which means braving rough open waters.
I like 4mph on our own canals best, I think.
It's not like this in Banbury, no! Fortunately for Pru, I can now see the Arsenale's Porta Nuova gates.
Of course, by new port, we're talking the early 1300s.
Quite impressive, isn't it? Yes.
Enormous gates.
It was here that they built the ships that once ruled the waves of the Mediterranean.
16,000 men once slaved away in the Arsenale.
Known as La Machina, the machine, it inspired Dante, in his portrayal of one of the eight circles of hell.
'As in the Arsenale of the Venetians, boils the tenacious pitch, one hammers at the prow, one at the stern.
' 'This one makes oars and that one cordage twists.
Another mends the mainsail and the mizzen.
' Welcome.
I would like to show you, firstly Historian, Martino Rizzi, knows the important role the Arsenale played in the story of Venice.
This was the oldest shipyard in the world.
It was active for seven centuries.
Yes, from the mid-12th century until the First World War.
You had skilled people doing every, every job.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Carpenters, sail makers Sail makers, rope makers.
Imagine, in 1500, they rebuilt the rope factory, 317 metres-long building, to have a long, long ropes.
Here was the first factory in the Western world.
And here, they invented a sort of assembly line, centuries before Mr Ford.
Yeah? Centuries and centuries.
This was a factory made to build galleys.
Galleys were the very fast, very safe, huge ships.
With up to 200 oarsmen, the Venetian galley was fast and manoeuvrable.
Good for both trade and battle, they helped Venice to dominate the Mediterranean for over 200 years.
You have the very origin of Venice, of the myth of Venice.
The maritime power that could rule over more than half of the Mediterranean Sea.
The richest republic.
Without these buildings, without these sheds to build the galleys, we wouldn't have the Doge's Palace or the Ca' d'Oro.
No.
Or who knows? Maybe not even the Basilica St Mark, even.
This is the very origin and we are proud of the Arsenale.
As you should be.
We are very proud of these buildings.
It's part of our history.
We're now heading to the outer Venetian islands, so we're back aboard our more seagoing vessel.
So, where are we off to? We're off to Burano, first of all, across the lagoon.
And then, we're going to be rowed, I think, by two ladies, to Torcello.
Remind me about Torcello.
Torcello's very, very beautiful.
It's the birthplace of the Venetian Republic, in fact.
It's where it all started.
Very, very few occupants, but very, very beautiful.
The lagoon hasn't seen Venetian galleys for several centuries, but there is a rowing boat, still in use today, whose origins go back to the foundations of Venice.
The last leg of our voyage will be aboard a flat-bottomed puparino.
So, this must be Burano.
It's bigger than I remember it.
Wonderful colour buildings, aren't they? Yes.
The oranges and the yellows? Come on, Pru.
Yup.
At the Burano Rowing Club, they race traditionally-designed boats, ones that would not be unfamiliar to the first Venetian settlers.
Hello.
Hello.
Hi.
Hello.
Nice to meet you.
Since at least the 15th century, women as well as men have competed in regattas.
Elisa also races.
Yeah.
I race in this boat last year and I came fourth.
Came fourth in Felicita! Grazie, thank you.
In the world or In Venice.
In Venice.
Well Well, it's only, only in Venice that we're racing puparinos.
Rowing goes to the heart of the Venetian identity.
It's with the oar that they escaped from the invading barbarians, over 1,000 years ago.
And they're as passionate about rowing as other Italians are about football.
Elisa and Jane will row us across the channel to the island of Torcello.
It's brilliant, isn't it? Do you remember when we had to lift our narrow boat out? Oh, yes.
We'd use slings like that.
Come with me.
Right.
Hold on now.
Onto the boat and then down Perfect.
'Gosh, we think our narrow boat at home 'can be a bit of a squeeze at times.
' Nothing to hold on to, is there? No.
Just the seat.
Yeah.
Perfect for fishing the shallow waters of the lagoon, the puparino was clearly not designed for transporting two rather nervy actors.
Goodbye, in the unlikely event of our surviving.
Voga alla veneta, traditional Venetian rowing, is always performed facing forward and standing up, to make it easier to spot the rocks and sand banks in the shallow lagoon.
