Eternal Italy in 15 days : 2013 Trip Report
Aug 27th, 2013, 08:49 AM
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Eternal Italy in 15 days : 2013 Trip Report
We just returned from a 15-day trip of Italy last night, with sore legs, stiff backs, tired eyes, but upbeat hearts and spirits ! This trip had originally been planned for May, but had to be called off at the last moment due to an illness in the family. We re-scheduled it for August, and kept our fingers crossed till the very end, half expecting another emergency to cancel this trip too. However, fortunately there were no hiccups this time, and everything went off smoothly. In hindsight, May would certainly have been a better time to visit Italy, as the weather would have been a lot cooler (August was really hot), but we managed to adjust our schedules to stay indoors during the hot afternoons on most days, so it was really not that bad.
We are a couple from India in our mid 50’s who take a vacation or two every year (we have a long bucket list of places we wish to travel to !), and love the independent style of travel. With years of travel experience, we limit our number of destinations to 4 cities within 15-16 days, so that we do not waste too much time checking in and out of hotels. However, with advancing age, we were discussing that in future we should be cutting down these vacations to 12-day lengths, as the body can no longer cope with the exertions of longer vacations.
Our itinerary for this trip was :
Venice : 3 days
Florence : 3 days
Sorrento : 5 days
Rome : 4 days
We were to fly into Venice, and out of Rome. We had done extensive planning as usual, using a Lonely Planet guidebook, internet resources, and of course travel blog sites like Fodors. We concentrated on B&B’s rather than hotels, as they appeared better for our cause in a country like Italy, and we were extremely pleased with our selections. So here goes a detailed Trip Report, as we have always posted one on this forum after returning from each of our vacations. Will be posting it in several installments, over several days.
Day 1 : Saturday Aug 10th : VENICE :
We had to leave our home town late evening on 9th August, to reach Mumbai by around 9pm, as our flight out was just after midnight. We were booked on Swiss Airlines from Mumbai to Zurich, with a good connection onward to Venice. The flight out of Mumbai got delayed by an hour due to some mechanical trouble, which caused some anxiety, as we had a tight connection to make at Zurich. Slept about 4 hours on the 8-hour flight to Zurich.
The flight reached Zurich at 6:45am local time, about 30 minutes behind schedule. We had to rush through security once again, take the skyrail to our departing terminal, go through Passport control, and when we arrived at our gate, the boarding for our flight had just started. Just in time, so we heaved a sigh of relief.
Landed at Venice Marco Polo on schedule at 8:35am local time. Got our luggage, bought Alilaguna water bus tickets at the arrival hall, and trudged to the water docks. It was only about 30 minutes or so to Fundamenta Nuove, where we alighted. From there it was only a 5-10 minute walk to our B&B : Alla Vite Dorata. We were warmly greeted by our hostess Aleksandra. We were told that our rooms were ready for an early check-in, and we were led there directly. It was a compact well-managed B&B having only 4-5 rooms, air-conditioning, with excellent breakfast, very clean housekeeping (sheets and towels changed every day), and friendly staff. Extremely well located, being just 5-7 minutes’ walk from both Fundamenta Nuove as well as the Ca D’Oro waterbus stops.
We showered, got ready, and were out of the place by 11:30am. It was a nice sunny day with a high of 31C, which was supposed to be pleasant for Venice in August. And the weather was expected to remain similar for the next 3 days. We started walking in the general direction of San Marco Plaza, but lost our bearings with respect to the map in no time. We just followed the crowds, wherever they were headed. DW kept going in and out of stores doing window shopping. We finally emerged on San Marco Plaza, and the sight of St Mark’s Basilica stared at us in front. Your first reaction on coming to San Marco Plaza has to be a cry of WOW !
It was only noon, but our body clocks registered 3:30pm, and our stomachs were growling. We crossed San Marco Plaza, and went into a side-lane behind the Museo Correr, where we located the Osteria Carla where we sat down for lunch. Had a good meal of pasta salad, and raviolis, with some average quality white wine. Overall good food and good friendly service.
Our stomachs full and satiated, we emerged by 1pm and ducked into the Museo Correr. We purchased Museum passes for E 24 each, and booked ourselves for the 2pm guided tour of the Clock Tower (at a reduced price of E 7 each). For the next hour, we went through the Museo Correr, which is a reasonably interesting museum (although I would not categorize it as a must-see in Venice). It is huge if you wish to visit every corner, but we rushed through it and still took an hour.
At 2 pm we re-assembled at the entry hall of Museo Correr, where we were met with our guide for the Clock Tower. There were only 7 of us on that tour, and our guide Elena was talkative and sweet. Visiting the Clock Tower is possible only through a Tour, and we all walked across the plaza to the Clock Tower where the tour began. It was a very intricate clock, 500 years old, which is fully functional to this day. The tour lasted about 60 minutes, during which we kept climbing up and up, although with generous breaks in between. Very interesting back-room tour of the clock’s mechanisms and its history. We finally emerged on the roof, where two giant figures beat a huge bell every hour, powered by the clock’s mechanism. The roof also offers super views of San Marco Plaza and of Venice city. A nice tour, which I would recommend to anyone. If you go here, you can probably skip the ride up the Campanile, as you get good views from here too.
