Venice - a magical spell came over me.....
 

We woke up from our hotel in Cannes and had our last delightful breakfast in bed. We had to go to the train station because we had to head to the Nice airport. We definitely got to the airport way too early. It was a small airport and it was not too crowded. We waited 2 hours. On top of that, our flight was delayed 25 minutes. When the plane came onto the tarmac, I was frightened to see how small it was. It had propellers! The plane ride was short - only an hour. However, the worse part was the cabin pressure when making the descent. I got a sharp shooting pain to my head that was so crippling. I have never had cabin pressure pain like that before so I was not expecting it at all. Then, more sharp shooting pain to my jaw. Of course, my ears were completed clogged and I could barely hear anything. I was still in shock that I was having this reaction on the plane and kind of embarrassed because I was bent over in my seat. So, imagine this - I am crippled over in my seat and my husband is trying to console me but in between him making sure I am okay, he is telling me how lovely the view is. We made sure to sit on the right side of the plane so we could see Venice on the descent. So, he is thrilled at the view, I am in pain and trying to see the view for the 2 seconds that my pain subsided and then I am back down bent over with pain again. It was quite funny now that I am looking back on it. Our Aliguana ride took 90 minutes on the lagoon to get from the airport to Venice. No one seemed to mind. The sheer amazement of all lagoon, water taxis, no cards, and the appearance of a floating city was mesmerizing. The lagoon was quite choppy with all the taxis and made for a fun ride. When we got off the second San Marco stop the crowds were heavy. We just wanted to get to our hotel and we actually got to it pretty easily. We are Starwood members, to we stayed at the Westin Europa and Regina. The lobby was impressive with these huge crystal chandeliers, amazing furniture, and marble floors. We were even more impressed with our hotel room. However, I wouldn't call it a room. We actually were in a certain section of the hotel that were designated apartments. We entered into our apartment through the foyer. To our left was the spacious room and to the right was the bathroom. Our room was simply amazing. It was huge! We had a sitting room and a desk area. We had a view of the grand canal and were across from the Santa Maria Della Salute. This apartment took my breath away. What a way to start our Venice experience!

We couldn't wait to start exploring so we headed off to Dorosduro. The crowds were thinning and then it happenned - we fell completely head over heels in love with Venice. And she didn't even need to take us to dinner. :) We almost fell into a dreamlike state and couldn't believe the history that was unfolding before our eyes. It is hard to describe its beauty into words., but I will certaintly try. Every where you turn there is a picturesque canal. However, each canal is unique in its own way and seems to tell a story. We also loved the different colors and variations of each building. Not even the best architect in the world can recreate the originial feel from the 12th century. Dorosduro had a lot of residential buildings and we enjoyed wandering aimlessly through the tiny alleys and hearing the locals through the windows. I never understood what Fodorites meant when they said to wander aimlessly and now I get it. The crowds were getting even thinner and we almost felt like we had the city to ourselves. It was a surreal moment in time and I knew I needed to remind myself how lucky I was because life brings its ups and downs and I knew one day I would have a down moment and when that day occured, I wanted my memory to bring me back to this place....

Will continue this post tomorrow...it's getting late....

Yay!! Another wonderful installment.I love the feelings you portray in writing! More soon please.

I meant to type "no cars", not "no cards." That is what I get for posting a trip report really late!

Thanks for reading Kayle. Glad you enjoyed...

Jill,
Love your reaction to Venice. That is exactly how I feel every time I am in Venice. I love walking out of the train station and facing the Grand Canal. I love some of the churches that look as if they are just floating, all that weight looking so light and ethereal. It gets me every time. I also love seeing so much art work hanging in the exact place for which it was painted. Someone once wrote that when they were in Venice, it seemed unreal, but later was the most real memory they ever had. It is interesting how different people react. DH Lawrence called Venice "an abhorrent, green, slippery city." You might enjoy reading The Companion Guide to Venice by Hugh Honour. It is not a regular guide book with times of openings, etc. It is more like literature, poetic and descriptive.

Hi Jill & Todd - So Venice has cast it's spell! Well, I had better makes plans....never been to Venice but you have convinced me I am missing out big time!
Looking forward to much more. Have a wonderful time!

Glad you loved Venice Jill. I would love to go back in a less crowded time of year than July and just wander to my heart's content.

Enjoying your report so far.