In boats like this, settlers first hunted fish and made their homes on the marshy grounds of the lagoon, 1,500 years ago.
We've made it to the safe waters of Torcello.
So, we're now in, or on, on the island of Torcello.
We're on the island of Torcello.
Torcello is the first island of Venice.
The early Venetians learned how to master this land of marsh and water, to live at one with the tides and the sea.
And the skills they developed led them to create one of the most elegant and beautiful cities the world has ever known.
This is where it all started.
Oh Venice grew out of the water.
And, I suppose, will go back into it again.
I think Lord Byron summed it up perfectly 'O Venice! Venice.
' 'When thy marble walls are level with the waters, there shall be a cry of nations for thy sunken halls.
' 'A loud lament along the sweeping sea.
' Next time we're journeying through the Netherlands, a country created by its canals.
And this is canal perfection, isn't it? Amazing.
Along the way, you'll get a flavour of old Amsterdam You can smell the marijuana.
I don't recognise the smell.
.
.
and admire the splendour of the Dutch golden age.
Beautiful.
We've been husband and wife for over five decades.
Amazing.
Cheers.
We've been wedded to stage and screen for even longer.
Great hair, Pru.
But we share another passion Canals.
Cast off, please.
Aye-aye, sir.
Canals wind through our lives, carrying our treasured memories.
Of families growing up Of moments of wonder .
.
and hidden beauty.
Is this the most remote canal we've ever been on? I think it probably is, yes.
Of love And laughter.
Sorry about that.
Things are bit harder for me these days.
I'm not strong enough! But we get by.
We're at the summit.
Hooray! Pru has a slight condition.
It does mean she has difficulty remembering things.
Oh, my darling, I'm so sorry.
I didn't cast you off.
One has to recognise that Pru's domestic life is getting .
.
a little narrower by the day.
Well, it can be a nuisance, but it doesn't stop me remembering how to open a lock gate or make the skipper a cup of tea.
OK, cast off.
OK.
This time, we'll explore new countries Rialto, of course.
Make new memories This is canal perfection, isn't it? .
.
and return to old haunts.
Hello, I remember you.
Yeah, about a year ago, wasn't it? Yeah.
But one thing stays the same We're always together.
Let's stay right here.
So peaceful.
Anoraks? Probably.
Maps? As actors, one or other of us is always packing to go away, either on tour or to a film set.
Which hat do you think? And we've not had the time for as many romantic trips away together as I'd have liked.
Oh, bring them all.
And don't forget your handbag.
Ha! And every marriage needs a little romance.
Even after 53 years? Especially after 53 years! So, we're embarking on a voyage to one of the world's most romantic destinations - Venice.
Unbelievable.
Founded 15 centuries ago from a cluster of malaria-infested mud flats, the city rose to become Europe's richest trading empire.
Not what we have in England, is it? Old mills and a pub, if you're lucky! Yes.
Tourists flock here, drawn to its opulence and its beauty.
Far too many people.
Yes, too many actors.
Yes.
And no director.
But it's the city's relationship with its canals that really sets it apart.
So we're going to experience Venice at water level .
.
exploring the veins and arteries of a living city.
It's a lot busier than British canals, isn't it? Yeah.
And the boats move quicker, too.
Look out! We're going to hit that boat coming towards us.
I think we're stuck.
Oh.
It's certainly not the kind of canal journey we're used to.
Oh, God.
We've got a packed schedule.
La donna e mobile.
We're going this way.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN But there should still be a little time for each other.
We start our journey 14 miles west of Venice, on the Brenta Canal.
First canalised in the 13th century, in the Renaissance period, the canal became a fashionable place for noble Venetian families to spend the summer.
And its banks are lined with their great villas and palaces.
We'll be following the same route the Venetian nobility took when they returned to Venice after their hols.
Yes, that's all right.
A Penichette, isn't it? OK? Probably, just about.
Eccellente.
Right, in you go.
Wow.
Very luxurious.
Pretty nice, isn't it? Yeah.
Didn't the Venetian nobles use to come on this canal? Yes, they did, absolutely, at the end of their summer holidays.
And they'd have travelled in very magnificent boats called burchiellos, full of velvet and gold leaf and so on.
Don't suppose they had a fridge, though.
Oh.
Oh, erm, no, I think we ought to get on.
