:: VENICE ::
we flew into Venice to kick off our 2 week Italian adventure.
we weren’t sure what to expect, because Venice probably was the least “oo’d and aah’d” about place by far from everyone. we didnt have too many restaurant recommendations or anything like that… people had said it wasn’t the best food and that it was super, super expensive, blah de blah.
and yet, other than the amalfi coast, Venice was our favorite.
we loved, loved, LOVED Venice.
we landed at 9 AM after a lengthy 9-ish hour flight where the sleeping pill I took DID NOT WORK.
(don’t even get me started….. after finally getting the balls to take said sleeping pill for the first time, Kip and I were awake constantly, and he informed me that is definitely not how the ambien should work. so I had some wine and did the best I could. sleeping mask, neck pillow, ear plugs all we wonderful).
anyyyyyyways, we landed at 9 AM and after about a 45 minute ride on the blue line water bus, we hopped off at San Marco stop and found the hotel super easily. even the public transportation is enjoyable here – you’re on a boat with views galore!
exploring Venice and just wandering was so incredible. there is so little to see (compared to places like Florence and Rome) that it was wonderful to just wander around, look at the beautiful buildings and squares, and admire the insane water views everywhere you looked.
we were both stunned with how beautiful it was.
was it expensive? yes. was it our favorite food of the whole trip? no, but we did have some very delicious meals at the random places we stopped at, and especially with nothing to compare it to we loved it. was it crowded? yes and no, not at all compared to florence or rome, and the majority of the time it didn’t feel crowded at all – only at st. marks during the height of the afternoon for example. was the gondola a rip off? YES, but who cares we loved it!!
everyone says you don’t need more than a day or two there, and while I would agree, we were very sad to leave. we could have sat along the canal and drank and ate and people watched, or sat outside any of the little restaurants in any of the dozens of little squares and been so happy.
it poured rain later in the afternoon our first day there, and we sat and waited it out with cocktails and lunch. later on it did another heavy, but quick shower and the place we ducked into, right next to The Accademia, was filled with several gondoliers drinking right next to us. we knew we had accidentally stumbled into the right place! when the rain stopped and we stepped out to a gorgeous rainbow and an even more beautiful view from the bridge.
…. more of me chatting about where we stayed/what we did
following some/ a lot of pictures !
I’ve never enjoyed a rainstorm so much in my life!
hiding out from the second rainstorm with the gondoliers!
the little bar we tucked into was right here next to the Accademia.
we took this photo on our gondola ride. this is a great example of where things can get a little packed. the tiny bridges that are close to the busier parts of Venice can get very backed up at times, but other than moments like this we didn’t feel like it was crowded.
in Harry’s Bar after our gondola for a Bellini
this is me on the water bus towards the train station to leave, and even this was as great as a gondola ride to soak in all the views of the city.
:: where we stayed ::
WE LOVED THIS HOTEL. so much. the location was incredible.
we got off at the san marco stop and it was less than 5 minute stroll to our hotel, but still far enough from st. marks square to be quiet and quaint and tucked away. and just next to our hotel entrance were some gorgeous shops like Burberry, Bvlgari, etc, so the window shopping on our way in and out of the hotel was an added bonus.
Sergio who ran the front desk could not have been kinder or more helpful. he was truly one of the nicest people we encountered on the whole trip in terms of hotel staff. their rooms were beautiful, with views overlooking their courtyard. their courtyard alone was so stunning. I could not recommend this hotel more. the price, the location, the staff, the breakfast, ALL OF IT.
(a few of our pics, and a few from trip advisor that show the beauty of the hotel much better below!)
the entrance is tucked down this little walkway and is so adorable.
our room was a great size with beautiful Italian touches, like the murano glass.
how beautiful is this courtyard ?
eating breakfast out here was so, so nice!