We exited the Clock Tower just before 3pm, in time to watch the rooftop giants beat the clocktower bell at 3pm. Then we indulged in a round of gelato, and ambled over to the “piazzetta” area near the waterfront. Every now and then we would sit down somewhere to rest our feet, and then start strolling over the plaza again. We finally got in line for the St Mark’s Basilica, which we entered and sat down inside. Did not climb up to the terrace, as we had already seen the “bird’s eye view” of the Plaza from the Clock Tower roof. Then we walked out and went around the corner of the Doge’s Palace to see the Bridge of Sighs – great photo ops.
The fatigue of the travel from India to Italy was beginning to register, so we decided to visit the Palazzo Ducale and finish our sightseeing agenda for the day. This was the highlight of the entire day, and a treat to visit. The palace rooms and the paintings were a delight to watch, culminating in the rooms of justice, followed by a walk across the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte Sospiri) to the prison cells. Then a return walk across the Bridge of Sighs from the parallel walkway which looks out on the other side, before we exited the palace. Excellent visit and thoroughly enjoyable.
It was already 5:30pm. We bought a 48-hour vaparetto pass from a nearby kiosk (to be activated the next day), and started slowly walking back towards our B&B, taking directions from shops every now and then. As we neared our B&B, we sat down at a pizzeria in a square nearby, and had an early dinner of pizzas and beer. Then we returned to the B&B, changed and crashed into bed before 8pm.
We are a couple from India in our mid 50’s who take a vacation or two every year (we have a long bucket list of places we wish to travel to !), and love the independent style of travel. With years of travel experience, we limit our number of destinations to 4 cities within 15-16 days, so that we do not waste too much time checking in and out of hotels. However, with advancing age, we were discussing that in future we should be cutting down these vacations to 12-day lengths, as the body can no longer cope with the exertions of longer vacations.
Our itinerary for this trip was :
Venice : 3 days
Florence : 3 days
Sorrento : 5 days
Rome : 4 days
We were to fly into Venice, and out of Rome. We had done extensive planning as usual, using a Lonely Planet guidebook, internet resources, and of course travel blog sites like Fodors. We concentrated on B&B’s rather than hotels, as they appeared better for our cause in a country like Italy, and we were extremely pleased with our selections. So here goes a detailed Trip Report, as we have always posted one on this forum after returning from each of our vacations. Will be posting it in several installments, over several days.
Day 1 : Saturday Aug 10th : VENICE :
We had to leave our home town late evening on 9th August, to reach Mumbai by around 9pm, as our flight out was just after midnight. We were booked on Swiss Airlines from Mumbai to Zurich, with a good connection onward to Venice. The flight out of Mumbai got delayed by an hour due to some mechanical trouble, which caused some anxiety, as we had a tight connection to make at Zurich. Slept about 4 hours on the 8-hour flight to Zurich.
The flight reached Zurich at 6:45am local time, about 30 minutes behind schedule. We had to rush through security once again, take the skyrail to our departing terminal, go through Passport control, and when we arrived at our gate, the boarding for our flight had just started. Just in time, so we heaved a sigh of relief.
Landed at Venice Marco Polo on schedule at 8:35am local time. Got our luggage, bought Alilaguna water bus tickets at the arrival hall, and trudged to the water docks. It was only about 30 minutes or so to Fundamenta Nuove, where we alighted. From there it was only a 5-10 minute walk to our B&B : Alla Vite Dorata. We were warmly greeted by our hostess Aleksandra. We were told that our rooms were ready for an early check-in, and we were led there directly. It was a compact well-managed B&B having only 4-5 rooms, air-conditioning, with excellent breakfast, very clean housekeeping (sheets and towels changed every day), and friendly staff. Extremely well located, being just 5-7 minutes’ walk from both Fundamenta Nuove as well as the Ca D’Oro waterbus stops.
We showered, got ready, and were out of the place by 11:30am. It was a nice sunny day with a high of 31C, which was supposed to be pleasant for Venice in August. And the weather was expected to remain similar for the next 3 days. We started walking in the general direction of San Marco Plaza, but lost our bearings with respect to the map in no time. We just followed the crowds, wherever they were headed. DW kept going in and out of stores doing window shopping. We finally emerged on San Marco Plaza, and the sight of St Mark’s Basilica stared at us in front. Your first reaction on coming to San Marco Plaza has to be a cry of WOW !
It was only noon, but our body clocks registered 3:30pm, and our stomachs were growling. We crossed San Marco Plaza, and went into a side-lane behind the Museo Correr, where we located the Osteria Carla where we sat down for lunch. Had a good meal of pasta salad, and raviolis, with some average quality white wine. Overall good food and good friendly service.
Our stomachs full and satiated, we emerged by 1pm and ducked into the Museo Correr. We purchased Museum passes for E 24 each, and booked ourselves for the 2pm guided tour of the Clock Tower (at a reduced price of E 7 each). For the next hour, we went through the Museo Correr, which is a reasonably interesting museum (although I would not categorize it as a must-see in Venice). It is huge if you wish to visit every corner, but we rushed through it and still took an hour.