Sorry.
All right.
Later.
OK, cast off.
All right? Yep, fine.
Are we off? Right, Venice, here we come.
The city of lovers.
Yes.
And canals, of course.
Do you love canals more than me? HE CHUCKLES When you're ready.
We start on the Italian mainland, at Dolo.
We'll pass the sumptuous summerhouses of well-heeled Venetians .
.
travelling east to the port of Fusina.
Then we'll cross the lagoon to the main island of Venice, mooring in the heart of the city.
And, transferring to a smaller vessel, we'll weave our way through its narrow canals.
Finally, we'll head north across the lagoon again to the island where Venice began.
It may be three centuries since Venetian nobles sailed the Brenta, but some things, like traditional rowing, haven't changed.
Very quiet canal, isn't it? Yes.
Weeping willows.
Lovely willows.
Cheer up, willows.
Nothing to cry about.
Are you allowed to have some wine at the wheel? Certainly, yes.
It's a boat.
As the Venetians say, for every 4km of canal, you need one litre of wine.
How very sensible.
Lining the Brenta Canal are reminders of Venice's prosperous past, when, despite beginning life as a small European city state, it grew to become one of the wealthiest places in the world.
A lot of people built very elegant villas Oh, that's quite elegant.
Wow! Palaces beside a canal.
It's not what we have in England, is it? Not quite.
Old mills and a pub, if you're lucky.
Yes.
Today, a few of them are for rent - if you've got the money.
And it's not just the canal-side properties that are grand - some of the passengers on the Brenta were pretty high-class, too.
Dante, Casanova Good lord.
Byron.
Imagine being on a boat with Lord Byron and Casanova.
You'd have a busy time.
Which would I yield to first, do you think? Well, you're a bit of a snob.
Go on.
Lord Byron, go for it.
Ahead lies an elegant Palladian villa owned by the Foscari family, whose most illustrious ancestor became the Doge of Venice in 1423.
It's also famous for the tragic life of one of its occupants, hence its name - Villa Foscari Malcontenta.
Which of the wives was Malcontenta? Why do you assume it was one of the wives? Interesting.
Because of Malcontenta, not Malcontento.
Well, she was.
She was very malcontent about being shut away because she had committed a considerable indiscretion.
The allegedly promiscuous Malcontenta is said to haunt the villa.
Oh, right.
Buongiorno.
Buongiorno.
How was your journey? Local historian Cristina knows the tragic tale.
We have a phantom here - it's Lady Elisabetta Dolfin.
She was the wife of Nicolo Foscari.
And she misbehaved.
Can I say that? She loved men, but she was married, and that was no good.
So he locked her in for about 30 years, and people say that 30 years? Yes, isn't it awful? She lost her? She was locked in for 30 years.
The villa is an architectural gem, designed by Andrea Palladio himself, whose work influenced countless English stately homes.
Our host, Professor Foscari, is a descendant of the original owners.
Oh! Beautiful.
It is monumental.
You see, the floor, it's still the original colour.
And Palladio, he liked white, and this brownish colour, so he liked simplicity.
Natural colours, yes.
The professor believes Palladio wouldn't have wanted all these frescoes - it's way too overwhelming for Palladio's style.
They do actually obscure the shape of the ceiling slightly, and therefore, I can see that he would perhaps not be very pleased.
You're absolutely right.
It's quite special for a holiday home.
Che bella vista! Professor, do you yourself live here some of the time? More in summer, because in winter we have fireplaces but it's not so easy to have sufficient heating for my wife.
No.
Enough said.
Now, the room where the Malcontenta was imprisoned.
May I introduce you to .
.
Elisabetta Dolfin, La Malcontenta.
La Malcontenta.
There she is.
Ah.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN You understand that she is a young bride, by the necklace, by the clothes.
She was locked in this half of the house for about 30 years.
Oh.
Poor lady.
Aww.
Elisabetta was unlucky to have been locked up for having an affair, because back then, it was quite the done thing for a Venetian wife to take a lover.
Well, apparently, you could have, in addition to your husband, one lover, called a cicisbeo.
A cici? A cicisbeo.
An extra friend.
Would you allow me a lover or two, if we were Venetian? It would depend.
He would have to be very, very handsome.
