Italy Trip Report, It's going to be long!
 

We got back from Italy last night and I promised myself that I would start a trip report as soon as I returned, so here goes.

We (myself, my husband(DH), and 11 year old son(DS)) left Boston on August 25 on a 4:30 flight on Lufthansa.

We were able to fly in business class, so it was a comfortable flight.
Arrived in Frankfurt 45 minutes early . Caught our connection to Venice and arrived at 10:00 A.M. August 25, in beautiful Venice. We hired a water taxi (80 E) to take us to our
hotel, Pensione Accadenia , www.pensioneaccademia.it, at 11:00. Our room as not ready, so
we decided to walk around for a bit. First stop was for a gelato for DH and DS. We made our way over to Campo Barnaba in the Dorsoduro and went into the lovely little church in this square. A small church , but filled with amazing works. We thought our room would be ready by now, so we walked back by the Accademia bridge and across a small bridge to our lovely hotel.

Our room was ready. I was filled with anticipation, as I was already in love with this hotel. You enter through a wonderful courtyard, where we would have breakfast the next morning. Through the lobby is another beautiful garden where you can sit and relax. Our room was perfect, #510, 140E per night, all taxes and breakfast included.. An incredible bargain. It was a triple superior, had an incredible view over a small canal with shuttered windows that we kept open whenever possible. I had arranged in advance to have a chilled bottle of champagne in the room, as we were taking this trip to celebrate DH’s 50th birthday. As requested, a bottle of Veuve Cliquot, along with a bowl of fruit and a bowl of olives from the hotel was waiting for us. This would become a recurring theme. DH was very pleased as we toasted our first day in Venice.

We rested for a bit, but were too excited to sit still for long. DS was getting hungry, so we bought him a pizza and sat on the steps af the Accademia Bridge and enjoyed the sights and smells of the Dorsoduro. We took the vaparetto to the Arsenale stop, planning on visiting the Museo Storico Navale, but it was closed for the day. It closes at 1:30 most days, so if you are planning on visiting, go in the morning. We walked around around the Castello for a while, DS taking lots of photos. He loves being behind the lens of camera, which kept him happy most of the trip. We made our way back toward Piazza San Marco and took the elevator up the Campanile. This was our third time in Venice, DS’s second. Although we have been up the Campanile previously, the view is something you cannot get enough of. It was a perfectly clear day and the breeze on the top was very refreshing as it was a very hot day.

We walked back to our charming room and relaxed before dinner. I had made reservations at Ai Gondlieri , located in the Dorsoduro. It was about a ten minute walk from the hotel and we found it without a problem. Our starter was fried zucchini blossoms, which DS loved and ate most of them. We all split a primi of rissotto with porcini mushrooms, excellent!
Secondi was for me duck breast with an apple puree, DS had a filet of beef with porcini sauce, DH had a lamb dish that was disappointing. They served a plate of their homemade biscotti for dessert. DH and I shared a bottle a chiant classico (22E). Total bill was 193E.

By now, we practically had to carry DS back to the hotel. It was a wonderful first day, but maybe a little too much. I am definitely an overplanner and a Trip Nazi. A very dangerous combination. To be continued.......

Enjoying your report Ralstonalan. Looking forward to more.

Friday August 26 Day 2

We woke up early and went down to the charming outdoor courtyard for breakfast. What a perfect spot to enjoy a cappucino.
Breakfast was terrific, croissants filled with almond and apricot preserves, eggs, a variety of meats and cheeses, even cocoa puffs for DS!

We left around 9:00 as we had made reservations at the Doges Palace for the Secret Itineraries tour through www.selectitaly.com . Again, we had done this before, but DS really wanted to do it again. This ended up being a total disaster. It was very hot, jet lag had caught up with DS and he was very cranky. By the way, he loved it the first time, as did we, so I do recommend making reservations for this.

He knew better than to complain too much, as it was his idea, but he clearly was not enjoying himself. After the tour, we decided to cut our losses, and skip going through the Palace. A gelato stop perked DS right up, so I was able to talk him into doing a little shopping. I wanted to go to Seguso Viro, a master glassblower, in Piazza San Marco, as I had seen photos of his work . We found the shop with no problem and bought two beautiful blown shells.

We had reservations for entrance at Basilica di San Marco, so we were able to go right in without waiting. Www.alata.it Absolutely make a timed reservation. It is of no cost, and the lines were horrific. This is truly a gorgeous church and worthy of a visit. Again, DS loved taking pictures. He was particularly enthralled with the ceiling. The mosaics are amazing. Make sure to see the Pala d”Oro, the altar screen covered in precious stones.