At 2 pm we re-assembled at the entry hall of Museo Correr, where we were met with our guide for the Clock Tower. There were only 7 of us on that tour, and our guide Elena was talkative and sweet. Visiting the Clock Tower is possible only through a Tour, and we all walked across the plaza to the Clock Tower where the tour began. It was a very intricate clock, 500 years old, which is fully functional to this day. The tour lasted about 60 minutes, during which we kept climbing up and up, although with generous breaks in between. Very interesting back-room tour of the clock’s mechanisms and its history. We finally emerged on the roof, where two giant figures beat a huge bell every hour, powered by the clock’s mechanism. The roof also offers super views of San Marco Plaza and of Venice city. A nice tour, which I would recommend to anyone. If you go here, you can probably skip the ride up the Campanile, as you get good views from here too.
We exited the Clock Tower just before 3pm, in time to watch the rooftop giants beat the clocktower bell at 3pm. Then we indulged in a round of gelato, and ambled over to the “piazzetta” area near the waterfront. Every now and then we would sit down somewhere to rest our feet, and then start strolling over the plaza again. We finally got in line for the St Mark’s Basilica, which we entered and sat down inside. Did not climb up to the terrace, as we had already seen the “bird’s eye view” of the Plaza from the Clock Tower roof. Then we walked out and went around the corner of the Doge’s Palace to see the Bridge of Sighs – great photo ops.
The fatigue of the travel from India to Italy was beginning to register, so we decided to visit the Palazzo Ducale and finish our sightseeing agenda for the day. This was the highlight of the entire day, and a treat to visit. The palace rooms and the paintings were a delight to watch, culminating in the rooms of justice, followed by a walk across the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte Sospiri) to the prison cells. Then a return walk across the Bridge of Sighs from the parallel walkway which looks out on the other side, before we exited the palace. Excellent visit and thoroughly enjoyable.
It was already 5:30pm. We bought a 48-hour vaparetto pass from a nearby kiosk (to be activated the next day), and started slowly walking back towards our B&B, taking directions from shops every now and then. As we neared our B&B, we sat down at a pizzeria in a square nearby, and had an early dinner of pizzas and beer. Then we returned to the B&B, changed and crashed into bed before 8pm.
Aug 27th, 2013, 09:25 AM
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No, we did not take a guided tour of the Doge's Palace. I doubt if it would have added substantially to appreciation of the exhibits. We just used our Museum pass, and it is quite simple to do it on your own.
Aug 27th, 2013, 10:51 AM
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Day 2 : Sunday, August 11th : VENICE :
We slept for almost 11 hours, and got up by 6:30am. Our room had windows which looked out into a canal, and we spent time gazing out, watching people in houses across the canal go about their daily lives.
Got ready and emerged into the breakfast area by 8:15am. The breakfast area opened out into a canal-facing balcony, where we sat down to enjoy breakfast with super views. Excellent breakfast spread of breads, croissants, fruits, cheese, juices and coffee. Had a hearty fill, and walked over to the Ca D’Oro vaparetto stop. Validated our 48-hour transport passes, and hopped on to a Line # 1 water-bus headed to P. Roma on the Grand Canal.
This was our first experience of traveling on the Grand Canal, and it was a beautiful sight. However, in less than 15 minutes we had reached one end at P.Roma where we got off. Walked around the block once, climbed the nearby glass & steel bridge to click some pictures, and we boarded a Line # 1 water-bus again, this time headed to the other end at San Marco. This time we were on the Grand Canal for almost 40 minutes, and I could not stop clicking my camera. Exhilarating. It seemed such a waste to sit inside. We managed seats in the open area out in the front (on either side of the pilot’s cabin), where the breeze from all sides hits you. Certainly the best seats on a vaparetto, with fresh air, and no photographic hindrances.
After a lovely ride down the length of the Grand Canal, shortly before the last stop, we alighted at the Accademia stop, and walked 5 minutes to reach the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Bought tickets and went in. We had selected this museum in Venice over others, as we knew we would have an overdose of Renaissance art in Florence and Rome later, so modern art was a good option here. Although the entry tickets here were a bit pricey at E 14 each, it was well worth it. Very nice museum, and very well laid out. The sculpture garden is refreshing, and the modern art collection is great. Some works of Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvadore Dali, and a large number of excellent paintings by lesser known artists. When you get tired, you can pop outside on the lovely terrace overlooking the Grand Canal. Best place to enjoy the beauty of the Grand Canal.
We left the Peggy G museum around noon, and took the vaporetto one stop away to the Ca Rezzonica (these are the benefits of the transport pass). Our Museum passes allowed us free entry here. Definitely worth visiting. A 3-storeyed palace, with a rich collection of paintings of various genres, ceiling frescoes and other art objects. We enjoyed it, although two museums in a row was a bit overwhelming. It was lunch time by now, and we had pre-selected a restaurant in this vicinity called Ristoteca Oniga, which was just 2 minutes’ walk from the above museum. We managed an outside table in the shade, and feasted on their full course vegetarian menu (BTW we are veggies). It started with some mixed veg starters, uniquely and deliciously prepared, followed by huge portion of Lasagne (again very well prepared). Finally, the dessert of fresh pineapples. I tried the Red Italian beer for the first time (Birra Rosso), which I found great.
After lunch, we again boarded the vaporetto to San Toma (one stop away), from where we walked to the I Frari chuch. Very pretty and unusual architecture. Had planned on going in, but they had huge open doors through which you could look in, which was quite enough for us. By now DW was feeling a bit exhausted, so we rode the water-bus again to Ca D’Oro, walked to our B&B, and rested for about 2 hours when the sun was at its peak.
