I want to share my passion for travel and empower you to see the world. I've traveled in more than 25+ countries, flown millions of miles and lived in China. A professional at both business and leisure travel, I can coach you to spread your wings and experience the best of what the world has to offer. I hope my blog posts help inspire you to take that first step and start planning your next adventure but, if you need more personalized help, please contact me directly.
My Italian immersion consisted of living in the cool Oltrarno neighborhood in Florence this past fall for two glorious weeks. The Oltrarno is where the locals live on the other side of the Arno River opposite from the Duomo and the major tourist attractions. If you like absorbing the culture of a place you visit, I highly recommend staying in an apartment in a local neighborhood for more than a few days. It. Was. Awesome.
Every day I would notice how the Italian lifestyle differed from the US lifestyle I am used to living. One Sunday, with the windows wide open to enjoy the sun after a rainy morning, I sat writing and listening to the bustling street life. Families were out in force socializing in the public park nearby. There was a sports clinic for kids taking place with loudspeakers rotating groups of kids from various interactive stations to try out everything from karate to dance to basketball to wresting to soccer. Add in the frequent church bells, loud motorbikes screaming down the cobblestone streets, the guy on the accordion serenading the neighbors and generally loud animated Italian conversations and taking that afternoon nap was not going to happen. So, when you can’t beat them, you join them at the gelato shop!
Visiting the local gelato stand was a religious experience, serving so many delightful flavors. But for us, it was salted caramel for me, and blueberry infused chocolate for Thom. Really, best gelato/ice cream I have ever had in my travels around the world. One local gentleman rode his bike to grab some gelato with his 4 (?) pooches piled into multiple baskets (see picture below). They were quite the stars with people taking pictures of the loaded bike. Beware of the many “tourist” gelato places in Italy. If the gelato is piled high on display with vibrant colors beware-it’s not authentic gelato. You want to look for the local shops where the gelato is in metal containers with lids to keep in the goodness. Trust me. Also, if you walk buy a cafe offering $1euro take away wine, go for it. There is no bad wine in Italy.
We loved to walk the park on the next block and enjoyed seeing all the kids playing and the parents chatting while the older folks sat on the benches and chatted. Unlike in American where everyone pulls into their garage and you never see your neighbors, here in Florence everyone is very social and engaged with their community. At the cafes, you see the families eating together at big tables enjoying food and conversation versus looking at their phones constantly. Imagine having focus on a person rather than an electronic device. How refreshing!
It was still hot when we were there in September. Most European apartments don’t have air conditioning but ours did, though just wall units in the bedrooms because, as my ARBNB host said, “You are American so you will probably want a/c, but we Italians just open the windows.” The a/c units ended up leaking when we tried to use them on a hot day, so we lived Italian and just opened the windows. I worked remote while were there but didn’t mind because with the shutters flung open, the view certainly beat my home office back in Idaho.
Every day the lovely lady across the street would put a rug over the windowsill and lean on it watching the neighborhood come alive. The windows were large, letting in beautiful light, but none had screens (screens on windows are very American-but I wonder about the safety with kids???). Wooden shutters are on every window you see in the local neighborhood, which you can close and still get some breeze through when there is bad weather. You can open both the glass window AND the shutter to get the breeze. We got such a strong cross breeze when we opened all the windows that doors were slamming in the apartment and floor lamps were tilting so we had to monitor window openings based on the breeze strength.
With an apartment, we were lucky to get a washer but, as in most European countries, no dryer. I packed a travel clothesline with me and strung it up between the shutters in our spare bedroom. Many apartments have clotheslines on the outside of the building. You lean out the window and pin your clothes up to dry. (see picture above of my sister when we visited Florence a year earlier) Be careful hanging up your items securely or you’ll rain panties down on a passerby. The buildings are old in Italy and the electrical systems are just as old. We were advised not to use two appliances at once or risk blowing a fuse in our apartment. For example, if we were using the toaster, we wouldn’t use the microwave. We forgot once, of course, which set off a hunt for the fuse box, which was in the lobby not in our apartment.