We went around the corner to the Hotel Danieli and went to their rooftop restaurant for lunch. What a perfect spot. Outdoors, looking out over the Grand Canal, with a beautiful breeze.
Lunch was pasta with porcini and fresh crab for me, rissotto with mixed seafood for DH, and breast of duck for DS, DH and I shared a ½ bottle of Veneto Pinot Grigio. All was wonderful, but at a cost. 187E for lunch.

We had made plans to do a three and half hour tour of Murano, Burano and Torcello. This leaves right outside of the Danieli Hotel, where their ticket booth is located. Cost was 54 E for the three of us. The ferry left at 2:30, along with many other tourists. First stop was Murano, a quick glass blowing demo, and then very quickly escorted to the showroom. DS thought it was very cool how we had our own personal shopping assistant. I explained this particular form of marketing to him later. He picked out a little whale as a souvenir and was quite happy with his selection.

Next stop was Burano, where we left the group and wandered around by ourselves. We had about an hour , so had time to enjoy some of the side streets, and a quick glass of wine. This is definitely an island to explore the next time we visit Venice. Next stop was Torcello. What a beautiful and colorful island. Not nearly enough time to explore, as DS spent most of the time looking for an acceptable bathroom. Fortunately, we found a little wine bar, that worked out well for all of us!

DS enjoyed the tour, as it kept moving, but for DH and I, it was barely a taste of the islands. I would love to spend a full day or more exploring Torcello and Burano. Just add it to the list of what to do the next visit.

By the time we got back, we were all tired and decided to “picnic” in our room for dinner, as we had such an extravagant lunch. As we made our way back to the Dorsoduro we picked up our supplies along the way. We bought a selection of cheeses and salamis, olives, marinated mushrooms, bread and crackers. DS and I went up to the room while DH went is search for a nearby wine shop. He found a busy little place just over the bridge from the hotel. He came back with a plastic liter bottle filled with their house Pinot Grigio for 3 E! Just bring the bottle back and they will fill it. Just great. Total cost for dinner 10.50 E . Pretty much made up for lunch and the view form our room made it priceless.

This was a very busy second day, but pretty close to perfect. Will try to write more tomorrow, but it is first day of school for DS

Ralstonlan, I'm really enjoying your report, as I'll be in Venice in less than two weeks! Can you tell me more about where Seguso Viro's shop is located, or is it something I absolutely won't be able to miss finding? Also, if you don't mind, could you share the cost of the items you purchased? Just trying to get an idea of the cost of something from a particular artist.

Looking forward to the rest of your report!

Interesting report, R.

((I))

Oh Ralstonlan, I will travel along with you throughout Italy! I know your report is going to be a joy as these first installment certainly is.
Children and Venice, they do go together well don't they? My DD loved taking photographs also, still does to this day. She has thousands of them, sigh.

Sounds like your little fellow had some jetlag the next morning, but he sounds like a great traveller, Personally I think it is so much fun to have a child to travel with. To see the world through their eyes! I love your comment how you explained "marketing" to him. Priceless! And I too only want one "rich" meal a day. That was smart to relax and picnic in your room. Imagine you all felt better for it the next day.

I eagerly wait for your next installment. Thanks for sharing your trip and your husbands 50th birthday. Hope your son has a fun and productive school year!

SusanP- If you stand in front of Basilica di San Marco, keeping it to your right, walk straight ahead and you will see his store. The price for the glass shells was 200 E for the larger, 100E for the smaller. They are absolutely beautiful, and to us well worth the money.
LoveItaly- Thanks for your comments. This is the third time we have taken our son to Europe and he is a wonderful traveler. He adores Italy and wants to know when we are going back!

August 27 Day 3

It’s 4:00 AM and I can’t sleep so what better thing to do than think about our trip.

On our third morning in Venice , after DH and DS got 11.5 hours sleep, (I was still too excited to sleep in), it was pouring out. After a nice breakfast, this time in their breakfast room, we headed out , umbrellas in hand. We walked over the bridge to the Gallerie dell’Accademia..
I had pre-booked a 10:00 admission through selectitaly.com , but it was unnecessary as it was not busy. We spent about an hour in the galleries, as this is about DS’s limit, but it gave him an introduction to Bellini, Titian and Tintoretto.

When we came out of the museum, the weather had cleared and it turned into a beautiful day, albeit hot. We walked to the end of the Dorsoduro to visit the Maria della Salute. Before we left home, I had DS research one church in each city we would be visiting. Being eleven, the first one that popped up on his computer, would be the one he would choose. He had to print out information on each of “his” churches, and tell us about them. His story for Maria della Salute was that the Venetians promised God that if he ended the plague, they would build a church in thanks. It kept him interested as he felt he was being the tour guide. I was very proud when he pointed out a Titian to me.