By 5:30pm the sun’s intensity had abated, and we were out again. This time we put our maps away, and just strolled off the beaten track in the Cannareggio area, going away from the crowds. We tried hard to get lost, but it is not easy in such a compact city ! However, it was really quiet and peaceful to be away from the touristy areas, and it is a different Venice that you see. We whiled away 90 minutes roaming around like this, sipping coffees at odd cafes, and clicking my camera in by-lanes in un-touristy areas.
We had planned on a gondola ride this evening, and I knew that the gondola rates go up after 7 pm. However, at 7pm the sun was still strong, so we decided to defer the ride till later, and bear the higher charge. We rode the vaparetto to San Marco Plaza, roamed around a bit, and started looking around for a gondola after 7:30pm, when the sun appeared to be going down, and the atmosphere appeared to be right for a gondola. At this hour, the standard rate for a 40-minute ride is E 100. And we were about to board a gondola at this price when we were approached by an American couple who enquired if we would like to share a gondola ride. They were already 4 of them, and a maximum of 6 people are allowed on a gondola. We agreed to join them. However, the gondola driver acted smart, and asked for a higher price to take 6 people. We knew that this was irregular, so we refused. He signaled to the other gondolas nearby, and they all refused to take us at that price. We walked about 100 metres to the next gondola service area, where we readily found gondolas willing to take 6 people for E 100.
What followed was one of our high points of the Venice trip. A 45-50 minute ride on a gondola. Just before sunset, in the small canals of Venice, including going under the Bridge of Sighs (where you are supposed to kiss for everlasting love !). The canals were really quaint and beautiful, and we took turns at sitting on the “head seats” of the gondola. The driver even sang for us for a few minutes, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride. The other 4 people were nice and friendly, and we quite enjoyed their company. We felt nostalgic when it was all over at 8:30pm.
From San Marco Plaza, we boarded a vaparetto to Giudecca island, where we had planned on having dinner at I Figle delle Stelle, an atmospheric restaurant by the waterfront near the Zitelle stop, with great views of Venice. We sat there, loving the ambiance, and dined on pasta, a dish of eggplant and zucchinis, and roast potatoes. Had my first glass of prosecco wine, which was quite good. The service was slow, but the place was romantic. It was quite late when we were done. We boarded a vaparetto to P. Roma, where we changed to another vaparetto going down the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal feels so different in the night, very quiet and pretty in a peaceful way. Got off at Ca D’Oro, walked to our hotel and retired to sleep at about 11:30pm.
We slept for almost 11 hours, and got up by 6:30am. Our room had windows which looked out into a canal, and we spent time gazing out, watching people in houses across the canal go about their daily lives.
Got ready and emerged into the breakfast area by 8:15am. The breakfast area opened out into a canal-facing balcony, where we sat down to enjoy breakfast with super views. Excellent breakfast spread of breads, croissants, fruits, cheese, juices and coffee. Had a hearty fill, and walked over to the Ca D’Oro vaparetto stop. Validated our 48-hour transport passes, and hopped on to a Line # 1 water-bus headed to P. Roma on the Grand Canal.
This was our first experience of traveling on the Grand Canal, and it was a beautiful sight. However, in less than 15 minutes we had reached one end at P.Roma where we got off. Walked around the block once, climbed the nearby glass & steel bridge to click some pictures, and we boarded a Line # 1 water-bus again, this time headed to the other end at San Marco. This time we were on the Grand Canal for almost 40 minutes, and I could not stop clicking my camera. Exhilarating. It seemed such a waste to sit inside. We managed seats in the open area out in the front (on either side of the pilot’s cabin), where the breeze from all sides hits you. Certainly the best seats on a vaparetto, with fresh air, and no photographic hindrances.
After a lovely ride down the length of the Grand Canal, shortly before the last stop, we alighted at the Accademia stop, and walked 5 minutes to reach the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Bought tickets and went in. We had selected this museum in Venice over others, as we knew we would have an overdose of Renaissance art in Florence and Rome later, so modern art was a good option here. Although the entry tickets here were a bit pricey at E 14 each, it was well worth it. Very nice museum, and very well laid out. The sculpture garden is refreshing, and the modern art collection is great. Some works of Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvadore Dali, and a large number of excellent paintings by lesser known artists. When you get tired, you can pop outside on the lovely terrace overlooking the Grand Canal. Best place to enjoy the beauty of the Grand Canal.
We left the Peggy G museum around noon, and took the vaporetto one stop away to the Ca Rezzonica (these are the benefits of the transport pass). Our Museum passes allowed us free entry here. Definitely worth visiting. A 3-storeyed palace, with a rich collection of paintings of various genres, ceiling frescoes and other art objects. We enjoyed it, although two museums in a row was a bit overwhelming. It was lunch time by now, and we had pre-selected a restaurant in this vicinity called Ristoteca Oniga, which was just 2 minutes’ walk from the above museum. We managed an outside table in the shade, and feasted on their full course vegetarian menu (BTW we are veggies). It started with some mixed veg starters, uniquely and deliciously prepared, followed by huge portion of Lasagne (again very well prepared). Finally, the dessert of fresh pineapples. I tried the Red Italian beer for the first time (Birra Rosso), which I found great.