I often wondered how the elderly or physically challenged manage their lives here in Italy. There are rarely elevators except in modern buildings. Rarely have we ever had an elevator at an apartment or small hotel in Europe. The stairs are usually stone, steep and sloping. We are in fairly good shape but hauling our suitcases (carry-on only!) up the stairs is never fun though you do get a good workout. Bear this in mind when booking accommodations.
I can’t wait to go back to Florence. I plan on renting the same apartment, eating the same amazing gelato, drinking cappuccinos at the cafe and exploring the beautiful streets of Florence. One afternoon we were crossing over the Arno and happened upon a drum corps in full regalia celebrating a local holiday (see picture above). These are the type of experiences that I will always cherish when I remember our Italian life in the Oltrarno.
What does a perfect evening in Rome look like? Perhaps seeing an amazing sunset from the oldest bridge in the city followed by Jewish-Roman cuisine that you will be talking about long after you go home?
This past October, we strolled along the Tiber River (street level not down by the water) to get to Rome’s oldest bridge, Pons Fabricius aka Ponte dei Quattro Capi, arriving just before sunset. Built in 62 BCE, this bridge stands in its original location and its original state. Seriously, how is that even possible??? It stretches from the eastern side of the Tiber (the one with the Colosseum) to Tiber Island in the middle of the river, which is fun to walk around and serves as a great backdrop for photos. The Latin name “quattro capi” means “four heads” and refers to two pillars that each depict the two-faced Roman god Janus. (see picture below) Those statues weren’t on the original bridge but were moved there in the 14th century. Rome truly is one big outdoors art museum.
After you get tired of all the beauty of the bridge and island as the sun sets, you can take a quick walk to the Jewish Ghetto and experience amazing food. Ba Ghetto Oldest Jewish Restaurant In Rome | Kosher Cuisine Rome is where we grabbed a patio table after wandering around and seeing some of the area’s historic sites. While we were feasting on artichokes alla giudía aka fried artichokes, pasta with pine nuts, and lamb stew, we heard someone call out my husband’s name. Lo and behold a guy he went to high school with just happened to be walking by and recognized Thom. What! They had a totally unplanned and happy reunion. They hadn’t seen each other since 1974. But back to the artichokes. They were SO delicious. We are going to Milan in a few months and Ba Ghetto has a restaurant there. I’m building my Milan itinerary around getting more artichokes. Yum!
Needless to say, the Jewish Ghetto should be on every visitor’s list to experience. By the way, ghetto is a name given to a location where people were forced to live. This particular ghetto is among the oldest in the world. We didn’t have time, but I would have liked to have taken a walking tour with an experienced guide to learn more about the history of this area in Rome. Next time!
Piazza Santo Spirito is my beloved epicenter in Florence. The Oltrarno (meaning the “other” side of the Arno River opposite the Duomo) is known as the meeting place of excellence for local Florence residents. Recently, we stayed in an apartment a few blocks away so that I could experience this beautiful place on a daily basis. On the square, the merchants are selling everything you need (or just want!) from clothing to bags to hardware to fruits/veggies. The focal point of the square is the Basilica di Santo Spirito. Built in the early 1400’s, you will probably see art students with their easels from morning light to the golden hour drawing this landmark. Go inside and appreciate every nook and cranny of this preeminent example of Renaissance architecture.
The locals shop at this market that happens every day during the week on the square but, on Sundays, the market expands with even more arts, crafts and food items to buy-mostly cash only accepted. To give you an idea of pricing, I got a lightweight knit sweater for $10 euros, a vintage scarf for $5 euros, an old table runner for $2 euros-so many treasures to discover!
The cafe life is strong in Piazza Santo Spirito. We were lucky to snag a café table for our lunch on a busy Sunday. The waitress in charge was very directive in telling exactly where to sit at our four top table-she didn’t seem thrilled to have two people taking up the whole space, but we just smiled and rolled with it. The café lunch crowd was primarily locals enjoying family dinner but there were some tourists like us that they put up with. Very reasonable prices and great meals-Thom had veal meatballs on top of mashed potatoes (the Italians never serve meatballs with pasta), and I had a lovely light salad with pears, pecorino cheese, walnuts and lettuce with an aperitivo. We enjoyed watching the diverse crowd on the square out to enjoy the beautiful warm day. This is the Italian life that I miss so much when back in the US.