:: where we ate ::
I didn’t write down a single name of a place we ate 🙂 well, I did, but I threw the map out that I wrote them on. Whoops. We wandered for most of our meals, and our second day ate lunch and dinner at the same place because we liked it. We did, however, really love our food – we didnt go too crazy and stuck with the basics. Oh, except one shrimp cocktail we had at a place along the grand canal that had us never order shrimp the rest of the trip. We washed it down with wine and all was fine 🙂
:: what we saw ::
St. Mark’s Basillica
beautifully covered in Gold, it was incredible to see. we booked tickets ahead online to go in at a separate entrance. I was able to light a candle and say a prayer and it was a favorite moment for Venice.
Doge’s Palace
so large we couldn’t believe it. quatrefoils galore everywhere. especially as one of the first sights for us to see, it was beautiful.
The Accademia
we went here in the morning our second day here. it was not crowded at all since we went early and was easy to go through quickly.
Rialto Bridge + Grand Canal
we had afternoon cocktails on the canal near the bridge twice while we were there, it was perfect views of the Regatta and people watching
Rialto Bridge + Grand Canal
we had afternoon cocktails on the canal near the bridge twice while we were there, it was perfect views of the Regatta and people watching
Annual Regatta
the weekend we were there happened to be the weekend of their annual regatta down the grand canal which was very fun. boats with bands playing music was a fun addition to the regular sights on the canal.
Gondola Ride
despite our best efforts, because of the Annual Regatta, being selective with the Gondola was more difficult than we thought. We had wanted to do a sunset ride, but ended up hopping in one when it was free and our Gondola driver was less than wonderful. still, it was great. it was 80 euros and he definitely didnt take us for longer than 20 minutes and he definitely didnt take us down any of the beautiful canals 🙂 oh well. OH and he didnt even wear his striped shirt, he had it stripped off from him sweating and just a wifebeater on. oh yeah. it was PURE ROMANCE people.
Harry’s Bar
18 euro Bellini’s? after the 80 euro gondola? What the hell, it was fun!
Walked, and walked, and walked
best part of it all was just wandering around. We took 30,000 steps one of the days we were there according to my old school pedometer that I tried to keep on me most days of the trip.
:: a few things I learned to share ::
when you land at the Venice airport, there will be kiosks for purchases tickets for the water bus. the kiosk is confusing and doesn’t work. just walk out to the water and there will be a ticket station with a person that speaks english and will make sure you are going the right way. this was much easier!!
for train tickets, the only time the whole trip a train was sold out for us was the early morning Venice train. Our friends who had traveled before us experienced the same thing. We were still able to leave about an hour and a half after what we had originally planned, but perhaps book the Venice train more than one day in advance if you can. the rest, we were fine.
** I did some updates to my packing post after some questions/comments.
any questions or comments about Venice I will answer and update the post as well 🙂 **
for legit gorgeous Venice photography, check out Classy Girls Wear Pearls.
She just got back from a trip and her professional photos are far superior to mine in capturing the beauty of Venice.
Venice, we love and miss you. Terribly.
I went to Venice in college while I was studying abroad and I have wanted to go back with my husband for the longest time!!! Tucking this post in my back pocket until we're ready! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
We're planning our trip to Italy right now and experiencing the same thing – Venice is always the city people keep telling me to skip, but I think it looks so beautiful – especially after seeing these pictures! I would love to fit it in if we could, it just seems like such a unique place to experience.
Ditto BLovedBoston – was lucky enough to visit Venice twice while studying abroad, and it was my favorite experience. It is such a beautifully unique city and I was in awe of the history, sights, food, everything! Thrilled that you had such a wonderful trip there, and love your trip recaps!
Keep your Italy Posts coming please. We are trying to plan of next year and can use all the recs. : ) Love your blog!!
I remember my first trip to Venice – coming off the train and heading down to the water bus station. I rounded a corner and had my first view of the dappled sunlight on the water and the buildings. My heart stopped. I've been in love ever since.
Susan
u so perrrrtaaay