Gondolas in snow

Not much call for the gondola in winter and most of them are laid up or are repainted and

refurbished ready for the next season. I've yet to try it (apart from this chance shot), but I

should imagine Venice is a very different place in mid-winter: largely free of the pressing

hordes, yes, but prone to the aqua-alta flood tides in St Marks and the usual European gloom

of short freezing days with fewer places open to escape into.

But the ski slopes of the Dolomites are but a few hours drive away, smaller and not so

monstrously up themselves as the big ski resorts of Switzerland and France, and where

nobody minds if you end up in a crumpled mess getting off the ski lift. They make for an

enjoyable few days break, even if, like me, you can't ski.

Not much call for the gondola in winter and most of them are laid up or are repainted and

refurbished ready for the next season. I've yet to try it (apart from this chance shot), but I

should imagine Venice is a very different place in mid-winter: largely free of the pressing hordes,

yes, but prone to the aqua-alta flood tides in St Marks and the usual European gloom of short

freezing days with fewer places open to escape into.

But the ski slopes of the Dolomites are but a few hours drive away, smaller and not so

monstrously up themselves as the big ski resorts of Switzerland and France, and where nobody

minds if you end up in a crumpled mess getting off the ski lift. They make for an enjoyable few

days break, even if, like me, you can't ski.

Mothballed in the snow