Well, I won't do it, I promise.
OK.
It's now just half a mile to the Venetian lagoon.
We are getting to the end of the canal.
Will we see the sea in a minute? Yes, we shall.
Yes, we're coming to it now.
Just past this last lot of cranes.
I can't see it yet - I think I'm not tall enough.
Story of my life.
Pru's always been charmingly self-deprecating, but I do worry that she's starting to lose her confidence.
That's why these sort of trips have become so important.
And I'm hoping Venice, a place we visited together many years before her condition took hold, will bring back happy memories.
See that amazing channel? At the end is Venice.
So there it is.
It's exciting to be going there.
I haven't been there for years and years and years.
Look at it.
Looks extraordinary, doesn't it? It looks unreal.
We are on a voyage to Venice.
Today, we'll cross the Lagoon, heading for the heart of the city.
Would you cast off? Easier said than done.
Tell me when you're off.
OK, we're off.
Are we off? Yeah.
Right.
Pru.
Hello.
Coming.
Up you come, love.
La Serenissima, here we come.
Leaving the mainland behind, we'll pass Venice's outlying islands, before taking the Guidecca Canal south to St Mark's Square.
Transferring to a smaller boat, we'll navigate through the city's canals, to Venice's famous opera house, La Fenice.
So, we're taking the route that the first settlers in Venice took 1,500 years ago.
They were refugees from the Barbarians in the north and settled in the marshlands of what became Venice.
So, a city built on fear and flight became one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Exactly, yeah.
Amazing.
Although we're not being pursued by the likes of Attila the Hun today, these are still deceptively hazardous waters.
And we must stick to the narrow navigation channel.
Now, we can see the city of Venice emerging out of the mist.
Yes.
Wow.
Very beautiful.
It's a city of imagination, isn't it? Oh, yes.
Inspired countless poems.
Including the great English Romantic, Lord Byron.
Who arrived in 1816, drawn to La Serenissima, the most serene city.
Fresh from Ocean Rising with her tiara of proud towers At airy distance with majestic motion A ruler of the waters and their powers.
Fine words.
But clearly Byron never had to moor his boat at St Mark's.
It would be easier to park a car at Piccadilly Circus.
We've got five boats all trying to get in.
Jam-packed, isn't it? And I don't know whether he's coming out.
Can we get in there? Oh.
Charming(!) Patience, darling.
Could you get in to the left of the one on the No, you wouldn't quite.
Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know.
No, I don't think you could.
Nobody takes any notice.
Thank goodness for that.
We have arrived at last in St Mark's Square - the symbol of Venice's once great power.
I love it.
Piazza San Marco.
Yeah.
It's amazing, isn't it? Unbelievable.
Yeah.
Starting out as marshy island dwellers, the Venetians used their mastery over water to establish the greatest maritime trading empire in history.
For over 1,000 years, this city was Europe's gateway to the east.
First time you see a Venetian, tell me.
It's like an enormous stage.
Far too many people.
Yes.
Yes.
Too many actors.
Yes.
No director in view.
Fancy some coffee? Yeah.
In the 18th century, the city boasted a mere 200 cafes, with 24 vying for business on St Mark's Square alone.
Today, there are just five.
And one of them has claimed to be the oldest coffee house in Europe.
Caffe Florian.
Been serving coffee since before you were born.
When was that? Oh, 1720.
Oh, charming.
Thank you very much.
Buongiorno.
Buongiorno.
Hello.
Hello.
Nice to meet you.
Very nice to meet you.
Welcome to Caffe Florian.
We're joined by Annarita, who's a manager here.
Would you like to have something to drink? Caffe Florian is very famous for hot chocolate and of course coffee.
Hot chocolate, perhaps.
Something that we never have at home.
Yes, I'd like to start with a small black coffee.
Venice was the first town that imported coffee.
And of course here they've been serving coffee for 300 years.
It's thanks to the merchants of Venice that we can enjoy a coffee break today.
Trading with the Ottomans in the early 17th century, they brought coffee beans to Europe for the very first time.
And I suppose that's why we now think of coffee as the quintessentially Italian drink.
Coffee and naughty bickies.
In the 18th century, caffeine and coffee houses like this one fuelled artistic creativity like never before.
