Hi All,

Just 36 days and counting till we leave for Venice / Florence. I'm getting so excited and reading MaiTaiTom's and MrGreens trip reports are just fueling the fire.

I've been to both Venice and Florence before - but as a single man - and eating Pizza and Panini everyday was fine. But now I'm taking my wife and need to go a little more upscale.

This is her first trip to Italy.

So I need suggestions! Help a recently married man who lived on PB and J for way too many years and wants to impress the aforementioned wife that he isn’t a total culinary clod.

Looking for to your suggestions.

Jpm

Ps. In case you’re interested here is are itinerary. I will post a trip report when we get back:

Dec. 25 – Arrive Venice 12:00 noon (water bus to hotel). Walk around, get lost, hope to find something open for supper, bed early. I will try to get our hotel to make us reservations somewhere for this night. We are staying at the Dona Palace.

Dec. 26 - Venice
Dec. 27 - Venice
Dec. 28 - Venice/Florence. Leave at 6:30 pm for train trip to Florence arriving 9:30 pm. Taxi to hotel. Here we are staying at Hotel Christina.

With three full days in Venice we plan on this being a very relaxing part of the trip. We plan on going to Murano / Burano on one of the days. Doing museums / churches etc. the other days. And hopefully finding a concert to go to at least one of the nights.

Dec. 29 – Florence

I’m still considering doing a possible day trip to Pisa either today or on the 31st. I went the last time and loved it – now I want to share it with my wife.

Dec. 30 – Florence This is the busiest day we have planned. Our hotel has made reservations for us for the Uffizzi and the Accedemia during the day and we are going to the ballet at night.

Dec. 31 - Florence

Jan. 1 – Fly Home.