'Very Sad and Quiet': Italy Lockdown Leaves Venice Deserted

Italy’s lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 left Venice “unusually silent” on April 1 as residents have been encouraged to stay inside and many businesses have closed.

This video filmed by Lana Chologauri shows the quiet walkways of Venice and the abnormally still canals, which normally bustle with gondolas and other boats. Chologauri described Venice as a “beauty” but still “very sad and quiet without people.”

Local media also reported on March 19 that the Venice canals were “running clear” without the usual boat traffic and subsequent water pollution.

Chologauri, who is studying at Tbilisi State University in Georgia, said on Twitter that she’s been stuck in Venice for “more than five weeks” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Waiting for the support from Georgian Embassy, which is ready to provide an accommodation and living expenses for me until there is flight to somehow return to Georgia,” Chologauri said on March 24. Credit: Lana Chologauri via Storyful