After lunch, we again boarded the vaporetto to San Toma (one stop away), from where we walked to the I Frari chuch. Very pretty and unusual architecture. Had planned on going in, but they had huge open doors through which you could look in, which was quite enough for us. By now DW was feeling a bit exhausted, so we rode the water-bus again to Ca D’Oro, walked to our B&B, and rested for about 2 hours when the sun was at its peak.
By 5:30pm the sun’s intensity had abated, and we were out again. This time we put our maps away, and just strolled off the beaten track in the Cannareggio area, going away from the crowds. We tried hard to get lost, but it is not easy in such a compact city ! However, it was really quiet and peaceful to be away from the touristy areas, and it is a different Venice that you see. We whiled away 90 minutes roaming around like this, sipping coffees at odd cafes, and clicking my camera in by-lanes in un-touristy areas.
We had planned on a gondola ride this evening, and I knew that the gondola rates go up after 7 pm. However, at 7pm the sun was still strong, so we decided to defer the ride till later, and bear the higher charge. We rode the vaparetto to San Marco Plaza, roamed around a bit, and started looking around for a gondola after 7:30pm, when the sun appeared to be going down, and the atmosphere appeared to be right for a gondola. At this hour, the standard rate for a 40-minute ride is E 100. And we were about to board a gondola at this price when we were approached by an American couple who enquired if we would like to share a gondola ride. They were already 4 of them, and a maximum of 6 people are allowed on a gondola. We agreed to join them. However, the gondola driver acted smart, and asked for a higher price to take 6 people. We knew that this was irregular, so we refused. He signaled to the other gondolas nearby, and they all refused to take us at that price. We walked about 100 metres to the next gondola service area, where we readily found gondolas willing to take 6 people for E 100.
What followed was one of our high points of the Venice trip. A 45-50 minute ride on a gondola. Just before sunset, in the small canals of Venice, including going under the Bridge of Sighs (where you are supposed to kiss for everlasting love !). The canals were really quaint and beautiful, and we took turns at sitting on the “head seats” of the gondola. The driver even sang for us for a few minutes, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride. The other 4 people were nice and friendly, and we quite enjoyed their company. We felt nostalgic when it was all over at 8:30pm.
From San Marco Plaza, we boarded a vaparetto to Giudecca island, where we had planned on having dinner at I Figle delle Stelle, an atmospheric restaurant by the waterfront near the Zitelle stop, with great views of Venice. We sat there, loving the ambiance, and dined on pasta, a dish of eggplant and zucchinis, and roast potatoes. Had my first glass of prosecco wine, which was quite good. The service was slow, but the place was romantic. It was quite late when we were done. We boarded a vaparetto to P. Roma, where we changed to another vaparetto going down the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal feels so different in the night, very quiet and pretty in a peaceful way. Got off at Ca D’Oro, walked to our hotel and retired to sleep at about 11:30pm.
Aug 27th, 2013, 10:56 AM
#7
hi indiancouple - I have very much enjoyed your previous TRs [the one on NZ has been very well used by me in planning our visit to NZ in November] - and this one looks like being a goody too.
I've already learnt about tours of the clock tower and marked it down for my next trip to Venice.
keep it coming!
I've already learnt about tours of the clock tower and marked it down for my next trip to Venice.
keep it coming!
Aug 27th, 2013, 11:19 AM
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Very interesting thus far and looking forward to more. You mentioned thinking about cutting your travel time due to age but from my almost mid-60s perspective, I would leave the length of the trips the same but cut down the number of locations.
I would love to go to Venice again, after 40+ years the Guggenheim remains a special memory. Then, the art was on the walls of her house and private garden. Still the same?
I would love to go to Venice again, after 40+ years the Guggenheim remains a special memory. Then, the art was on the walls of her house and private garden. Still the same?
Aug 27th, 2013, 06:50 PM
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Thanks annhig, cathinjoetown and marija for the encouragement.
The Guggenheim remains in the private residence of Peggy, with all exhibits on the walls, and the sculptures in her private garden. I really do not know if things have changed in the museum over the years, as I have not been here before.
The Guggenheim remains in the private residence of Peggy, with all exhibits on the walls, and the sculptures in her private garden. I really do not know if things have changed in the museum over the years, as I have not been here before.
Aug 28th, 2013, 09:08 AM
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Day 3 : Monday, August 12th : VENICE :
DW woke up early, but I slept peacefully till 8am. We got ready, had breakfast and left by 9am. The temperature today was unchanged, but the sun somehow seemed very strong. Today we had planned to visit Murano and Burano in the morning.
Walked to Fundamento Nuove and boarded a vaparetto to Murano. The ride took barely 10-15 minutes. As we alighted at Murano, there were furnaces everywhere offering free demonstrations of glass blowing. We went into a couple of them, and watched them make small vases and animal figures out of molten glass within minutes. Pretty interesting if you are watching this for the first time. Then we visited the Glass Museum (which again offered us free entry with the Museum Pass), and enjoyed the displays tremendously. This was high quality glasswork, real pieces of art (compared to the junk on display at touristy stores everywhere on the island).
