Advice for a trip to Venice
Jun 29th, 2013, 09:12 AM
#41
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If you have still not booked a hotel, you might like to view Ai Tagliapietra b&w (http://www.aitagliapietra.com/position-ENG2010.htm). It's really a bed and breakfast, not a hotel, but confortable, very clean and just minutes from St. Mark square. And the owner, Lorenzo, is really kind and willing to help.
Jun 29th, 2013, 09:22 AM
#42
I'm currently tossing around the idea of telling her that we're going on a week long trip "somewhere" to renew our wedding vows, but not telling her specifically that it's Venice. That way, she can shop for a wedding dress, get her hair done, etc... and still have the surprise. I don't know, we'll see. Whichever way I go, I'm sure the trip will be wonderful.>>
chris, she doesn't want anything too long for getting in and out of a gondola. I would just mention that you're planning on a fancy dinner while you're there so to pack a nice dress - the romance of the moment should do the rest!
chris, she doesn't want anything too long for getting in and out of a gondola. I would just mention that you're planning on a fancy dinner while you're there so to pack a nice dress - the romance of the moment should do the rest!
Jun 30th, 2013, 08:05 AM
#43
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That price for airfare is not bad from the west coast. I just bought our tickets on US Air form Phili to Venice and then from Rome back to Phili and the cost was $1100 a ticket and this was for this Nov travel.
I found some good deals on booking.com. I always book directly with a hotel and I found a deal on booking.com that was way below the cost of booking directly with the hotel.
I am staying at the Foscari Palace on the grand canal for 80 euro per night for a upgraded canal view room that was fully refundable. I jumped on that special very quickly as soon as I saw it. You might want to check out venere and booking.com for prices. They have prices drops or specials daily.
I found some good deals on booking.com. I always book directly with a hotel and I found a deal on booking.com that was way below the cost of booking directly with the hotel.
I am staying at the Foscari Palace on the grand canal for 80 euro per night for a upgraded canal view room that was fully refundable. I jumped on that special very quickly as soon as I saw it. You might want to check out venere and booking.com for prices. They have prices drops or specials daily.
Jul 2nd, 2013, 12:19 PM
#44
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@Cjar: Thanks for the info!
@flirtinphilly: Sounds like you had an awesome experience! Thanks for the recommendations. I'll definitely be looking into them!
@Agosto: Thank you for your recommendation! I have not booked any accommodations yet, but hope to very soon. I'll be checking out Ai Tagliapietra for sure.
@annhig: Sounds like good advice. I'll be sure to sway her towards a nice dress rather than a long bridal gown. Thanks for the tip!
@jiffer21225: Thanks for the reassurance. I will be checking out booking.com and venere. Saving a few extra bucks is always welcome
@flirtinphilly: Sounds like you had an awesome experience! Thanks for the recommendations. I'll definitely be looking into them!
@Agosto: Thank you for your recommendation! I have not booked any accommodations yet, but hope to very soon. I'll be checking out Ai Tagliapietra for sure.
@annhig: Sounds like good advice. I'll be sure to sway her towards a nice dress rather than a long bridal gown. Thanks for the tip!
@jiffer21225: Thanks for the reassurance. I will be checking out booking.com and venere. Saving a few extra bucks is always welcome
Apr 9th, 2014, 04:09 PM
#45
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Well, it's been over a year since my original post and the magical event has come and gone. I believe it's safe to say that this trip to Italy will be one of the greatest moments I have experienced (and will ever experience) in my life. Despite years of planning and all the helpful information that you all gave me, nothing could've fully prepared me for what my wife and I experienced.
I'm not sure anyone will look at this thread anymore. But for those who contributed to this thread, I will humbly give a brief description of how the trip went. It should be noted that I changed our itinerary slightly from my original post. Instead of doing just Venice for 5 nights, we did Florence for the first 2 nights and then finished up the rest of the trip in Venice. I'll do my best to spare you the unimportant details.
We started our trip at 8:00am in Los Angeles and after 15 hours of travel, we landed in Venice. Before traveling, I had booked hotels and a wedding planner ahead of time, but other than that we were on our own. We set forth carrying our wedding dress & suit, armed with only a Rick Steve's book and a few memorized Italian phrases. After years of dreaming, we were now here...Venice! Let the adventure begin!
