Posts Tagged With: Venice

Today was our second full day in Venice and it promised to be full of sunshine and very warm once again. Because we’ve been to Venice before we have already done a lot of the ‘must do’s’ such as St Marks, The Campanile, The Rialto etc etc. So we wanted to do something a little different. We decided on a little trip over to the island of Burano, famous for its lace making and colourful houses. We could have gone to the other famous island, Murano, that’s the one famous for its glass making but it seems to be more industrial and perhaps less picturesque.

After breakfast at the hotel overlooking the canal we set off determined not to overdo it quite as much today. We’d managed 21000 steps yesterday so a sit down on a water bus would be nice! We walked upto Fondamente Nove to catch the No 12 water bus. It only took about 15 mins with the aid of Google maps to guide us through the narrow alleys, over bridges and through lovely piazzas. It was very much easier than 20 years ago when trying to find our way around, with a good old map, was completely pointless. We arrived at the Bus Stop and easily found platform A where the No 12 leaves from. There was already quite a queue gathered and we only had to wait about 10 mins for the 11-10am bus. It arrived on time and on we all got. Jane and I got seats next to a window but it was really hot and sticky on the boat and very little breeze. The trip takes about 40 mins stopping at Murano first and then a smaller island where only the locals got off. The views across the lagoon are very pretty and it was exciting to see the mountains as a backdrop as we will be heading towards those next!

Once we landed on Burano it seemed very pleasant and our priority was to buy some water. Then we wandered with the crowd through Lace Alley down to the colourful canal side houses and shops. It was really pretty and relatively quiet. We took loads of photos and found some quiet corners. We decided to have a beer at a small cafe by the canal side and I did a sketch of some of the houses. After a while a nice Canadian couple got chatting to us. He’d seen me painting and wanted to take a picture of me and what I’d been upto! He said he’d never seen anyone else doing what I was doing. Basically, using collage, paint and a pen to create a colourful scene! It turned out they were newly Weds on their honeymoon. Bless.

Once I’d finished we wandered around a bit more and by now it was much busier. We popped in some of the shops and bought some glass items but I didn’t buy the colourful 170 euro shirt I tried on. We walked into the main square which we’d managed to miss earlier. It was full of colourful cafes and absolutely packed with people. It was all a bit much so we decided it was time to catch the bus back! We’d have stayed for another drink but no one was interested as they only want to serve you lunch.

So back on the No 12 we went…it was handily waiting for us. Much more crowded on the way back but we still got seats next to the window. There was a medical emergency part way across when the young chap sitting behind Jane cut his finger and then passed out at the sight of his own blood! He looked terribly unwell and his poor girlfriend did a great job of trying to cool him down. The staff on the boat were also helpful and arrived with a huge plaster for what was actually a very small cut!

Back at Fondamente Nove we headed towards the Rialto Bridge as Jane wanted to make sure we saw it whilst we were here. It got busier and busier as we got closer and we found a couple of great Instagram spots to take photos.

Afterwards we found a cafe for another beer and a sketch down below the bridge and looking across the Grand Canal. It was complete madness all around with people, pigeons, menacing gulls and boats big and small racing around but it was nice to escape for a moment into my paints!

Now it was time for something to eat and we had our tea in reverse! Starting with pudding , we joined the queue for gelato at ‘Suso’. If people were prepared to queue that much then surely it must be good. Apparently it is ‘an unmissable ritual’ when in Venice. Or so their website says. They don’t have ice cream flavours they have ‘proposals’. Well my proposal was a ‘Mimosa’ which was Ricotta cheese, lemon cream and butter shortcrust pastry chunks. I scored it 9/10 delicious but surely could still be surpassed. Jane chose a ‘Sosu’ proposal which was toffee, caramel and more caramel and toffee. She scored it 8/10 , very good gelato but no surprises!

Then we moved on for our main course to a tiny place called ‘Baci and Pasta’. A takeaway pasta and gnocchi place. Family run it offers 4 different types of pasta, 3 types of gnocchi and then 3 different sauces. It’s all freshly made and served to you in a cardboard container. We stood at the window and ate ours as all the young people had taken the perches at the base of the fountain outside in the piazza! Very tasty it all was too!

After this we skipped home to our hotel ready to spend the rest of the evening chilling out in our lovely air conditioning. We need an earlier night as tomorrow we are catching the train to Lake Garda.

Jane and I came to Venice many, many years ago!! And here we are returning once more. Last time we came it was February and absolutely bitterly cold but we had a fabulous time because we happened to be there when Carnival was on. This time it’s September and very different. Ever since visiting I’ve always said that this is my favourite city in the world, alongside New York. I justify this by saying that you can’t compare the two.

Well this time around we’ve been here just two days and Venice has certainly lived up to my hype. It is so beautiful. We are staying away from the main madness in Castello. Our hotel is Liassidi Palace and it’s on the Rio de Greci. We arrived by water taxi which delivered us right into the lobby of the hotel. When we last came (maybe twenty years ago) these water taxis drove you straight from the airport to the city but now you have to get a limousine car part of the way. Still the ride in the boat is fantastic and we felt like royalty as we sailed up the tiny canals and under bridges filled with tourists. Venice Film Festival only finished yesterday so I guess people were thinking we were Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Lady Gaga or Nicole Kidman!

After settling into our hotel we ventured out on what was an extremely hot and muggy afternoon. However, it was stunning and a thousand photos laters we came back. We had dinner in a lovely cosy restaurant early and a nightcap back at the hotel. In the evening it rained quite heavily but we managed to avoid it,

Today was my birthday and we have spent it wandering all over Venice after I’d opened all of my cards and read all my messages etc. The sun was shining and it was a very warm day. We walked from our hotel down to the front passing all the gondoliers, the street vendors and artists and taking in the Bridge of Sighs. We briefly visited St Marks before meandering our way along to the Academia Bridge. We had sneaky peaks of the Grand Canal along the way. By now we were in need of a coffee but we couldn’t agree on where to visit so we didn’t stop. Big mistake…we wandered on in the boiling heat getting grumpier and grumpier by the minute. We crossed the Academia Bridge and then walked straight across Dorsoduro to the other side in the hope that there would be cafes over there.There was nothing so we walked along the waters edge right to the end of the peninsula at Dogano. Unfortunately, due to global warming there seemed to be a very high tide and water was lapping over the path. We carried on anyway and got our feet completely soaked. At the end the views back to the city were great…thank goodness.

On our way back we finally found a lovely spot for a drink by a quiet canal but now it was time for beer and not coffee! Very splendid it was too. Next I navigated us to the Hard Rock Cafe just of St Marks Square so that Jane could buy her shot glass. The place had only been opened for 15 years so wasn’t here last time we came. St Marks Square itself was now under about 10 cms of water. From here we walked back to our hotel where we collapsed exhausted.

I gave Mum a ring on FaceTime and it was lovely to catch up on my birthday. Then it was time to venture out again. Jane had booked a restaurant but it was 30 mins walk away and we didn’t really feel up for that. Instead we caught the fabulous No 1 Vaporetto which took us up the Grand Canal to Saint Toma. We had a little mooch about because we were early and then took our place on the romantic balcony for four. It was lovely and the Bardolino wine was perfect along with our gnocchi, Escalope Milanese and Jane’s fillet steak.

Back home we came on the No 1 bus in the dark and an easy wander back to our lovely hotel. What a lovely way to spend my birthday!