Same time as Venice was falling down economically, it was growing culturally, wasn't it? Absolutely, yes.
That's the point.
They stopped going around the world and they concentrated on culture and beautiful things.
Yeah.
By the 1700s, Venice was no longer an imperial power.
And transformed itself into a seductive haven, dedicated to art and pleasure.
Many a young toff on his grand tour was lured to the city, hoping to emulate the exploits of the infamous Venetian womaniser Giacomo Casanova.
Lovely.
The legend says Casanova used to come here and have hot chocolate because it's an aphrodisiac.
Yes.
That must have had a particular attraction for Lord Byron.
Byron.
We say, "Oh, this is the sofa "Lord Byron preferred to meet women.
" Yes.
Time to explore.
But we'll leave the flashy gondolas to be tourists and travel the city's canals the Venetian way.
Marco, hi.
Marco.
Aboard a traditional working boat, a topetta.
It's small and very wobbly.
OK.
Fantastic.
How many people fall over when they come aboard? Quite a lot, but you were good.
So, have a seat down there, Pru.
Grazie.
OK.
OK.
We're away.
Have a nice trip.
Thank you.
Grazie.
Canals are the original streets of the city.
It's how Venetians have been going about their business for centuries.
It's a lot busier than British canals, isn't it? True, but this is rush-hour on the Grand Canal.
And they're all Italian.
HORN TOOTS What do I do to crew? Just keep a lookout and see if there's anything behind us, would you? Because I can't see or hear.
No.
There's nothing behind us at the moment.
Oh, look out.
Yep.
We're going to hit that boat coming towards us.
HORN TOOTS I'm scared out of my socks.
I'm trying to put on a brave face for Pru.
But this is all rather alarming.
Right.
OK.
Well done.
With relief, we turn off the Grand Canal and go in search of our first destination, La Fenice, the world-famous opera house.
And it feels like we've entered a different world.
Amazing.
You all right? You were looking a bit pained and anxious earlier.
I was? Yeah.
Oh, sorry.
Canals here are totally different from canals in Britain because we form canals by making a cut, don't we? Yes, that right.
Through the terrain.
Venice was once just a series of marshy islands and many of its canals were originally the streams and channels that ran between them.
There are 170 of them altogether, threading their way through the city.
We just have to choose the right one.
Yes, I hope we have.
I hope we have.
I'm struggling to find the theatre.
It's a while since I last came here.
45 years, in fact.
In 1971, I played King Lear here for the very first time.
A part I've performed a number of times since.
Getting to the stage door is turning into quite a performance in itself.
Watch your head.
Are we stuck? What? I think we're stuck.
Oh, do you want me to push you off? OK.
This is the only theatre in the world where both cast and scenery have to access the stage door by water.
Oh, fart.
This is impossible.
Good job you're not on tonight, Tim.
I'm not sure you'd make the curtain call.
THEY SPEAK ITALIAN Oh, that was balls up.
All by water.
Yeah.
Wow.
Things have changed since I played here, as tragically in 1996, this building was virtually burnt to the ground.
La Fenice had to be completely rebuilt.
It took two years and 90 million euros to recreate the Opera house's mid-19th-century heyday.
Wonderful to be back.
What do you think, Pruey? It's incredible.
The detailing.
During that period, Venice enjoyed artistic freedom like no other city in Italy.
And at its heart, was La Fenice.
We're joined by its artistic director, Fortunato Ortombina.
It was possible for Verdi to premiere here in Venice pieces that he would have never been allowed to premiere in Milano.
For example, Rigoletto was premiered here.
La Traviata was premiered here.
They were too modern.
Can you imagine, in the 18th-century to have the subject where you put the prostitution on stage.
Not only Verdi, but before, Donizetti, Rossini, Bellini.
Everybody wanted to compose a piece in La Fenice.
Verdi wrote and rehearsed Rigoletto in secret.
Ready for its world premiere at La Fenice in the spring of 1851.
You know that in Rigoletto you have La Donna E Mobile.
Yeah.
Yeah.
HE SINGS LA DONNA E MOBILE He wanted that this was a surprise, so that nobody knew the piece before the premiere.
When he came to the theatre on the night of the premiere on a gondola, the gondolier in leading him to the theatre HE HUMS LA DONNA E MOBILE So, he was absolutely disappointed.
