To get to know Venice, one must get lost in it. Cees Nooteboom takes on this challenge and discovers his very own lagoon city. Small, hidden paths invite exploration, especially when a sign explicitly forbids it. The gondolas gently sway on the water, eventually enticing even those who have always resisted such tourist pastimes. The treasures of the Museo Correr captivate visitors. And above it all, the Doges rest in their sarcophagi halfway up the church wall of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. In the writings of the great traveler Cees Nooteboom and the photographs of Simone Sassen, one can rediscover one of the most beautiful cities in the world.