The Window to Venice or as the locals call it
La Piccola Venezia
Photography by Jamena McInteer
Bologna's Window to Venice refers to a petite window that opens over the Canale delle Moline on the Via Piella street, here in Italy its known as La Piccola Venezia.
I gently push the orange concrete window open. My facial expression shifts into a smile as the window opens slowly with a soft squeak, and an alleyway with dark orange buildings unfolds in front of me. It hasn't been raining much lately, so the canal isn't flooded with water.
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On the opposite side of the Window to Venice is a wide opening that feels like a bridge over the canal - the sun breaks through the blurry grey clouds and reflects on the beautiful, dark, and light ochre colored buildings that are arranged in a row, reminding us of the beauty that Venice waterways hold.
Years ago, I travelled to Venice and discovered the hidden gems of the "City of Love". This little window I am looking through reminds me with every bit of the astonishments from the wonderful Gondolas, Art and History I discovered back then.
In the evening, I take a run, and I must admit that nowhere the air tastes as good as it does here, in Bologna's walkable centre. I am running past the shops and entertainment; Bars and Restaurants open up slowly as it is still early, and while I am running, all the beauty flashes through my eyes just like a picture book that I turn the pages in awe over and over again.
05. Dezember 2025