Travel Diaries - Venice, Italy, Europe 2016 (3)
It is easy to get swept in the romance of Venice. From Salzburg, we began our next leg of the trip to Venice which is around 6.5 hours from Salzburg. We changed trains and took the fastest train to reach Venice.
We had entire two days to soak up the place. It is one of the most gorgeous and romantic places in Italy. Venice is made up of 118 islands connected by more than 400 bridges and crossed by some 175 canals. Vaporetti (water buses) are a way of life but can be pricey.
Accommodation:
We were in Venice for two days and stayed in Bauer Palladio Hotel and Spa. It is a 5-star property and there is a water taxi every hour to go to the other side (San Marco). Set in a restored 16th-century convent, this upscale family-owned hotel is directly on the Venetian Lagoon. It's 1.1 km from the 12th-century Piazza San Marco and 1.2 km from Saint Mark's Basilica. Rooms were really disappointing and not upto 5 star standards. I have written a detailed review on Tripadvisor. It was not at all worth it!
For another night we stayed in Bucintro hotel. Overlooking San Marco Basin, this upscale hotel is a minute's walk from a vaporetto stop and a 14-minute walk from Piazza San Marco. Rooms are small but we booked with a lagoon view. The breakfast was decent. Honestly, the location and cute rooms with lagoon view were the highlights of this place.
Things to do:
- Saint Mark's square is the most happening and buzzing area. Make sure you get lost on the streets of the Venice. You can just keep wandering aimlessly through the streets and alleys. In 2 days we walked around and got lost on the streets. From Piazza San Marco, San Polo Casino di Venezia, Rialto bridge to Lido.
- Don't forget to kiss whenever you go under a bridge.
- Magnificent piazza San Marco is the highlight of this place. It is the heart of the city of Venice. It was referred to as 'drawing room' of Europe by Napolean. It is St Mark's basilica (Basilica di San Marco), often seen as the living testimony of Venice's links with Byzantium; Doge's Palace, once Venice's political and judicial hub; and Torre dell'Orologio, a clock tower built between 1496 and 1506, that are, not just the square's, but some of the city's main attractions.
- When your tour of the historic buildings is over, after an hour break, you can take a 2-hour excursion by boat to the famous glass-making island of Murano, where you will be given a glassblowing demonstration. Check out Venice Free Walking Tour for all the details.
- With a little extra time in Venice, after your visit to Murano take a Vaporetto further into the lagoon for a trip to Burano Island.
- Italian Elegance
You will see it all from clothes, accessories to designer bags on the streets of Venice. I splurged on a Prada bag and some makeup items from Kiko which is an Italian brand. You will get allured by the tempting discounts during summer.
Travelling tips:
- You can skip the gondola rides! Trust me, it is a waste of money and is painfully slow. The entire city is built on canals and there are vapour tubes to go from one dock to another. Initially, it might get difficult to figure out the route but after a while, you will get a hang of it! Vapereto is the best way for a grand canal tour. As soon you reach the station you will get the introduction of the city. Make sure you take the entire 2-3 day pass to move around in the city depending on your travel plans.
- I make sure I always visit a local market or a supermarket in the city. This is the best way to soak up the place and understand their culture.
- Italians are not known for their customer service. Keep that in mind and you won't be disappointed. Even in a 5-star hotel, there won't be a live station for breakfast. Forget omelette or sunny-side ups in Italy! The only thing available would be scrambled eggs or boiled eggs. Also, no customizations or special requests are entertained.
Read the next post featuring video of Venice diaries and Culinary delights
Read more about my first leg of travel escapades here 1: Vienna Diaries
Read more about my second leg of travel escapades here 2: Salzburg Diaries
Read more about my second leg of travel escapades here 2: Salzburg Diaries
Read more about Venice here: Venice Culinary Delights
Read about 1st day in Florence here: Florence Diaries I
If you have any queries, feel free to reach out to me anytime!
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