Hidden gem alert: Enjoy your coffee on the covered patio overlooking the square at Loggia Rooftop Bar at Hotel Palazzo Guadagni, which is also a great place for an evening cocktail. The view is awesome and it’s just a pleasant place to be. After a cappuccino or espresso and a pastry, bring your cash to the market on the square and gather food from the various vendors for dinner. I had the best figs of my life purchased from one of the market vendors-if you are in Florence during fig season (June to September), you are very lucky. When we arrived in late September, the figs were all gone. One more reason to go back to Florence soon!
When Melinda and I were planning our trip to Florence, Italy, my college buddy, Sam K., told me that he would be there during the same time. He was combining a little bit of work with the wedding of his son. We discussed getting together during our time in Florence. Shortly after arriving from Paris, Sam called and asked if we’d like to take a drive with him to visit a prosciutto di parma producer in Parma, Italy. Sam works in the food industry and this supplier was one of his customers. Melinda had work to do (and is a vegetarian) so she stayed back at the apartment in the Oltrarno and I went off to Parma with Sam, his son and his friend, the New York Cheese Chick (she does private cheese tastings in Florence!)
A pleasant two and a half hour drive through the Tuscan countryside brought us to the Tanara Giancarlo SPA production facility where we were met by the owner. Before giving us a tour of the production facility, he took us to a local restaurant and treated us to a delicious lunch that started off with a board of cheeses and yes, prosciutto. The main course was a selection of handmade ravioli stuffed with ricotta, pumpkin, and bitter greens (my favorite); homemade fruit pie and espresso finished off the meal.
Upon returning to the facility, we all donned lab jackets, hair nets and shoe covers before entering the production area. The next 45 minutes was a tour, complete from the receiving and approving of the hog legs through the multiple stages of salting the meat, washing it, aging it, deboning the leg, and finally packaging and shipping the product around the world. In total, we covered 4 floors on the production facility where they process 108,000 hog legs per year.
Finding a tour: Thom went on a private tour that isn’t available to the public-it’s all about who you know! However, you can find similar experiences on Viator depending on where you are staying. These type of immersive food experiences will make for a lasting memory of your trip to Italy. Enjoy the journey!
All Rome visitors should visit the Trevi Fountain, featured in movies, a popular backdrop for photos and truly spectacular in every way. Plus, if you throw a coin in (using the right hand over the left shoulder according to legends) you will surely return to Rome. Reason enough to visit! An estimated 3,000-euro coins are thrown in the fountain daily, raising money for Rome nonprofits to assist the needy. Don’t try to harvest euros from the fountain to pay for your vacation though because it’s against the law. See, my handy tips will save you from a visit to an Italian jail AND you will get good photos (see the one I took below with my phone!) but only if you behave!
Just a little Trevi Fountain history for you-the fountain is from the 18th-century and marks the terminal point of an ancient aqueduct. The name “Trevi” is from the Latin word Trivium meaning the intersection of three streets as it is located in the center of De ‘Crocicchi Street, Poli Street and Delle Muratte Street. Entire books are written about this iconic historical fountain so read up before you go if that’s your jam.
Spanish Steps: Walkable from the Trevi Fountain, this staircase has 135 steps between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti and is a major tourist magnet, though I was underwhelmed. It’s a staircase (see middle photo below). Meh. However, the Trinità dei Monti church at the top is a nice background to the steps and there is a lovely fountain at the base to feature as a backdrop for picture taking. Just like the Trevi Fountain, this site has been in many movies shot in Rome. Depending on when you visit, in the spring there are flowerpots with pink azaleas and petunias on the steps which make for even better pictures. It’s all about the pictures and this is the spot! Again, go early for less crowds in your shots-we were there around 9:30 am and it was already filling up.
Visiting Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps: Since these are outside sites, there is no entrance fee. Just show up very early in the morning to get some great pictures and soak in all the unique features of the fountain façade before the crowds show up and you can’t even get close enough to throw a coin in and guarantee your return trip to Rome. We arrived at 8:30 am and joined a few Instagram influencers who were taking their “money” shots in front of the fountain. I proceeded to also pose for Thom to take some memorable photos. It is lovely and I would highly recommend you take an early morning stroll to see it and then walk about 8 minutes to also see the Spanish Steps while you are in the neighborhood. Then, it will be time to enjoy the Rome café life with an aperitif. Cheers!