We walked from there to Campo Santa Margherita for lunch. Found a little outdoor spot for a light lunch, pizza for DH and DS and a roasted vegetable panini for me, 31E with wine and a soda. Poor DS was not paying attention when he reached for his soda and took a huge gulp of my wine. Putting all of his manners aside, he promptly spit it out on the ground, much to the astonishment of our nearby diners. I commented to the people next to us that he didn’t like the vintage. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, but it was pretty unremarkable. I did a sketch of the square while we sat and relaxed for a bit. There was a mask maker I wanted to find nearby, Mondonovo , which was right around the corner on Rio terra Canal. These are beautiful, handmade masks, not at all like the ones you see everywhere. We picked out two small masks, Comedy and Tragedy, to hang over our piano.

Our treasures in hand we walked to the Scuola di San Rocco to see Tintoretto’s frescoes.
Known as his “Sistine Chapel”, Tintoretto was comissioned to depict the Old Testament on the ceiling and the New Testament is depicted on ten wall paintings. Just beautiful. DS commented that “he’s not as good as Michelangelo ,though”.

After a refreshment stop, we headed over to the Santa Maria dei Frari.. This is the burial place for Titian, whose works are plentiful here. His “Assumption” above the altarpiece is very moving.

By now, we are pretty tired, but decide to keep walking towards the Rialto Bridge. Big mistake. The crowds are overwhelming and we vow to stay away form this area and Piazza San Marco for the rest of our stay in Venice. We hopped on the vaporetto to our stop at the Accademia bridge for a rest before dinner. DH fell asleep and DS was able to get in some much needed Game Boy time.

We had an 8:00 reservation at Antico Martini. We took the vaporetto to San Marco and found the restaurant fairly easily. We sat outside and had a wonderful dinner. We all shared an antipasti of salad with raw porcini and a truffled vinagrette. Wonderful! Next we shared a primi of fresh pasta with local lobster. Exquisite! For our main courses, (secondi), I had branzini (sea bass), DH had duck breast with black truffles and potatoes, and DS had sliced sirloin with red wine sauce and a spinach mousse. Dolce for DS only, a meringue filled with chocolate mousse and raspberries. All was wonderful . At a total of 312E, this was by far our most expensive dinner of the trip. Well sated we walked back to the vaporetto and back to our charming room for a great nights sleep.

August 28 Day 4

Saddened to wake up this morning to realize it is our last full day in Venice. We slept in this morning , had a late breakfast and headed out after 10:00. We took the vaporetto up the Grand Canal and got off at Ca’ d’Oro. This is a gallery of Florentine, Sienese and mostly Venetian art. The bronze reliefs were the highlight, done by Briscio.

Back on the vaporetto to the Ca’ Rezzonico. A manificent palace begun in 1667. Now a museum, you still get a feel of what life in a palace must of been like. The frescoes and paintings by Tiepolo were fantastic. This was one of the highlights of our time in Venice. The pastel portraits done by Rosalba Carriera were the most exqusite pastels I have ever seen. The top two floors were devoted to galleries. Tiepolo’s original copper plates were a real treat. The views from every window were breathtaking.

We came back to the Accademia bridge and DS picked a restaurant for lunch.:Ristorante Agli Alboretti”. Fantastic food and ambiance. Wished we could come back for dinner. We shared an appetizer of zucchini blossoms stuffed with riccota, very delicately fried. The three of us then shared two pasta dishes, one was beet parpadelle with quail, the second was gnochetti with fresh tomatoes and lobster. With wine 79E. Www.aglialboretti.it I highly recommend this place.

We walked around the Dorsoduro for a while, just window shopping and people watching. We all decided a nap was in order, as I had planned a special evening for our last night in Venice at Cip’s Club at the Cipriani.

We took the vaparetto back to San Marco and waited for the Cipriani’s private water taxi to pick us up. Their boat is an absolutely beautiful mahogany boat, very well appointed. About 15 minutes later we arrived at the hotel. Oh my! It is truly exceptional. DS wanted to know why we weren’t staying there. I explained that perhaps when he is old enough to bring his children to Venice, he can bring them there. We had time to walk around the gardens for a while before our reservation. We were seated outside, with a breathtaking view of Venice across the Guidecca Canal. DH and I enjoyed a glass of prosecco, while we decided what to eat. DS picked the appetizer for us to share. Another order of zucchini blossoms, this time stuffed with three cheese and served with grape tomatoes. Next we shared spaghetti with clams with an incredibly light pesto sauce. DS wanted pizza, DH had branzino with sliced lemons and I had grilled prawns. Washed it all down with a Soave from Fruilli. Dessert was just their almond macaroons that were as light as air. Total bill was 240 E. A bargain compared to Antico Martini, and a very memorable evening.

Next stop: Verona

Great report Rasltonian! 5 weeks until our trip to Venice and I can't contain my excitement!