Jill,

You are getting me so excited about Venice, I am taking my husband to Venice next month for the first time. I made him read the beginning of your report and you got him excited also. The last time I was in Venice was ten years ago with a broken heart. I can't wait for the rest of your trip report. Great writing!

You will really enjoy the bag you bought in Paris, somehow it is more special if you buy it in Europe.

Venice was my favorite city out of the 5 cities we visted. Will write more soon....

Thanks for taking the time to include us on your trip with these reports! I remember all your careful planning planning planning here on the forum and I'm thrilled it's working out to your expections (and more)! kindly, suze

Thanks Suze for all your advice all the way!

Jill, looking forward to more.

Aaah, add another Venice-lover to the fold. You did such a good job describing your reactions to that magical, fantastical city.

Day 1 continued....

We were getting hungry so we headed off to La Bitta, which was recommended by Fodors. This place served mostly meat dishes, which is rare in Venice. It was a small place with a cute interior of wood beamed ceilings. We actually almost passed it because there is no sign on the front. That was a good sign! If they don't need tourists, then it must be a good local place. Todd ordered a medium filet, and got a medium rare. He still enjoyed his meal along with his potatoes. I actually ordered a pasta dish because I wasn't in the mood for steak. My meal was also very good. After dinner, we went to get some ice cream in Campo Santa Margherita. It was delicious and the atmosphere was very lively. It seemed like a lot of locals from the University. It was so neat being in Europe during the world cup as there was an energy in the air. All of the local university students were watching the game and having fun. We started to head over to St. Marks Square because we heard how magical it was at night, so we purposely avoided the crowds during the day so that we wouldn't ruin the experience. Well, it was a sight to be seen during the nighttime. The way there was a light on every window on the buildings around the Piazza San Marco. It really illuminated the square. You could even peak through the 2nd floor of the Quadri restaurant and saw their waiters serving guests with their white gloves. I envisioned people dining there in the 12th century and I also envisioned people dancing in that room as well. I don't know why I saw that, but for some reason I did. It seemed liked a good place for a ballroom with proper women and gentleman dancing along the windows. Unfortunately, the basilica was being renovated and the left side was covered up with scaffolding. By far, the best part of the ENTIRE European trip was the mini orchestra playing in St. Marks Square after dark. It was the most romantic part of the whole trip. We slow danced under the starlit sky in this beautiful square while listening to some of the best classical music by the best musicians. How often do you experience this with the one you love? Sometimes the musicians switched the tempo up and played something lively and upbeat. To see so many people clapping their hands in pure happiness was another magical moment. Here we all were - all different cultures, speaking different languanges, but the universal language of music does not have borders. Some asian family was clapping along next to us and nodding their heads with us. Even though we didn't speak the same language, we both knew this was once in a lifetime experience. I made a mental note to always remember this moment - freeze it in time. I know life can get daunting at times and I can always come back to this place in my heart. At one point, when my husband and I were slow dancing , I started to tear. I know it sounds cheesy, but I couldn't help myself. I felt so blessed to have this opportunity to be in Venice, in this magical square, to be so in love, and to have good health. It was an overwhelming feeling. I always knew that life had blessed me, but this was an experience on a whole different level. There is something about musicians playing classical music that just melts my heart. We actually had a charity/work event to attend the next night and I knew it was my time to really give back. I was excited about it.

Well, we headed back to our hotel and fell asleep in the Westin's "heavenly bed." (you have to experience their bedding!) It was a perfect way to end a perfect day.

Good night Venezia....

I'm glad that you enjoyed la Bitta - it's one of our favourite places to eat in Venice. "Our" apartment is about 100 yards down Calle Lunga San Barnaba from la Bitta. I like the proud statement that they make - "No fish" - a little bit of Venetian perversity there.

We actually had a really hard time finding it and passed by it several times without even realizing it.

I could spend 6 months in Venice and not tire of it...

We're going back there in November for a couple of months. We'll never tire of it either! If you are feeling homesick for Venice, you might enjoy this:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm

Jill, we also spent a day (in late April), just walking through the Dorsoduro neighborhood and found it to be so excessively charming. The wysteria was in full bloom everywhere, the sky bright blue, about 75 degrees.

I'll always love Venice. Who can possibly ever forget a visit there?

