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Venice’s Canals Still Flush the City Twice a Day

Below the still water, the city is constantly being carried away.

Joseph Pickett's avatar
Joseph Pickett
Mar 20, 2026
∙ Paid
Early morning in Venice, before the city begins to move.

The canals look still in the morning.
They aren’t.

In the early morning, the narrow canals lie flat between the buildings, holding them perfectly in place.

Most tourists have not yet stirred. A bird calls somewhere out of sight. An occasional water taxi putters across the open water, its wake fading behind it.

Red, yellow, and orange buildings rest in the water, their edges almost too precise to believe.

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