Ralstonlan, Wonderful report! Thanks for the additional Seguso Viro information. I collect art glass, so it's good to know. I also have a small collection of masks (so far a couple from Mexico) and already had Mondonovo on my list. Glad to hear another recommendation for it.

August 29 Day 5

We left Pensione Accademia after breakfast on a water taxi arranged by the hotel. Only about 20 minutes to Piazelle Roma (45E) to pick up our rental car. We found the rental office (Hertz) with out too much hassle and were in our little Ford Focus in about 15 minutes. Directions in hand (I used mapquest) we set off for Verona.

After about 1 ½ hours , some of the time quite harrowing on the autostrada, we found our way into Verona. It was actually DS who found the hotel and we happily stopped the car and let the hotel park it for us. Our hotel was the Gabbia D’Oro . Www.gabbiodoro.it Our suite was ready , #303 and when we entered there was a bottle of Moet Chandon, chilled and waiting for us. Like I said before, this was a recurring theme for my DH’s birthday. He was quite pleased. The suite was very nice, but truthfully, for the price we were paying, (480E) , I was not that impressed. It was a lovely 2 room suite , beautifully decorated and impeccable service, but after our bargain in Venice, I wished I hadn’t spent quite as much for one night in Verona.

After another birthday toast, we set off to explore Verona. Our first stop was DS’s church. This time it was the Basilica of San Zeno. He told us to look for the beautiful rose window. It is of Romanesque architecture, built between the 9th and 12th C. The crumbling, multi-leveled frescoes were amazing. Thank you DS for your research!

From there we walked to the Teatro Arena. Sadly for me, there was no opera this evening, but DH and DS were relieved. The theatre was built during the time of Augustus Caesar .
I sat in one of the best seats and watched as they set the stage for the following nights performance, fantasizing of what it would be like to see Aida on this stage. Oh well, next time.
DH and DS got some very pathetic pictures of me sitting and watching, although there was no one on stage!

We found a little place and stopped for a bite to eat, a couple of pasta dishes to share, 30 E , of course with wine. Just enough. We went back to our room for a rest, as it was quite hot this day. Fortunately, the air conditioning worked great and we were able to cool off before venturing out for dinner.

Our hotel had recommended Antico Bottega del Vino , www.bottegadelvinoyc.com . This is a very popular wine bar among the locals so reservations are a must. Upon being seated, we were immediately served a glass of prosecco. We had a platter a salamis as an appetizer. Next course was taglietelle w ith grilled duck, and gnocchi verde with 5 cheese sauce-fabulous! I had branzino in a balsamic vinegar, that was the one of the best meals of the trip. (and we ate very well, as you have read ad nauseam). DH had grilled lamb with a potato gallette and DS ordered another sirloin. Not sure what this interest in beef all of sudden, except he doesn’t get much of it at home. By now DS was falling asleep at the table so we skipped dessert and headed back to the hotel for some much needed sleep. Off to Como tomorrow to take the ferry to Bellagio.

Awesome report so far. I am copying and pasting this for our trip in June. We will be with 12 and 15 year old boys. I wanted to have them research something about each city - picking a church is a great idea.

Can't wait to read more.

Ralstonlan,
I'm enjoying your trip report so much...it's like being back there. But I have to warn you--we took our daughter to Italy when she was just a bit older than your son and she's 21 now and has been there for 6 mo. and told me on the phone yesterday that if she didn't have a return ticket in 2 1/2 weeks, she might not come back here!

artlover, I was thinking the same thing so to speak. A warning for all parents. Take your child to Italy and they will keep returning and returning, LOL.

Ralstonlan, again, and I am so sincere, I am enjoying your report so very much...you have no idea. And sharing your DS adventures with us, the wine for example (poor little fellow) to having him research a church for each place you were visiting, priceless!! And may I add you have such a way with words. One truly feels they are right there with you enjoying what you were enjoying.

fun44all4- You will have a wonderful time in Italy with your children. It can br trying at moments, but well worth it. They add such much to the experience.

artlover- LOL Well, I guess if that happens I will look at it as an excuse to spend more time in Italy!

LoveItaly- Again, thank you so much for your comments. I am so happy you are enjoying reading, as I am having so much fun reliving the trip.

What a great report. Another vicarious trip for me to enjoy. Thanks.

A wonderful report. We were in Venice 16 years ago and will be returning next summer. A question though - you report a cost of 140E for Pensione Accademia for the superior triple, but when I go to their web site, the prices look MUCH higher (for instance, a superior double room being 235E). Can anyone explain the discrepancy? Was there a secret to getting such a fantastic rate Ralstonian?

Thanks,

KC

August is considered low season for most hotels in Venice. Hence, the difference in rates.

Well even if August is the low season, the Pensione Accademia website says that the rate for a superior double (not triple) in low season is 170E, not the 140E price reported by the OP. But perhaps you're right.

KC