Oh, yes! It sounds wonderful, echoing backwards and forwards.
Yeah.
It's magic.
The sound you have in the canal is absolutely, absolutely unique.
MUSIC: La Donna E Mobile by Giuseppe Verdi Down we go.
Mente la testa.
Watch out for your testa.
Timmy, do you know where we are? What? Well, yes, darling, of course I do.
Absolutely.
We're lost, aren't we? Erm.
Maybe a little bit lost.
We're on a canal journey through Venice.
They do canals a little differently over here and instead of spending the night on a towpath mooring, our Venetian digs Homely.
Homely, yes.
.
.
are a canalside palazzo.
Pretty good, isn't it? Oh, brilliant.
Brilliant.
London has the Mall.
New York has Broadway.
Paris has a Champs-Elysees.
And Venice has the Grand Canal.
It's all very romantic.
Like a second honeymoon.
First one not good enough, eh? What's wrong with a week in North Wales? Today, we'll be travelling along the city's main waterway, to the ancient Rialto Market.
Heading away from the tourist hotspots, we'll meet a master of traditional Venetian theatre.
And finally, a night-time voyage aboard the quintessential Venetian vessel, the gondola.
The two-mile Grand Canal has been the city's main thoroughfare since Venice was founded.
This morning, we're following it north to the Rialto Market, which has been in operation for over nine centuries.
Door to door by canal boat, you can't beat that.
It's our kind of city.
Oh, shall we move here? It would be a bit of a business.
Very lovely though.
I know.
I think I could cope with this.
Could you keep a narrow boat on the canals in Venice? I'm not sure.
Not sure.
What's that bridge called? The Rialto.
The Rialto.
Si.
Of course, yes! Until 1854, this was the only bridge across the Grand Canal.
Back then, to get around, you had to have a boat.
You're doing very well, darling.
You haven't bumped into anything, yet.
Not yet, no.
Or been shouted at yet! The whole Rialto area was once the commercial hub of the Venetian Republic.
Back in the 16th century, this was the bazaar of Europe, an enticing marketplace where you could buy or sell anything - luxurious fabrics, precious stones or exotic spices.
Parts of it are still in operation, the same as they were 500 years ago.
This is the ancient fish market.
Oh, right.
Been here since 1514, I think.
Having played an ex-Billingsgate fish porter Yes.
.
.
I can recognise the smell.
It might smell like Stan Carter's East End, but with barely a tourist in sight, it feels like we might have found a corner of actual Venetian life.
La pescheria.
Yeah.
This is as much traditional Venice as St Mark's or the Rialto Bridge, isn't it? Yes, it is, yes.
And don't forget, the, er All the fish comes in by canal.
Brilliant.
They're alive! Well, ish, yes.
Look, they're moving their Yes, yes.
Ooh-la-la.
Oh, poor darlings.
Venice is not just a tourist destination.
It's still a living city.
And our next port of call is another authentically Venetian area, Cannaregio, where we'll meet an actor known for his mastery of commedia dell'arte.
It must be dodgy hanging out your washing there.
Venice has been working its magic on Pru, bringing back all sorts of memories.
SHE SINGS IN ITALIAN Bravo, bravo.
Who'd have thought she could remember the libretto from The Barber Of Seville? And in very good Italian.
No time for an encore though - actor Alessandro Bressanello is waiting.
As we say here, salute.
Salute.
Salute.
Wonderful to be here and to meet people who are in our business.
I have been working all my life on commedia dell'arte, called commedia dell'arte because arte in Italian means work.
So, it was the first professional theatre, in the world.
'That's what we like to hear - actors getting paid for their art.
' And no women? No actresses? Sure, sure.
It's the first theatre that used women.
It was a scandal at that time.
That's why the Church didn't allow to bury the actors in a cemetery.
They had to be buried outside because it was a scandal.
Emerging in Renaissance Venice, Commedia dell'arte is a form of improvised theatre featuring familiar characters like Harlequin and Pantalone.
It's influence can be seen in everything from Shakespeare to Charlie Chaplin.
And even Mr Bean.
We have just stock characters.
You know, 10, 12 maximum, characters.
Yes.
They used to have what we call scenario, which is the plot.