We did shop around a bit, picking up souvenirs of glassworks, had some sodas to cool off, and boarded another vaporetto to Burano. Seemed like the whole world was headed there, as the vaparetto was crammed full. Even standing space was hard to find, and the heat was oppressive. As we got down at Burano at about 1pm, we immediately fell in love with that place. Should have heeded advice of Fodorites, should have spent less time at Murano, and should have come here much earlier. It was so colorful and beautiful – extremely photogenic with brightly painted buildings, and canals running through them. Strolled around the island, and it was lovely to soak it all in.
We cooled off with some granitas at a café. Went to the Lace Museum (also free entry with Museum Pass), but it was closed on Mondays. Alongside one of the canals, we saw a lovely restaurant called “Riva Rosa”. The outdoor tables were very inviting, and we sat down for lunch. Had risottos, which were superb. The best ever. Then DW visited many lace shops, and bought various lace souvenirs. Finally, after a lot of strolling and camera clicking, we trudged back to the vaparetto stop. There was a huge crowd waiting to get on, and they were restricting the number of people boarding each vaparetto. We could not get on the next vaparetto, and had to wait 20 minutes before the next one came and we climbed on. It was an air-conditioned vaparetto, so very comfortable inside.
It was a long 50 minute ride back to Fundamento Nuove, and we had a little snooze on board. Alighted at 3:45pm, walked to our B&B, and rested for 90 minutes.
We left again in the evening at 5:30pm, walking to Ca D’Oro, and boarding the vaparetto to Rialto. Climbed the iconic Rialto Bridge, which is a great place to click pictures from. Took some of my best photos in Venice from there. The late evening light is best for photography, when the sun is not too strong. Very lively place, and photogenic shots of the Grand Canal from both sides of the bridge.
We next wandered off towards the Rialto Market, passing through the “flea market” area of Rialto, where we had some excellent juice on the roadside. We were looking for some specific food shops like Aliani, Droghera Mascari etc, but all were closed for August vacations. Went to the specific vegetable and fruit market area; some stalls were still open, but we were told that most open only in the morning. Lovely red peppers and other vegetables in the stalls that were open. We walked to the Grand Canal waterfront, and sat down at a pier, feet dangling down, and admired the environs for an hour.
Next we boarded a vaparetto to Ferrovia, crossed the bridge, and walked some distance to locate a highly recommended restaurant called “Tea Room Orientale”. Located it, but closed for August vacations ! As we retraced our steps to Ferrovia, and sat down for dinner at a pizzeria. It had a sign showing it had been recommended by Tripadvisor, and it did not disappoint. Had excellent pizzas, and I tried out the Venetian cocktail called “Spritz”, which turned out to be delicious.
Finally, we boarded the vaparetto for the last time on the Grand Canal, riding it all the way from Ferrovia to San Marco. It was getting dark, and the Grand Canal was at its best. We strolled on San Marco plaza at 9:30pm; it was still lively and pretty, but the maddening crowds were missing. Poor lighting of the Palazzo Ducale and the Campanile (surely the government can do better with such an iconic square ?). Slowly we made our way back to our B&B on foot, buying some Venetian masks on the way. Goodbye Venice. You were enchanting and pretty, and cast a spell on us.
DW woke up early, but I slept peacefully till 8am. We got ready, had breakfast and left by 9am. The temperature today was unchanged, but the sun somehow seemed very strong. Today we had planned to visit Murano and Burano in the morning.
Walked to Fundamento Nuove and boarded a vaparetto to Murano. The ride took barely 10-15 minutes. As we alighted at Murano, there were furnaces everywhere offering free demonstrations of glass blowing. We went into a couple of them, and watched them make small vases and animal figures out of molten glass within minutes. Pretty interesting if you are watching this for the first time. Then we visited the Glass Museum (which again offered us free entry with the Museum Pass), and enjoyed the displays tremendously. This was high quality glasswork, real pieces of art (compared to the junk on display at touristy stores everywhere on the island).
We did shop around a bit, picking up souvenirs of glassworks, had some sodas to cool off, and boarded another vaporetto to Burano. Seemed like the whole world was headed there, as the vaparetto was crammed full. Even standing space was hard to find, and the heat was oppressive. As we got down at Burano at about 1pm, we immediately fell in love with that place. Should have heeded advice of Fodorites, should have spent less time at Murano, and should have come here much earlier. It was so colorful and beautiful – extremely photogenic with brightly painted buildings, and canals running through them. Strolled around the island, and it was lovely to soak it all in.
We cooled off with some granitas at a café. Went to the Lace Museum (also free entry with Museum Pass), but it was closed on Mondays. Alongside one of the canals, we saw a lovely restaurant called “Riva Rosa”. The outdoor tables were very inviting, and we sat down for lunch. Had risottos, which were superb. The best ever. Then DW visited many lace shops, and bought various lace souvenirs. Finally, after a lot of strolling and camera clicking, we trudged back to the vaparetto stop. There was a huge crowd waiting to get on, and they were restricting the number of people boarding each vaparetto. We could not get on the next vaparetto, and had to wait 20 minutes before the next one came and we climbed on. It was an air-conditioned vaparetto, so very comfortable inside.
It was a long 50 minute ride back to Fundamento Nuove, and we had a little snooze on board. Alighted at 3:45pm, walked to our B&B, and rested for 90 minutes.