Day 2 Venice

We started off our morning walking along the Riva Schiavoni, which is along the lagoon where all the cruise ships come in. We wanted to check out the Castello neighborhood, but wanted to check out the Hotel Danieli since that is another Starwood property. The lobby was gorgeous, however that area of Castello was so congested. I actually preferred the tucked away location of our hotel. We turned down Via Guiseppe Garibaldi and found it very charming. Then, we stumbled across a nice park and found it to be a shady refief from the hot sun. We relaxed on a park bench and soaked in all the scenary. I saw an older Venetian woman hang drying her clothes over the balcony. Then, we aimlessly walked along the lagoon and found ourselves all the way out to Saint Elena. We wondered through some neighborhoods and were never so happy to be "lost." Eventually, we headed back to Castello and had lunch at the outdoor cafe Pauolin in the Campo Stefano and we do NOT recommend this place. My lasagna was not cooked all the way through. Oh well. We know Venice is not known for its food, but we were hoping this place would be good since it was in the Fodors guidebook. We then went to s small grocery store for some water and headed back to our hotel for a rest. Todd awoke me from a small nap with a surprise. He said he went to Gucci while I was sleeping and had a purse in mind for me! So, we walked to Gucci and I picked out my amazing new purse at a significant cost savings from the US. We then headed over to the Zattere to try the best gelato in Venice at Gelato Nico. It was indeed delicious! We also enjoyed the walk along the Zattere. I found it much more enjoyable than along the lagoon in Castello. (too many people over there) We always tend to gravitate towards the lagoonside walks. The Zattere is very scenic and and peaceful. There seemed to be some amazing restaurants jetted out onto the canal.

We then continued to walk around the Dorosduro neighborhood for a bit. I really like this area. It has many small canals and narrower streets. We walked through the Guggenheim museum which was gorgeous and we even walked as far as the Santa Maria Della Salute church. The sun was beginning to set and we knew we wanted to do our gondola ride at this time. We found a gondielier named Andria "Andrew" who was a 5th generation gondielier. He took us on the most perfect gondola ride. Mostly down the smaller canals and for a very small bit down the grand canal so we could see the Rialto bridge. Sunset is a glorious time in Venice and it is my favorite time of the day to witness the beauty of Venice. The light that reflects off the water gives the buildings a special glow and everything in Venice just seems that more enchanting.

Will write more later....

Okay Jill..give it up, which Gucci purse did you get? What a nice husband. I ducked into a shop there and left my husband and son outside, found a gorgeous black patent bag I'm still in love with 2 years later, and as I was paying the bill, the saleswoman looks to the window in alarm and there is my husband shaking his head and making the throat slashing motion.LOL. I assured her it was just my husband, not some crazy person.

Reading your report brings back good memories of Venice. You write well,making us feel the romance and magic of Venice.
Can't wait to go back with my husband.

Keep writing,you are fulfilling our wanderlust until our next trips!

Hey Raincitygirl! I got the vintage web boston bag. Take a look! http://www.gucci.com/us/styles/247205FWCZG9791

That is a funny story about your husband! My husband wants to do that sometimes because I have a weakness about purses.

You have to go back with your hubby! It was my favorite city in our European vacation! It was so utterly romantic and St. Mark's square after dark with the mini-orchestra is so amazing. Amazing isn't even the word for it! I don't know what word describes a feeling of pure bliss....

I will have to start reading some of your posts now...we seem like two peas in a pod. :)

Wow, if anybody posts wanting to know why go to Venice, we can just refer them to your trip report. You convey so well Venice's magic spell.

Thanks Mimar! I have to still keep writing my trip report. I have been swamped with work.....

Jill, I share your love of Venice but you convey it so well.

A good friend of mine is dithering about going next spring. I shall send her a copy of your writings and if that doesn't convince her and impel her to book that flight, then I don't think Venice is the place for her.

Thank you for taking the time to write your reports - I have been enjoying them.

I love the bag Jill! It is totally the "old school" Gucci. You are going to have so much fun with both bags.

I want to go back with my hubby so we can slow dance in St.Mark's square....I think my son (14 at the time) would have died a thousand deaths if the parental units had done that on our family trip.LOL.

"Two peas in a pod"...I think we could be dangerous together in a shop!

You talk about freezing a moment so you can savour it always, I have moments like that from all of my trips, it is amazing how vivid they are and how they can sustain you during bad or boring times. And there is nothing cheesy about that, it just means that you really "get it". All of us who travel and are able to share that here on this forum are truly blessed.

julia_t: I so agree with you, if your friend the ditherer doesn't get inspired after Jill's trip report then maybe Venice won't be her cup of tea.