We fumbled a bit with the electronic ticket machine for the water bus, but were able to get from the airport, to the Alilaguna water bus, to the Venice train station without any hassles. We then grabbed a couple tickets on a high-speed train and enjoyed a 2hr trip gliding through the beautiful Italian countryside on the way to Florence.
Once there, we set out for our first hotel. I had forgotten to print out the directions beforehand but I knew I'd be able to find it based on certain landmarks. We through Florence for about 20 minutes and finally stumbled upon it's doorstep. The Hotel Davanzati. (Thank you Fodor forum friends for suggesting all the excellent hotel websites!)
We were met by Fabrizio who was just as friendly as I'd imagined. The hotel was a mix of historic & modern. Florence was nothing short of amazing, brimming with beauty & history. We were able to see the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Accademia, and a few other smaller museums and churches. We spent our evenings enjoying delicious Italian food (lots of gelato) and strolling through the streets & piazzas. After 2 wonderful nights, it was time to leave Florence.
We left the hotel and caught a taxi back to the train station. We joked & laughed with the taxi driver and he sped through the city streets, narrowly avoiding collisions with other cars and pedestrians. Through the car window, we snuck in our last views of beautiful Florence. After jumping on another high-speed train, we were heading back to Venice.
Upon arriving in Venice, we stepped off the train and had the strong urge to use the restroom. After locating them at the train station, we had our first experience of "pay-to-use" toilets.
Standing outside the train station and in front of the Grand Canal, I purchased water bus passes so that we could continue our journey to the next hotel.
We landed in St. Marks Square and with luggage in tow, headed down one of the numerous small streets that I hoped would lead us to our hotel. And it did. We arrived in a small piazza in the heart of Venice, staring at an iron gate that would lead us to a small courtyard and the door to the Locanda Orseolo. (Thanks again Fodor forum friends!)
This little B&B was perfect. Quaint, clean, and hidden. It had a distinct "old world" and displayed a lush Venetian decor. They hotel staff was the absolute best. We very well taken care of by Igor, Gigi, Barbara, Lorenzo, Davide and Max. That first night we wandered the streets of Venice and tried to absorb as much of the atmosphere as we could.
The next morning was the big event. Our wedding planner met us at the hotel. She ensured that a flower bouquet had arrived earlier that morning and that everything was on schedule. She even helped my wife with getting into her dress. We left the hotel and began our walk through the streets of Venice. Turning down narrow alleys and crossing small bridges, we pass through throngs of well-wishers and tourists carrying cameras (many of whom were taking snapshots of us). Some even asked to have their picture taken with us!
We eventually arrived at a gondola station near the Rialto Bridge. We met the Officiant who would be joining us on our gondola to perform the ceremony, and the professional photographer who would be following us on a 2nd gondola to take pictures.
After sailing down the Grand Canal for a short while, we headed through a labyrinth of smaller canals, eventually stopping at a small intersection next to the Opera House. The ceremony was performed, we said our vows, exchanged rings, and finished our gondola trip sailing down the canals with a bottle of Prosecco.
After leaving the gondola, we walked towards the final destination of St. Marks Square. We walk out into the square, surrounded by thousands of people. Many watch and smile, some even began to applaud. The photographer took dozens more photos as we spun & danced around St. Marks Square...the dream now blossomed into complete reality.
We spent the rest of that day exploring Venice and spent that evening having a VERY expensive coffee at the Cafe Florian and enjoying the orchestra. The following day we explored more of Venice. We visited the Doge's Palace, Galleria dell'Accademia, and several "cicchetteria". We took a boat to Burano and purchased a lace handkerchief to keep as an hierloom. (Thank you for the suggestion, travelmamana!)
We ended the night by catching an Opera performance and strolling the dark streets of Venice for one last time. In the beginning, we were trying to absorb as much of Venice as we could. But by the end, we allowed Venice to absorb us instead.
The following day, we caught the Alilaguna water bus back to the airport and we said a sad "Arrivederci" to Italy. The adventure, and the dream, now ended. But certainly never forgotten.
