When one thinks of Venice, the first thing that comes to mind are it's canals and rightfully so. But there is some wonderful architecture in Venice that is pretty amazing too. One of the hidden gems that we had read about in Rick Steve's excellent guide book was Scala Contarini del Bovolo. It is a unique structure with it's external spiral staircase and arches. We would not have found it without Rick's directions as it is located in a less-traveled side-street near the Campo Manin, near the Rialto. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there. The next day, we went up into the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) to take a look at Venice's rooftops. Much to my surprise, I was able to spot the Scala Contarini del Bovolo contrasted against the red roofs.