Rilke's Venice
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) criss-crossed Europe; he visited Russia and sailed on the Nile. And over and over again, he went to Venice: St Mark's Square and the Lido, the Doge's Palace and the Grand Canal were his intimate friends. He visited the city ten times; the first was a weekend in March 1897, the last, 13 July 1920.