Day 6: Venice

To start our day, we hit "snooze" a couple of times on the alarm clock, and eventually got up at 10:00 am to make the drive back to Venice. We weren't sure what to expect in Venice. We've heard some people say that it's very romantic and beautiful, whereas other people say that it's overly-touristy and that it smells bad due to the canals.

I have to say that honestly, this is one of the prettiest places I've ever been. Yes, it's full of tourists. But who wouldn't want to come here? It's got gorgeous views everywhere you turn. And it smells like a city on the sea -- salt water and people.

Before we arrived, we spent some time online checking out advice from previous people who have visited. They said the "biggest mistake" people make is paying the exorbitant fees to take a small, short gondola ride down the canals. It's true that this would be romantic, but it's the equivalent of taking a horse-drawn carriage ride down Central Park. Yes, nice. Shockingly too expensive? Also true. So instead, we dropped off our car at the airport, took a local bus into town, and took one of the larger boats from the bus station down the Grand Canal. Instead of costing 40 Euros per person, this only cost us 12 Euros per person. We also got the front & center seats on the boat, which meant we got an excellent, breezy ride down the Grand Canal. It was definitely the way to go!

We then checked into our hotel, and simply walked around. Venice is a circuitous bunch of alleys and streets making up a bunch of little islands, with bridges and boats everywhere you look. We made our way to the famous St. Mark's Square, a huge pedestrian area lined with both the gorgeous St. Mark's church and tons of tourist shops.

We stopped by a little shop that served alcohol and gelato. I got a cup filled with chocolate and lemon gelato, while Clint got a glass of whiskey. We sat in the square enjoying our treats, simply watching the people in the square for about half an hour. It really is the best place to simply sit and watch, based on my experience. We saw tourists, street performers, Hare Krishnas dancing in a circle, dogs and pigeons, and people eating a late lunch in the little cafes.

After our stop there, we walked back along the canals and alleys, toward our hotel. We stopped in a place that is known for having authentic Venetian cuisine (as you know if you've been reading this, food is a big part of travel for us). We started with a plate of local cheeses (I'm sure this is not a big surprise if you've been reading this blog). Venice is known for two food things: seafood and tiramisu. I really, really hate seafood, but part of travel is trying things, so I went ahead and ordered a seafood tortelloni. It was not good. But, I also ordered two glasses of local Venetian wine, so that helped. We then split a tiramisu for dessert, which was very delicious and covered the taste of seafood lingering in my tongue.

After dinner we wandered around a little bit more, stopped for a nightcap at the hotel restaurant, then went back to the room for the evening.

I have to say that Venice is my favorite city so far. It's so beautiful, quaint, and charming. I'm glad that we saved it for our final city in Italy. We have tomorrow morning/afternoon here as well. We plan on simply walking around, getting lost in the alley shops, and enjoying the scenery.

Below are some photos from our beautiful afternoon & evening.