I didn't completely understand the concept of wandering in Venice and allowing yourself to just get lost there until we did it, and it was so enjoyable; it was one of those light bulb moments.

WONDERFUL wonderful wonderful report Jill!!

We are staying in June at Westin E andR as Starwood members too. How dud you et a room like that? Pure luck?Was it an upgrade for SPG members WOW!!!

Oops--i meant how DID you get a room like that?

It's always wonderful to read posts from others who love Venice as I do.

We're leaving in a couple of weeks for our first trip to Venice, so it's been wonderful to read your report. When we go to St Mark's I'll be thinking about your amazing experience there. Making memories is the most magical aspect of travelling. I hope to make a few of my own!

Two questions: Where is la bitta and are reservations required?
Is Gucci cheaper in Italy? How much cheaper?

Looking forward to the next installment....

Markland--search trioadvisor for "la bitta" ; also, here's a link to Fodors Travel Guide review:

http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/i...ew-155340.html

Markland, we also had a terrific meal at a little place over on the back canals of Cannaregio. It was called Ostaria da Rioba (Cannaregio, 2553). Food was delicious. Dining outside was perfect, especially at sunset. :)

CaliNurse - We are preferred plus members. I don't know if that had anything to do with it?? I believe they were called the Tiempolo Apartments.

Mark - we didn't make reservations at La Bitta. However, we got there early but by 7 pm the place was all filled. It is very small, so making reservations would be smart. It is very hard to find, so be aware. There is not really even a sign on the front. I believe La Bitta is in Dorosduro. Also, Gucci is definitely cheaper in Italy. I saved about $300 on my purse. Italy is going to be the cheapest prices for Gucci since that is their hometown.

Looking forward to the rest of your trip report.

Day 2 Continued...

Todd and I were enjoying every second of our gondola ride. We loved turning every corner with anticipation of what we would see next. We loved the stillness of the smaller canals which made it seem like we were the only people in Venice. We loved when people waved at us from the bridges above. We loved peeking through the windows to get a glimpse of Venetian life. Most of all - we loved feeling so alive and wrapped up in the moment. Our gondolier pointed out some sights - the house where Mozart lived, the palace where Casanova lived, and the residence of the Venetian President. He also pointed out the Opera house. The best part is when he took us down the smallest canal in Venice called Ria de Lovo. It was so small that only gondolas could fit down it. Usually on the other canals, you will find water taxis and other boats. The bridge we had to go under was so tiny that the gondolier had to tip the gondola very skillfully to the right to fit it under the bridge. We actually took the extended gondola ride fo 1 hour instead of 40 minutes so we really got to see a lot. We also got some great pictures as well. The neat part of our gondola ride was that the sun was setting and the last 10 minutes of our gondola ride was when it was dark. So, I feel like we got the best of both worlds! It was another romantic adventure. As we were walking back, we headed to our charity event. At our event was political analyst Bill Mahler. He was with this 20 something year old (mind you he has to be in his 80's) and as he was walking out of the event he actually was going to buy his girlfriend one of those fake purses that the street vendors sell! Isn't that hysterical? My husband actually talked with Bill's bodyguard. (come on....does Bill Mahler really need a bodyguard?) So far, we have seen a famous person in every city we have visited.

I wanted to end our romantic night in San Mark's square again. I can't get enough of that orchestra. Todd and I danced to Phantom of the Opera, Swan Lake, and Mozart. Simply divine. Not a care in the world - just Todd and I dancing and listening to this orchestra for the 2nd night in a row. It doesn't get any better than this. We met this really sweet couple from Miami and talked to them for a bit.

Two more days in Venice and two more nights to capture this memorable and captivating city. Or should I call it a fantasy city?