One of my favorite Rome experiences was wandering the Trastevere neighborhood. Meaning “beyond the Tiber”, Trastevere is located on the south side of the river away from the normal Rome tourist sites. While there are definitely tourists here, there are also locals eating and enjoying the social life. So be adventurous and immerse yourself in this pocket of charm, entertainment, shopping and food when you visit Rome. Take the back streets, admire the faded Renaissance buildings, towering Roman pines, and enjoy an aperitif at a café on the piazza while the music flows from street entertainers.
I had done some research on this area and found THE coolest shop, Elvis Lives. Two graphic designers create and stock Elvis Lives with kitschy merch featuring Elvis and branded items featuring the Italian term “Daje” (meaning Come On!). We bought lots of unique souvenirs to bring home, especially for an Elvis-loving friend. We also happened upon a pop-up gallery of artists selling jewelry, prints, etc. in a loft space. You just never know what you will find! My travel advice is to not over plan your itinerary and to leave time daily for walking around and absorbing the local culture.
We ended up stumbling upon a fabulous restaurant that had an open table. Nannarella: Nannarella – Locanda in Trastevere – Dal 1930 (nannarellaroma.it) has a great outside patio. The pasta was amazing, and we enjoyed the people watching while we ate. Probably best to make a reservation so you can enjoy Nannarella-we got lucky as it seemed very popular. After dinner, we walked a few miles back to the hotel enjoying the evening and happy that we got to explore the unforgettable Trastevere neighborhood.
The Vatican Museums that are part of Vatican City are among the most crowded in the world, sometimes having as many as 20,000 visitors in a day and recently I was one of them! Go early and don’t plan any other activities the day of your visit except aperitifs and dinner afterward. You will end your day tired and hungry but appreciative of all the beautiful art and history you have experienced. Vatican City is definitely a “must see” when in Rome.
Our early morning tour began on the street nearest the main entrance to the Vatican Museums. Our tour guide Fabi was so knowledgeable and fun. She really brought the history of the Vatican to life. I would highly suggest taking the first tour of the day even though it is an early call at 8 am to meet the group. Don’t be late or you will be left behind. Trust me, it gets crazy crowded later. While it’s busy in the morning hours with booked tours getting in early, it’s still manageable. Fabi guided us through the various museum galleries including the Room of the Candelabra, Hall of Tapestries, and Gallery of the Maps. It was nice for Fabi to offer to take pictures of us. We don’t have many pictures of us together other than selfies.
Before reaching the Sistine Chapel, you will receive a reference map you can use once inside, which is a useful resource since visitors to the chapel are expected to be silent as they observe Michelangelo’s masterpieces. Do NOT take pictures in the Sistine Chapel. And don’t use your wife (talking to you Thom!) to screen your efforts to try to take a picture without alerting the very visible security guards who are monitoring everyone’s movements.
After exiting the Sistine Chapel from a side door, we headed straight to the St. Peter’s Basilica, skipping the lines. Fabi took us to see the baroque Baldacchino, La Pieta, and other masterworks. You can go underneath the main floor of the basilica, where hundreds of Popes are buried. We finished our tour in front of the Basilica.
It’s huge-Vatican City consists of :
1) St. Peter’s Basilica – the massive cathedral
2) St. Peter’s Square – the large plaza open space in front of the Basilica. This is where the Pope will come out on Wednesdays and ride around in his Pope cart around the temporary seats that they set up. I wish we had taken the time to experience this, but we were just too tired after our Tuesday tour and our tour guide told us you had to get there very early in the morning to grab a seat. Next time!
3) Vatican Museums – a very large museum complex with many galleries hence called ” museums “. At the very furthest end of Vatican Museums is the Sistine Chapel, the interior of which represents the pinnacle of the Renaissance. The Sistine Chapel is part of Vatican Museums.
4) Vatican Gardens – the vast green park behind the Basilica which makes up the remainder of Vatican City. These green spaces covers the largest area of the city. You may be too tired to walk the gardens. We were.
