"Langdon

hurried toward them, although as an architecture enthusiast, he found it almost unthinkable to rush a trip along the

Grand Canal."

"As they rounded a bend in the canal,

the massive,

domed Church

of San Geremia

came into view."

"A stone’s throw across the canal, the iconic verdigris cupola of

San Simeone Piccolo

rose into the afternoon

sky"

"One of Europe’s finest specimens of

Byzantine

architecture,

St. Mark’s

had a decidedly soft and whimsical appearance."

"Maurizio

pointed proudly to one of

the gondolas

as they powered past it."

"Murano,

Elizabeth realized,

recognizing the illustrious

glassblowing

factories."

"The limo had now come even with St. Mark’s Square, and

the Doge’s Palace

rose majestically to their right, dominating the shoreline."

"This grand piazza,

unlike most in Europe, was shaped not in the form of a square

but rather

in that of the letter L."

"“Il Ponte dei Sospiri,”

Sienna

replied.

“A famous Venetian bridge.”"

"Ahead,

the famous

Rialto Bridge

loomed

the halfway point to

St. Mark’s Square."

"Visitors to Venice could experience the city’s inimitable atmosphere in any number of breathtaking locales, and yet

Langdon’s

favorite had always been the

Riva degli Schiavoni."