Update May 11, 2o15:
Today we enjoyed a great breakfast prepared by our host on the terrace, and then walked over to the Piazza San Marco, and stopped in the Museo Correr, where we bought a 10-museum pass that lets us in, er, 10 museums. After touring the museum, we wandered about and found a little place for lunch on a side canal, and then went to visit the Bassilica di San Marco, because the line was quite short for entry. Inside, we found “No Photography” signs everywhere, but people were taking photos, so we went ahead and took some ourselves. Part of the 5 euro museum entry (not part of the 10 we bought earlier) lets you onto the roof of the mid level, where we got some great photos of the square.
We walked back by a different route – got a little lost, but pretty easily found our way and discovered interesting little alleys and squares along the way. I’ll put up pictures this evening if I have energy left after we go out to dinner, and wander through the Rialto area. Walking about in the evening is really great – the tour groups are all back on their boats or in their hotels, and it’s cool and comfortable.
We found last night that our room has great cross-ventilation by the way, so slept well most of the night with the air conditioning off and the windows open. About 6:50 or so the noise of the alleys started to get to be a bit much, so I closed up the windows and turned on the air. Today when we got back, the room had cooled off and was very comfy.
Update May 10, 2015:
Wow! We’re here! Venice is so much more than the photographs show – I was really struck by how amazing it is on the way in from the airport. Of course, it helped that we had a private water-taxi arranged by our amazing hotel, the Hotel Al Ponte Antico. That meant speeding by the water bus – about 20 minutes from the airport to the hotel dock, where we were met by the hotel owner and shown around the hotel and to our room. We have a huge room by venice standards – will send photos later – but it is very comfortable and very old-Venice in feel. After we settled in, we went back down where our host gave us recommendations for our first night in town – and called to make reservations at a restaurant that was, as he put it (where we eat) – we arrived at the Al Vecio Bragosso to be met by the waiter and shown to our reserved table. The food and wine was amazing – we will be back here for another meal for sure. After dinner we wandered past the Rialto bridge and found our way to St Marks Square – which was not nearly as crowded as we expected (of course, by now it was 11:00pm). After taking some pictures, we headed back to the hotel, and are in the process of crashing now. Well, Linda is post-crash, snoring away beside me, I’m going to post this and join her in sleepyville. No early wake-up tomorrow – this will be the first day since leaving on the trip that we’ll sleep in until 8:30 or so.
Again, pictures are here and not sorted – quick shots mostly – but you get a bit of the flavor. We have 4 days and 5 nights here in Venice – much more to come.
Link to next entry, San Marino