We left again in the evening at 5:30pm, walking to Ca D’Oro, and boarding the vaparetto to Rialto. Climbed the iconic Rialto Bridge, which is a great place to click pictures from. Took some of my best photos in Venice from there. The late evening light is best for photography, when the sun is not too strong. Very lively place, and photogenic shots of the Grand Canal from both sides of the bridge.
We next wandered off towards the Rialto Market, passing through the “flea market” area of Rialto, where we had some excellent juice on the roadside. We were looking for some specific food shops like Aliani, Droghera Mascari etc, but all were closed for August vacations. Went to the specific vegetable and fruit market area; some stalls were still open, but we were told that most open only in the morning. Lovely red peppers and other vegetables in the stalls that were open. We walked to the Grand Canal waterfront, and sat down at a pier, feet dangling down, and admired the environs for an hour.
Next we boarded a vaparetto to Ferrovia, crossed the bridge, and walked some distance to locate a highly recommended restaurant called “Tea Room Orientale”. Located it, but closed for August vacations ! As we retraced our steps to Ferrovia, and sat down for dinner at a pizzeria. It had a sign showing it had been recommended by Tripadvisor, and it did not disappoint. Had excellent pizzas, and I tried out the Venetian cocktail called “Spritz”, which turned out to be delicious.
Finally, we boarded the vaparetto for the last time on the Grand Canal, riding it all the way from Ferrovia to San Marco. It was getting dark, and the Grand Canal was at its best. We strolled on San Marco plaza at 9:30pm; it was still lively and pretty, but the maddening crowds were missing. Poor lighting of the Palazzo Ducale and the Campanile (surely the government can do better with such an iconic square ?). Slowly we made our way back to our B&B on foot, buying some Venetian masks on the way. Goodbye Venice. You were enchanting and pretty, and cast a spell on us.
Aug 28th, 2013, 10:00 AM
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I love your report. Too bad you discovered the Spritz at the end of your visit; I have to admit I practically lived on them in Venice -- so cool and refreshing. They sell "kits" to make them at Marco Polo airport (a bottle of Aperol and 1 of prosecco), but you can easily find the ingredients out of Italy.
Aug 28th, 2013, 10:06 AM
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Thanks Delaine. I too regret having discovered Spritz late in Venice. I did try having it at other Italian cities, but it did not come even close in taste to the Venetian version. Have to google it to find out its recipe, and try it at home.
Aug 28th, 2013, 10:13 AM
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Day 4 : Tuesday, August 13th : FLORENCE :
We had to get up early today. The B&B had left us some breakfast of fruits, cereals and bread, which we ate and left for Ca D’Oro by 7am. Took a vaparetto to Ferrovia, and boarded our Italo Treno train to Florence at 8 am.
The train reached Florence on schedule at 10 am. It was a 10 minute walk to our B&B here called “A Florence View”, which was right on Plaza Duomo. Its main door opened right on to the Plaza – cannot beat this location. We got a nice large room, very spacious, decorated with antique furniture. Our hostess Giuliana was very friendly and talkative.
We settled into our new habitat, and left at 11:30am. The first item on our agenda today was to visit the Duomo. There was a long line to enter, but it moved fast, and it took us about 30 minutes standing in line before we entered. They do not allow too many people inside at any point in time, which is good. Once inside, it feels very peaceful and pretty. The paintings in the dome ceiling are fantastic, and we spent 30 minutes admiring the interiors. The outside is even more to be admired. Never seen a church with such a marble facade. Very impressive structure, and one of the most iconic landmarks of Italy.
We went around the Baptistry, and admired its Eastern gates. Wanted to go in, but now they no longer offer tickets only for the Baptistry. You have to buy a combined ticket, which includes a climb to the Dome top, a climb to the Campanile top, and a visit to the Duomo museum plus the Baptistry. We were not interested in those long climbs upwards, so we skipped entering the Baptistry.
We walked over to Plaza Repubblica nearby, where we sat for lunch at the historical Café Gilli. We had a good lunch of Raviolis, French fries and good rose wine. The food and the ambiance were both excellent, but the service was very slow. We then returned to our B&B and rested for the afternoon, allowing the sun to reduce its intensity. It was about 32C in the afternoon, which was hot, but Florence can get much much hotter in August, so we were lucky.
We left again at around 4pm, headed towards the Accademia, having gelato enroute at “Carabe”. Lovely gelato ! We had reserved entry tickets at the Accademia for 4:30pm, but there was a long line even for those with reserved tickets. Fortunately, the line moved fairly quickly, and we were inside the museum at 4:30pm.
We knew we were going in simply to view the “David” statue sculpted by Michaelangelo. Nothing however prepares you for the effect the statue has, once you come face to face with it. The moment it came in view, it was mesmerizing. I have never never seen a piece of art quite like it. Simply fabulous and totally overpowering. Had to admire it from every angle. Would find a place to sit at every angle, and admire it. Every muscle, every vein in the body had been so perfectly chiseled, the statue seemed “alive” in a strange way. Must have spent an hour viewing David from every conceivable direction. Spent 20 minutes in the rest of the museum, and we left. If you had to visit only one museum in the world, it should be this one, and only to see David (and I have been to many top art museums in the world, so I don’t say it lightly).
