Welcome to Venice, Italy - not Venice, California! After missing Italy in 2020, I finally planned my big Italian adventure. My first stop was Venice, but I actually recommend starting in Rome and ending in Venice. I did the opposite and felt it would be better in reverse. Nevertheless, Venice was an amazing city worthy of its status among global destinations. There is just nothing like it, except of course the Venetian in Las Vegas!
Our long flight landed early Sunday morning in Venice. I flew from Sacramento to Dulles then to Venice. Both flights were long, and the photo shows we landed without a jetway requiring us to walk down stairs and wait for a bus. Passport control was simple, and I was on a bus to Venice in a few minutes. The short ride was a fun introduction to Italy winding through a few small towns then finally seeing the city across the lagoon. My hotel was right next to the bus stop and train station making connections very easy. Travel Hack: hotels will hold your bags if you arrive early or check out late, and there are many places that charge a small fee to hold you bags too.
My first day in Venice immediately started walking along the canals to the main Accademia art gallery which was mostly a bust. Church bells were ringing on an early Sunday morning, so it was fitting that the Accademia was full of old church art - pre Renaissance religious art - that is very common in Italy in museums and churches. A much more interesting museum was the Peggy Guggenheim museum right on the Grand Canal with more modern art and a very beautiful compound with a nice restaurant. My first real Italian meal of pasta with red pesto and almonds. I quickly learned that the Italian protocol is to sit down at an open table, order your food, then walk to the counter to pay when you are done. It's a little weird at first, but ultimately makes a lot more sense than the American way.
The museums are located across the Grand Canal from St. Mark's Square which is the center and most recognizable part of the city. It was quite impressive to be standing next to the water in front of one of the world's most recognizable landmarks. Boats were zooming by and the scene was what I'd hoped for. It was time to take a traghetto back to the hotel - water bus for us - and get ready for the Venice Film Festival.
I planned my trip to coincide with a few festivals including the famous Venice Film Festival. After a long wait, I was able to snag a ticket to a premier of The Souffleur starring Willam Defoe. The movie was artsy and boring and not the best thing to watch in the dark with major jet lag, but I managed to stay awake and saw Willam in the audience with the whole movie team! The energy of the festival was cool with lots of locals and tourists crowing the area. The facility is in Lido which is an island with many beaches facing the Adriatic Sea which made it nice to see and help keep me up. A quick gelato stop then back onto the boats for a ride back to Venice.
I got back to St. Mark's Square and had some time so I walked through just after sunset. Night was amazing with piano and instrument bands playing at restaurants and all the lights coming on for the dark. A friend recommended getting lost in Venice, so I just wandered around back streets until finding a water bus stop back to the hotel. My phone was set up to operate normally internationally, so I had full map access on my phone which made navigation very easy. Most places use mobile payments too, so I rarely needed Euros. Long and fun first day!
The first night can be rough adjusting to a new time zone. I was able to stay up late which made the next morning a bit easier. My plan was to hit Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica before an evening dinner tour. My palace tour included a behind the scenes tour of the prison and offices before seeing the more lavish areas. Venice is quite ornate and very beautiful. I stopped at a nice pizza place between landmarks for a delicious pizza with pistachios and mortadella. Don't expect a pepperoni pizza here! However, I do recommend getting LOTS of water at meals and espresso. It is easy to find water and caffeine all over Italy, but it's extra convenient during your meal.
St. Mark's Basilica - or Basilica di San Marco in Italian - is one of the most ornate churches around. It was the pinnacle of the excess in Venice showing off the riches of the ruling class and trade with the East. Inside was nice and showy, but a quick walk. A lot of famous buildings in Italy are tied to the Catholic Church requiring a lot of biblical and dogmatic understanding to appreciate. Make sure to buy timed tickets in advance to all attractions to save precious time. Thanks Rick Steves and my Aunt Karen for recommending him!
Even the ambulances are on the water in Venice! My second night in Venice began with a walking dinner tour. I joined a group of mostly Americans on a progressive dinner. We stopped at several places for small bites and drinks including Venetian tapas, risotto, and of course gelato. It was nice walking around the locals part of Venice and learning some history with fellow travelers. I combined both independent and group travel on this trip. Italy is well known for its food which I cover in more detail in my dedicated post on food and culture.
 |
| Me at Venice Film Festival |
 |
| Doge's Palace Prison Cell |
 |
| Glass Window in Prison |
No comments:
Post a Comment