Take time to check out the Vatican Post Office-Anyone can walk in and mail a post card here. It’s on the left side of St. Peter’s Square. This is also where the public bathrooms are located. Be prepared for a line.
VISIT TIPS: Bring water and snacks! Wear comfortable shoes as you will walk miles. There are hardly any places to sit down and rest. By the end of our tour, I was tired, dehydrated and ended up squatting along a wall in St. Peter’s Basilica and the security guard asked me to move, which we did directly to the nearest place that sold water.
One of my favorite experiences in Rome was our day spent exploring the Borghese Gallery and Gardens. Located in the middle of Villa Borghese Park (the third largest public park in Rome with 198 acres), the Gallery is relatively small compared to the other Italian museums we saw on our trip and two hours or so is enough to take it all. Then, take the rest of your day to discover the gardens. We got a combo pass to get into the museum and then took a guided golf cart ride around the huge park. What fun! The views of Rome are impressive (the gardens are high up on a hill) and the Roman pines are stunning.
Just because the Gallery is small doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time. Their collection is well curated and features many paintings and sculptures from Gian Lorenzo Bernini including his intrepretation of David. There are small intimate rooms, some even have benches (!) where you can sit and reflect on the beautiful art by Raphael, Botticelli, Caravaggio, and Rubens. Most museums don’t have anywhere to sit so I really appreciated this convenience at the Borghese Gallery. While I love all the “famous” art, I also appreciated the little unknown art that seemed to pop up everywhere in the quirky rooms-over doorways, on the ceilings, etc.
Our hotel was within walking distance (at least for us-a mile or two away) and we enjoyed walking down the hill after our visit and exploring the Piazza del Popolo (People’s Square) and having an aperitif at one of the many cafes. If you have time check out the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, in the northeast corner of the Piazza. I can’t get enough of all the beautiful churches in Italy-each one no matter how big or small is spectacular and unique.
ENTRY TO GALLERY
There is timed and restricted entry to keep the Borghese Gallery free of crowds so enjoy wandering through the spectacular collection of Renaissance and Baroque artwork without the typical tourist crush.
Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti) is a fabulous Renaissance masterpiece situated on the south bank of the River Arno near the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence. Named after a Florentine banker Luca Pitti, construction on the palace began in the mid-1400s and has become home to centuries of history and art. The lovely Boboli Gardens is directly behind Pitti Palace. I would recommend allowing a day for each of these Florence “must see” sites.
Purchased by the Medici’s in 1539, this palace served as the official residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and other dignitaries as time went on. Eventually, the palace was donated to the Italian people and opened to the public. If you’re a fan of Versailles, then you will love Pitti Palace-lots of gold. However, it’s less crowded than Versailles! The palace is filled with amazing art and décor divided into five museums: the Treasury of the Grand Dukes and the Museum of Russian Icons (with the Palatine Chapel), the Palatine Gallery and the Imperial and Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art (1700s and 1800s) and the Museum of Costume and Fashion. The stunner for me was the amazing ceiling art. Always look up! Not just frescoes but also ceiling sculptures adding texture and interest.
Warning don’t get too close to the precious artwork! My husband was explaining his interpretation of a large sweeping piece and his hand moved within inches of the canvas, setting off alarms and subsequent yelling by the security guard in the room to step away. Thom regularly gets into trouble at museums for this type of behavior and never learns his lesson. High fiving sculptures and walking into “no access” designated areas are also his hallmark.
Take your time, meander through the rooms, listen to an audio tour if that’s your jam and appreciate all the beautiful art. I enjoyed the Pitti Palace more than the crowded Uffizi Gallery. The location was also better for me as the palace is in the Oltrarno neighborhood where we were staying and close to lots of cafes and artisan shops to explore after our palace visit.
ENTRY DETAILS
Official ticketing page | Uffizi Galleries check online before you go because opening hours change with the seasons. You can get a daily ticket for $10 euros. We got the 5-day pass for $38 euros each where you have to get your timed entry to Uffizi first and then you have 5 days to also go to Boboli Garden and Pitti Palace and Archaeology Museum. You have one paper ticket to hold on to and show at these places to get in and skip ticket buying line. It’s very convenient and they way to go if you want to visit all these places, which I highly recommend.
