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.