Day 4 of Venice (day 10 of our European vacation)

Today we used the vaparetto for the first time. We actually bought a 48 hour pass so we could use the vaperetto as much as we wanted for the next 2 days. We thought we would buy our train tickets now to avoid any lines on the day of our departure since we are leaving extremely early. I am so glad we did this because the lines were very long and we just went ahead and bought all of our train tickets for the rest of the trip. We were even able to buy our Switzerland train tickets. After that, we explored Cannergio. That area was definitely a lot more local Venetians. We saw a lot of little meat markets, grocery shops, etc. It definitely didn't have as grand as a feel as Dorosduro, but we enjoyed exploring and wandering. We decided that today we would explore Burano and Torcello. We took the 50 minute vaparetto ride and you can really see Burano from afar. Who could miss those brightly colored houses? We were excited to discover a new place. You could tell it was a fishing town and the contrast of colors from one house to the next was so interesting. Very different from Venice. Burano is famous for it's lace, but I didn't feel compelled to buy anything. We had a recommendation to eat at Gato Nero but it was closed for the week - the owners were on vacation. However, we stumbled across a place that was packed and had outdoor seating. It was called Cafe Vechia and we both vowed to eat fish since Burano is a fishing town. It would be a crime if we didn't. This place definitely did not dissapoint. We both ordered sea bass and it was so fresh. So fresh that they serve it with the head on. It was very good. Afterwards, we wandered around a bit and admired all the flamboyant colors. We then hopped on a 5 minute vaperetto ride to Torcello and I have to say we were not super impressed. Lots of people claimed how beautiful the countryside was out there, but I didn't see it that way. I saw it more as swampy. Don't get me wrong - I have a strong appreciation for beautiful countryside. I just didn't think Torcello was all it was cracked up to be. We went to climb the tower and that was closed. We visited the church and we had dessert at Locanda Capriani and sat in the garden area. All I could think about was Venice and how much I missed it. We really did yearn to hurry back. Venice was calling our name to come back home. :) We walked back home through Cannergio and got to our hotel and rested for a bit. We came back out at 8 pm to wander around Dorosduro for the sunset. (my favorite time in Venice) Todd of course wanted his gelato, but I wasn't hungry. So, we sat on a ledge that overlooked the grand canal and were very content. Todd eating his gelato and me journaling. We walked along the Zattere again and then turned down one street and got purposely lost through all of those small streets. (I wouldn't even call them streets) We loved feeling like we had Venice to ourselves. We also loved feeling like we were in a maze and how we discovered these little restaurants and shops with no signs out front. It really proves how different the European mindset is from American. Its the way life should be. Not so rushed and commercialized. We also loved how tall the buildings seemed when we were going down these tiny streets. It almost looks like you are going to a dead end, but lo and behold, there is an even smaller street to turn on. Then, out of nowhere, is a tiny canal with a lantern that illuminates a tiny osteria with an iron scroll sign. Gosh-it is so hard to put everything into words. It just puts a spell over you - especially at sunset and nighttime. (didn't get up for sunrise.)We then headed to the Accademia bridge. I love the view from there and we caught the #1 vaparetto around 10 pm. It was so interesting to see couples wandering down smaller canals, families scurrying around from the top floor of their apartment beneath their massive chandeliers. We enjoyed seeing the palazzos lit up at night. Todd and I just held hands under the open air and felt the breeze against our faces. Can you guess how we ended our night? Yep. Again, at St. Marks square. We both can never tire of the classical music underneath the starlit sky. I can't believe people only do a 1 or 2 day trip to Venice and never experience the nighttime magic....

Jill, for me Torcello was all about history since it was the birthplace of Venice. We enjoyed the cathedral with it's incredible mosaics too. We spent two weeks in Canareggio on our last trip to Venice and found this neighborhood the perfect place to stay..a real neighborhood, wonderful little restaurants, local shops,etc. HOwever,you really can't go wrong in Venice.

HappyTrvlr - yes, Canareggio was very neat. I also liked San Polo and Santa Croce. That is the next installment of this trip report. I have to add on one more day. Venice was our favorite city on our vacation. You are right - you can't go wrong in Venice.

Hi Jill--I really enjoyed your view of Venice, especially since we came to it so late in our "Europe trips" listings and shared your same enthusiasm. I will tell any young couple that for a honeymoon trip, it IS the place. And let me also tell you that I love Rome, I love Paris, I love oodles of places. Venice is just a no-brainer!!!

ttt

Hi, Jill - Enjoyed your trip report as we are headed to Venice May 2011. Did you report on Lake Como? Did I miss it? Which hotel did you book there and what did you think of it? Would you have chosen the same place again, or another village? We are pondering heading by train to this area after Venice and then perhaps to Cinque Terre and are trying to decide where to spend our time after Venice but before Rome, our only 2 definitive stops.