Thank you if you've read this far. And thank you for letting me indulge in sharing this story. Despite being much longer than I anticipated, this really is the "short" version. There were many interesting (and sometimes funny) moments that happened during the trip... such as me forgetting my wedding ring and haggling with merchants in Florence to purchase a cheap replacement, the train station conductor in Venice who gave us the cold shoulder when asking him too many questions, me nearly tripping flat on my face while crossing a bridge in Italy, and our last Grand Canal boat trip being canceled due to a public transit strike. But in the interest of keeping this short story from becoming a full novel, I'll leave them out. Those moments remind me that even the best laid plans can go awry. Sometimes you just need to "let go" and let life lead you.
Thanks to Fodors for hosting this thread. Thanks again to all the people who shared their stories with me and offered such excellent advice & suggestions. More than once during the trip, I found myself reflecting back, with a thankful heart, to all the people who replied to this thread. Believe me when I say this trip would not have been as special if it weren't for all of you.
"Grazie mille" and much love & prosperity wherever your travels may lead you.
I'm not sure anyone will look at this thread anymore. But for those who contributed to this thread, I will humbly give a brief description of how the trip went. It should be noted that I changed our itinerary slightly from my original post. Instead of doing just Venice for 5 nights, we did Florence for the first 2 nights and then finished up the rest of the trip in Venice. I'll do my best to spare you the unimportant details.
We started our trip at 8:00am in Los Angeles and after 15 hours of travel, we landed in Venice. Before traveling, I had booked hotels and a wedding planner ahead of time, but other than that we were on our own. We set forth carrying our wedding dress & suit, armed with only a Rick Steve's book and a few memorized Italian phrases. After years of dreaming, we were now here...Venice! Let the adventure begin!
We fumbled a bit with the electronic ticket machine for the water bus, but were able to get from the airport, to the Alilaguna water bus, to the Venice train station without any hassles. We then grabbed a couple tickets on a high-speed train and enjoyed a 2hr trip gliding through the beautiful Italian countryside on the way to Florence.
Once there, we set out for our first hotel. I had forgotten to print out the directions beforehand but I knew I'd be able to find it based on certain landmarks. We through Florence for about 20 minutes and finally stumbled upon it's doorstep. The Hotel Davanzati. (Thank you Fodor forum friends for suggesting all the excellent hotel websites!)
We were met by Fabrizio who was just as friendly as I'd imagined. The hotel was a mix of historic & modern. Florence was nothing short of amazing, brimming with beauty & history. We were able to see the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Accademia, and a few other smaller museums and churches. We spent our evenings enjoying delicious Italian food (lots of gelato) and strolling through the streets & piazzas. After 2 wonderful nights, it was time to leave Florence.
We left the hotel and caught a taxi back to the train station. We joked & laughed with the taxi driver and he sped through the city streets, narrowly avoiding collisions with other cars and pedestrians. Through the car window, we snuck in our last views of beautiful Florence. After jumping on another high-speed train, we were heading back to Venice.
Upon arriving in Venice, we stepped off the train and had the strong urge to use the restroom. After locating them at the train station, we had our first experience of "pay-to-use" toilets.
Standing outside the train station and in front of the Grand Canal, I purchased water bus passes so that we could continue our journey to the next hotel.
We landed in St. Marks Square and with luggage in tow, headed down one of the numerous small streets that I hoped would lead us to our hotel. And it did. We arrived in a small piazza in the heart of Venice, staring at an iron gate that would lead us to a small courtyard and the door to the Locanda Orseolo. (Thanks again Fodor forum friends!)
This little B&B was perfect. Quaint, clean, and hidden. It had a distinct "old world" and displayed a lush Venetian decor. They hotel staff was the absolute best. We very well taken care of by Igor, Gigi, Barbara, Lorenzo, Davide and Max. That first night we wandered the streets of Venice and tried to absorb as much of the atmosphere as we could.
The next morning was the big event. Our wedding planner met us at the hotel. She ensured that a flower bouquet had arrived earlier that morning and that everything was on schedule. She even helped my wife with getting into her dress. We left the hotel and began our walk through the streets of Venice. Turning down narrow alleys and crossing small bridges, we pass through throngs of well-wishers and tourists carrying cameras (many of whom were taking snapshots of us). Some even asked to have their picture taken with us!