We walked to the train station, and boarded Bus # 13 to Piazzale Michaelangelo. The bus goes all over town, and terminates at the lovely plaza, which overlooks Florence. We reached there by 7pm, and saw the bronze replica of “David” on the plaza. Does not come even remotely close to the “real” thing ! We walked some distance uphill to reach Church Minuato, which is one of the most ancient churches of Florence. It was nice, and there was a lady playing the alphorn in the foreground. Then returned to the Piazzale Michaelangelo, had some sodas, and waited for the sun to set. Very picturesque, with super views of Florence, the Arno river and Ponte Vecchio. Quite a crowd there, and we could understand why.
We took the Bus # 13 back to the train station, and walked some distance to locate a highly recommended veg restaurant called “Il Vegetariano”, some distance away from the Accademia. Located it, but this too was closed for August vacations. Bad luck ! We were getting tired, and efforts to hail a taxi were unsuccessful. We had to walk all the way to Plaza Duomo, and we just sat down at the first restaurant that we saw on the plaza. Had some average quality food with some cocktails, and returned to our B&B to retire for the night. It had been a nice start to the Florence leg of the journey.
We had to get up early today. The B&B had left us some breakfast of fruits, cereals and bread, which we ate and left for Ca D’Oro by 7am. Took a vaparetto to Ferrovia, and boarded our Italo Treno train to Florence at 8 am.
The train reached Florence on schedule at 10 am. It was a 10 minute walk to our B&B here called “A Florence View”, which was right on Plaza Duomo. Its main door opened right on to the Plaza – cannot beat this location. We got a nice large room, very spacious, decorated with antique furniture. Our hostess Giuliana was very friendly and talkative.
We settled into our new habitat, and left at 11:30am. The first item on our agenda today was to visit the Duomo. There was a long line to enter, but it moved fast, and it took us about 30 minutes standing in line before we entered. They do not allow too many people inside at any point in time, which is good. Once inside, it feels very peaceful and pretty. The paintings in the dome ceiling are fantastic, and we spent 30 minutes admiring the interiors. The outside is even more to be admired. Never seen a church with such a marble facade. Very impressive structure, and one of the most iconic landmarks of Italy.
We went around the Baptistry, and admired its Eastern gates. Wanted to go in, but now they no longer offer tickets only for the Baptistry. You have to buy a combined ticket, which includes a climb to the Dome top, a climb to the Campanile top, and a visit to the Duomo museum plus the Baptistry. We were not interested in those long climbs upwards, so we skipped entering the Baptistry.
We walked over to Plaza Repubblica nearby, where we sat for lunch at the historical Café Gilli. We had a good lunch of Raviolis, French fries and good rose wine. The food and the ambiance were both excellent, but the service was very slow. We then returned to our B&B and rested for the afternoon, allowing the sun to reduce its intensity. It was about 32C in the afternoon, which was hot, but Florence can get much much hotter in August, so we were lucky.
We left again at around 4pm, headed towards the Accademia, having gelato enroute at “Carabe”. Lovely gelato ! We had reserved entry tickets at the Accademia for 4:30pm, but there was a long line even for those with reserved tickets. Fortunately, the line moved fairly quickly, and we were inside the museum at 4:30pm.
We knew we were going in simply to view the “David” statue sculpted by Michaelangelo. Nothing however prepares you for the effect the statue has, once you come face to face with it. The moment it came in view, it was mesmerizing. I have never never seen a piece of art quite like it. Simply fabulous and totally overpowering. Had to admire it from every angle. Would find a place to sit at every angle, and admire it. Every muscle, every vein in the body had been so perfectly chiseled, the statue seemed “alive” in a strange way. Must have spent an hour viewing David from every conceivable direction. Spent 20 minutes in the rest of the museum, and we left. If you had to visit only one museum in the world, it should be this one, and only to see David (and I have been to many top art museums in the world, so I don’t say it lightly).
We walked to the train station, and boarded Bus # 13 to Piazzale Michaelangelo. The bus goes all over town, and terminates at the lovely plaza, which overlooks Florence. We reached there by 7pm, and saw the bronze replica of “David” on the plaza. Does not come even remotely close to the “real” thing ! We walked some distance uphill to reach Church Minuato, which is one of the most ancient churches of Florence. It was nice, and there was a lady playing the alphorn in the foreground. Then returned to the Piazzale Michaelangelo, had some sodas, and waited for the sun to set. Very picturesque, with super views of Florence, the Arno river and Ponte Vecchio. Quite a crowd there, and we could understand why.
We took the Bus # 13 back to the train station, and walked some distance to locate a highly recommended veg restaurant called “Il Vegetariano”, some distance away from the Accademia. Located it, but this too was closed for August vacations. Bad luck ! We were getting tired, and efforts to hail a taxi were unsuccessful. We had to walk all the way to Plaza Duomo, and we just sat down at the first restaurant that we saw on the plaza. Had some average quality food with some cocktails, and returned to our B&B to retire for the night. It had been a nice start to the Florence leg of the journey.
Aug 28th, 2013, 10:59 AM
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Yes annhig, we had anticipated some closures, but not so many. Worse was to follow in Rome with respect to August closures. Have not seen this happen anywhere else in the world, at such a scale.
