Venezia
Arrival and Pre-Tour
Thrilled to be in Venice but exhausted from the journey, we stepped of the plane and breezed through customs (believe it or not)! We easily navigated our way to a kiosk to buy a ticket for the water bus, stepped out into the cool Venetian air, and boarded a water bus. This is one of the least expensive options for getting to your hotel from the airport, and, we think, one of the best. It's a great introduction to Venice since it makes stops all around the perimeter of the historic city. You can get a good feel for the scale of the area.
We booked an extra day at our first hotel, Hotel Belle Arti, before the tour started to overcome any jet lag. I think this is one of the best decisions we make when we travel! Don't underestimate jet-lag. Give yourself some time to get adjusted to the time change. They say it's best to stay up and go to bed at the correct time in the new time zone. Easier said than done! The sandman gets us almost every time.
We booked an extra day at our first hotel, Hotel Belle Arti, before the tour started to overcome any jet lag. I think this is one of the best decisions we make when we travel! Don't underestimate jet-lag. Give yourself some time to get adjusted to the time change. They say it's best to stay up and go to bed at the correct time in the new time zone. Easier said than done! The sandman gets us almost every time.
On our way from the airport to the center of Venice
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One of our first views of Venice
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Once we arrived at our hotel, we took some time to explore the surrounding area. Our hotel is amzingly close to the Academia and not short of sights to see or geltao to savor. We didn't waste any time walking the 10 minutes down the street to the closest grocery story. It was full of locals, had a great wine selection, and we loved every second of the experience. We bought food for a picnic of bread, cheese, and prosciutto. And don't worry, we didn't forget the vino! The courtyard at the hotel is perfect for a little picnic!
At night, we wandered around a bit just getting lost in the beauty of Venice. After the cruise ships leave, Venice settles down a bit, and we enjoyed the city even more.
Nearby Street
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The Canals!
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Tayloe, Grocery Bag in Hand
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Hotel Belle Arte
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Venice by Night
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Street the Hotel is on
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Day 1: Venice, Architecture and Meeting the Group
We stumbled upon the end of a regatta as we crossed the Academia bridge this morning. What luck! The boats were gracefully gliding across the water! We watched the excitement for a while before winding our way to Piazza San Marco to visit the Olivetti Showroom. Most people walk past this quaint stop or stumble upon it by accident, but the newly restored (2011) old typewriter showroom was a must-see for us. Famous Architect, Carlo Scarpa, designed it in the late 1950's. The architecture is reflective the ingenuity of the typewriters themselves. The small space feels more expansive than one would imagine, and it's modern architectural detailing is not to be rivaled. For two students and a photo pass, it is a steal to see at 7 euros.
Regatta from the Academia Bridge
Saint Mark's Square
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Victory Lap!
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Olivetti Showroom, Exterior
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Olivetti Details
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A Peak Inside
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In the evening, we met our group in the courtyard of the hotel. The guides made peach bellinis and served little snacks while they explained the way the tour works and how to get in touch with them. The group was an assortment of ages, backgrounds, and travel experience, but everyone had one thing in common: they were thrilled to be in Italy! We were asked to share why we had decided to come to Italy, A few people had parents that grew up here, some to explore Italy for the first time, and many were back again for their 2nd, 3rd, or 5th time in Italy. The guides also asked us to share which, if any Rick Steves trips we had been on before. At least eight people had been a Rick trip before and they were back for more. What a testament to the quality of these tours!
Our group has two guides. Kathleen is our main guide. She was once a chef and later, led Italian culinary tours. She sure was able to give us some great restaurant recommendations! Brenna, our assistant tour guide, has been with Rick Steves for two years and is a runner! I run too, so this was great news.
The guides walked us to Saint Mark's square to introduced group members who had not yet had the chance to walk around to the city . We tagged along to get to know people before parting off to visit a bridge not too far away by Carlo Scarpa.
For dinner, we ate at Terrazza del Casin Nobili, a Rick recommendation. It is right on the Grand Canal. The atmosphere was the best part of the meal, and the food was good too! For dessert, we stopped at Gelati Nico for some amazing gelato. We've tried our share of this temptation and Gelati Nico stands above the rest.
Our group has two guides. Kathleen is our main guide. She was once a chef and later, led Italian culinary tours. She sure was able to give us some great restaurant recommendations! Brenna, our assistant tour guide, has been with Rick Steves for two years and is a runner! I run too, so this was great news.
The guides walked us to Saint Mark's square to introduced group members who had not yet had the chance to walk around to the city . We tagged along to get to know people before parting off to visit a bridge not too far away by Carlo Scarpa.
For dinner, we ate at Terrazza del Casin Nobili, a Rick recommendation. It is right on the Grand Canal. The atmosphere was the best part of the meal, and the food was good too! For dessert, we stopped at Gelati Nico for some amazing gelato. We've tried our share of this temptation and Gelati Nico stands above the rest.
Bridge of Sighs
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Everyone needs a break.
Scarpa Bridge
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Day Two: Murano and Burano
Since this was our last full day in Venice, we were determined to make the most of it. We decided to walk across the island to take the Vaporetto from the Fondamente Nive stop on the North Shore to Murano (known for its glass) and Burano (known for its lace). We wanted to explore Venice outside of the more touristy areas. It was a bit of a "hike", but worth it to see new areas. Once we arrived in Murano, we enjoyed the poking our heads into residential courtyards with signs saying "no picnics!" I guess we weren't the first tourists to stumble upon these restful places! We also stopped into the modern glass shop named Venini.
Saint Mark's Detail
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Canals
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Daily Life in Murano
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Murano- The Glass Island
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Courtyard off the Beaten Path
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Next, we hopped on a vaporetto to Burano. First time to Burano! What a gem! We loved the change of pace on Burano. Once you get off the main path, the island is calm and quiet. We walked around the island and followed Rick's quick walking tour before finding our way to the water. Here, we settled down to relax with a picnic under the shade of a nearby tree. There were locals all around just enjoying the afternoon with their families.
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Say formaggio!
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And our honeymoon in Venice wouldn't be complete without a gondola ride!
Dinner was a success at Pizzeria al Profeta in the Dorsoduro area. We sat in a big courtyard garden and ran into several of our fellow group members. The pizza was fantastic. I will definitely be coming back here. You can't be in a hurry here though. Just slow down and enjoy!
Dinner was a success at Pizzeria al Profeta in the Dorsoduro area. We sat in a big courtyard garden and ran into several of our fellow group members. The pizza was fantastic. I will definitely be coming back here. You can't be in a hurry here though. Just slow down and enjoy!
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We shared our ride with Stephanie and Joe!
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