We eventually arrived at a gondola station near the Rialto Bridge. We met the Officiant who would be joining us on our gondola to perform the ceremony, and the professional photographer who would be following us on a 2nd gondola to take pictures.
After sailing down the Grand Canal for a short while, we headed through a labyrinth of smaller canals, eventually stopping at a small intersection next to the Opera House. The ceremony was performed, we said our vows, exchanged rings, and finished our gondola trip sailing down the canals with a bottle of Prosecco.
After leaving the gondola, we walked towards the final destination of St. Marks Square. We walk out into the square, surrounded by thousands of people. Many watch and smile, some even began to applaud. The photographer took dozens more photos as we spun & danced around St. Marks Square...the dream now blossomed into complete reality.
We spent the rest of that day exploring Venice and spent that evening having a VERY expensive coffee at the Cafe Florian and enjoying the orchestra. The following day we explored more of Venice. We visited the Doge's Palace, Galleria dell'Accademia, and several "cicchetteria". We took a boat to Burano and purchased a lace handkerchief to keep as an hierloom. (Thank you for the suggestion, travelmamana!)
We ended the night by catching an Opera performance and strolling the dark streets of Venice for one last time. In the beginning, we were trying to absorb as much of Venice as we could. But by the end, we allowed Venice to absorb us instead.
The following day, we caught the Alilaguna water bus back to the airport and we said a sad "Arrivederci" to Italy. The adventure, and the dream, now ended. But certainly never forgotten.
Thank you if you've read this far. And thank you for letting me indulge in sharing this story. Despite being much longer than I anticipated, this really is the "short" version. There were many interesting (and sometimes funny) moments that happened during the trip... such as me forgetting my wedding ring and haggling with merchants in Florence to purchase a cheap replacement, the train station conductor in Venice who gave us the cold shoulder when asking him too many questions, me nearly tripping flat on my face while crossing a bridge in Italy, and our last Grand Canal boat trip being canceled due to a public transit strike. But in the interest of keeping this short story from becoming a full novel, I'll leave them out. Those moments remind me that even the best laid plans can go awry. Sometimes you just need to "let go" and let life lead you.
Thanks to Fodors for hosting this thread. Thanks again to all the people who shared their stories with me and offered such excellent advice & suggestions. More than once during the trip, I found myself reflecting back, with a thankful heart, to all the people who replied to this thread. Believe me when I say this trip would not have been as special if it weren't for all of you.
"Grazie mille" and much love & prosperity wherever your travels may lead you.
Apr 11th, 2014, 09:46 AM
#53
Well Chris, as you can see your wedding story has made several of us smile - and you and your bride most of all. did you really sit in St Mark's Square listening to the orchestra at Florian in your wedding finery? I do hope so - so much so that even if you didn't, I rather hope that you keep that to yourself, as I'm enjoying the image.
Complimenti - on your wedding and on your trip report.
Complimenti - on your wedding and on your trip report.
May 5th, 2014, 04:40 PM
#55
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I have just read this thread for the first time and it brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful experience. You and your wife sound like lovely people.
I think your follow up post is probably very appreciated by all of the Fodorites who offered such great advice. Not everyone does that.
Best wishes for many more years of happiness together.
I think your follow up post is probably very appreciated by all of the Fodorites who offered such great advice. Not everyone does that.
Best wishes for many more years of happiness together.
May 8th, 2014, 04:33 AM
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Ooooh! So glad you got back to fill everyone in, Chris, instead of leaving us hanging. Maybe I missed it, but what did you ever do about the "surprise" aspect of the trip? When/how did your wife find out???
Wonderful reading of your heartwarming experience!
Wonderful reading of your heartwarming experience!
Sep 1st, 2014, 06:49 PM
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Hi Chris,
I am so happy everything worked out for you. July 6, 2015 my husband and I will be married 25 years. We Will be in Venice. I would like to renew our Vows as well. Who did you contact to do so?
I would love to get some info.
Best,
Angela
I am so happy everything worked out for you. July 6, 2015 my husband and I will be married 25 years. We Will be in Venice. I would like to renew our Vows as well. Who did you contact to do so?
I would love to get some info.
Best,
Angela