So, from this couple of lines, the actors would improvise.
We can go just nearby, there is a tailleur, or costumes, where I can show you my mask and we can have some fun.
That would be wonderful, thank you.
Oh, you're finishing it? Don't get drunk before we start to play.
OK.
We'll go this way.
Ciao! Alessandro takes us to a local costumier, and with the help of his friend, Stefano, introduces us to a couple of his favourite commedia characters.
Hello, nice to meet you.
Buongiorno! Hello, buongiorno! Benvenuti.
Wonderful place.
There's the cowardly Il Capitano.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN Oh, good.
And the greedy nobleman, Pantalone.
Finally, this is Arlecchino, or Harlequin.
The servant is very rude.
He's stupid.
Ha! He reminds me of a Spanish waiter I once knew.
No, no, no, no.
Stop it.
Oh, no, no.
Please.
Rubbish.
Rubbish.
HE SPEAKS ITALIAN Visiting a fellow actor has taken us deep into the backwaters of Venice, perhaps not always the most salubrious part of town.
No two bridges are the same, are they? Now, ahead of us is the Ponte delle Tette.
What does that mean? What do you think? Is it? It was where the ladies of the night used to stand up and Brandish their Brandish their wares for the passing boaters.
'Ha-ha! Just can't take him anywhere!' Venice is renowned as the city of lovers, thanks to the exploits of Casanova and Lord Byron.
They both discovered the city possesses a powerful tool for seduction.
I wonder if it works even after 50-odd years of marriage.
We are going in a gondola Ah! .
.
for a ride.
Most Venetians wouldn't be seen dead in a gondola, but then we are not Venetians, are we? No.
Absolutely not.
We're actors.
Oh, beautiful.
GONDOLIER SINGS IN ITALIAN It is lovely being at water level, actually.
Glorious.
A full moon in a gondola.
Yes.
On the canals in Venice.
Pretty amazing, isn't it? You do give me a romantic time.
Well, it's worked - Casanova, Lord Byron, and now Timothy West! It's early morning in this uniquely beautiful and serene city, and already the tourists start to throng the streets.
But I wonder how many of them know the secret behind the city's soaring spires and elegant squares.
Today, we'll discover the key to the power and success of Venice.
We're going to have quite a long trip today.
Are you up for that? Yes.
I want to go to the Arsenale, the Arsenal of Venice Right.
Which was the source of their great power, militarily and, more important, naval power.
Yes.
Will we have time for lunch, first? Maybe not first, but we'll certainly have time for lunch.
Right, shall we go? Threading our way through Venice's backstreet canals, we'll then skirt the edge of the city to visit the Arsenale.
Heading across the lagoon, we'll pick up a traditional rowing vessel before ending our journey on the island where Venice began.
We love exploring the watery underbelly of Venice.
But I still keep running into trouble.
It seems you have to be born here to understand the rules.
HORNS BEEP Yes, I'm just going to let him go first.
It's Venetian rush hour.
But then I think it always is.
When there's an emergency in Venice SIRENS Coming at such a pace.
My God! .
.
of course, it's a boat that comes to the rescue.
My word, that was close.
Coming to the lagoon now, you can see a boat passing by.
Batten down the hatches.
To reach the Arsenale, we have to skirt the edge of the city, which means braving rough open waters.
I like 4mph on our own canals best, I think.
It's not like this in Banbury, no! Fortunately for Pru, I can now see the Arsenale's Porta Nuova gates.
Of course, by new port, we're talking the early 1300s.
Quite impressive, isn't it? Yes.
Enormous gates.
It was here that they built the ships that once ruled the waves of the Mediterranean.
16,000 men once slaved away in the Arsenale.
Known as La Machina, the machine, it inspired Dante, in his portrayal of one of the eight circles of hell.
'As in the Arsenale of the Venetians, boils the tenacious pitch, one hammers at the prow, one at the stern.
' 'This one makes oars and that one cordage twists.
Another mends the mainsail and the mizzen.
' Welcome.
I would like to show you, firstly Historian, Martino Rizzi, knows the important role the Arsenale played in the story of Venice.
This was the oldest shipyard in the world.
It was active for seven centuries.
Yes, from the mid-12th century until the First World War.
You had skilled people doing every, every job.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Carpenters, sail makers Sail makers, rope makers.
Imagine, in 1500, they rebuilt the rope factory, 317 metres-long building, to have a long, long ropes.
Here was the first factory in the Western world.
And here, they invented a sort of assembly line, centuries before Mr Ford.
Yeah? Centuries and centuries.
This was a factory made to build galleys.
Galleys were the very fast, very safe, huge ships.
With up to 200 oarsmen, the Venetian galley was fast and manoeuvrable.
Good for both trade and battle, they helped Venice to dominate the Mediterranean for over 200 years.
You have the very origin of Venice, of the myth of Venice.
The maritime power that could rule over more than half of the Mediterranean Sea.
The richest republic.
Without these buildings, without these sheds to build the galleys, we wouldn't have the Doge's Palace or the Ca' d'Oro.
No.
Or who knows? Maybe not even the Basilica St Mark, even.
This is the very origin and we are proud of the Arsenale.
As you should be.
We are very proud of these buildings.
It's part of our history.
We're now heading to the outer Venetian islands, so we're back aboard our more seagoing vessel.
So, where are we off to? We're off to Burano, first of all, across the lagoon.
And then, we're going to be rowed, I think, by two ladies, to Torcello.
Remind me about Torcello.
Torcello's very, very beautiful.
It's the birthplace of the Venetian Republic, in fact.
It's where it all started.
Very, very few occupants, but very, very beautiful.
The lagoon hasn't seen Venetian galleys for several centuries, but there is a rowing boat, still in use today, whose origins go back to the foundations of Venice.
The last leg of our voyage will be aboard a flat-bottomed puparino.
So, this must be Burano.
It's bigger than I remember it.
Wonderful colour buildings, aren't they? Yes.
The oranges and the yellows? Come on, Pru.
Yup.
At the Burano Rowing Club, they race traditionally-designed boats, ones that would not be unfamiliar to the first Venetian settlers.
Hello.
Hello.
Hi.
Hello.
Nice to meet you.
Since at least the 15th century, women as well as men have competed in regattas.
Elisa also races.
Yeah.
I race in this boat last year and I came fourth.
Came fourth in Felicita! Grazie, thank you.
In the world or In Venice.
In Venice.
Well Well, it's only, only in Venice that we're racing puparinos.
Rowing goes to the heart of the Venetian identity.
It's with the oar that they escaped from the invading barbarians, over 1,000 years ago.
And they're as passionate about rowing as other Italians are about football.
Elisa and Jane will row us across the channel to the island of Torcello.
It's brilliant, isn't it? Do you remember when we had to lift our narrow boat out? Oh, yes.
We'd use slings like that.
Come with me.
Right.
Hold on now.
Onto the boat and then down Perfect.
'Gosh, we think our narrow boat at home 'can be a bit of a squeeze at times.
' Nothing to hold on to, is there? No.
Just the seat.
Yeah.
Perfect for fishing the shallow waters of the lagoon, the puparino was clearly not designed for transporting two rather nervy actors.
Goodbye, in the unlikely event of our surviving.
Voga alla veneta, traditional Venetian rowing, is always performed facing forward and standing up, to make it easier to spot the rocks and sand banks in the shallow lagoon.
In boats like this, settlers first hunted fish and made their homes on the marshy grounds of the lagoon, 1,500 years ago.
We've made it to the safe waters of Torcello.
So, we're now in, or on, on the island of Torcello.
We're on the island of Torcello.
Torcello is the first island of Venice.
The early Venetians learned how to master this land of marsh and water, to live at one with the tides and the sea.
And the skills they developed led them to create one of the most elegant and beautiful cities the world has ever known.
This is where it all started.
Oh Venice grew out of the water.
And, I suppose, will go back into it again.
I think Lord Byron summed it up perfectly 'O Venice! Venice.
' 'When thy marble walls are level with the waters, there shall be a cry of nations for thy sunken halls.
' 'A loud lament along the sweeping sea.
' Next time we're journeying through the Netherlands, a country created by its canals.
And this is canal perfection, isn't it? Amazing.
Along the way, you'll get a flavour of old Amsterdam You can smell the marijuana.
I don't recognise the smell.
.
.
and admire the splendour of the Dutch golden age.