Venice is a one-of-a-kind experience that takes you to a place where water and walking dominate. No room for cars on those narrow alleyways and bridges-pedestrians rule and believe me, there are a lot of tourists visiting this beautiful place no matter what time of year you go!
We left our ARBNB in Florence for a quick weekend trip to Venice in late September, taking a two-hour train ride through the lovely Italian countryside and arriving right on the Grand Canal at the Venice train station. Grab a Vaporetto, which is Venice’s water bus system, and ride around the canals to get to your hotel if you don’t want to walk or want a fun way to get acquainted with Venice.
You really only need two days in Venice unless you want to see it all-Doge Palace, museums and side trips to Burano (colorful houses and lace-making shops) and Murano (glass blowing) islands nearby. Our favorite thing to do in Venice, however, was just wandering around the less crowded back alleys and traversing the 150+ little bridges over the canals. Stunning views everywhere you look and charming shops to peer into as you walk by.
For us, Venice was all about walking here, there and everywhere. Luckily, though rain was forecast, it was lovely, and we were able to walk nine miles on Saturday and six miles the second day before boarding the train back to Florence. We went down alleyways and tried to stay away from the busy paths by the Grand Canal. Not knowing if the weather was going to turn on us, one of our first priorities was to experience a gondola ride so we found one with no wait just for the two of us (later we saw lines of people waiting later in the day). It’s a “must do” experience in Venice!
Hoping in near the Rialto Bridge, we quickly went under the bridge and got great pictures from mid-canal. Our gondolier wasn’t chatty but did point out a few sites like the Bridge of Sighs that we floated under. It is truly amazing how all the boats, whether a gondola, water taxi, speedboat, or water bus, share the canals without incident, at least none that we saw. I only saw one gondolier who was female. Hmm. How does one become a gondier? Family legacy or is there a school? Are they union or need a license? They definitely need some diversity.
Some of our best moments are stopping to look around and just appreciate where we are at the moment and take it all in. We look up at the buildings and Thom usually finds a local leaning out their window to capture in a photo. “Always look up!” is his motto and has led to many lovely memories of what we saw when we did. I always notice the animals as we walk around. Lots of dogs in Venice! I only saw one cat roaming. Speaking of cats, I bet there are quite a few hanging out at the Rialto Fish Market. We didn’t make it there, but I hear that it is quite the experience if you get up early enough to watch the fisherman bring in the catch of the day. Do try seafood at the cafes in Venice as it is fresh from the market and delicious.
Of course, you have to check out St. Mark’s Basilica with the elaborate Byzantine exterior. If you have time, go inside and check out it out. Very ornate and gold. Also note – the Basilica is closed to visitors until 2pm on Sundays while mass is taking place. You can still access the Basilica Museum from where you access the second floor terrace. As you can imagine the views are wonderful.
Aspirationally, I wanted to go to the Venice Jazz Club one night. When we walked to find it in the daylight so we were prepared, we happened to run into an employee who was coming in and he said they were sold out that night. I had emailed them (email or phoning them is only way to make a reservation) but he seemed sure I wasn’t on the list after I told him my name. Walking back to the hotel, we decided it was good that we weren’t going because getting around Venice in the dark and in the rain wasn’t a great idea at least for us. The club later emailed us and verified we did indeed have reservations after all but it was too late by then to go. We had settled into resting up at the hotel with bakery items after walking nine miles. If you do want to run around Venice at night, you might want to bring a small flashlight if you don’t want to use your phone flashlight and kill the battery. A paper map of Venice is a good idea to have too in case the phone GPS isn’t working well. Next time we visit, I’m definitely going to the jazz club!
Shopping in Venice, other than the tourist stands, is fun. Lots of art galleries, vintage shops and jewelry stores. We even ran across a local garage sale in a church courtyard when we were on a remote canal. Everything from real fur coats to glass items and vinyl. We only do carry-on so I had no room for large items and shipping internationally can be difficult, as I found out last year when I tried shipping wine home from Italy. It took months and some bottles didn’t make it. The winery actually no longer ships to the US because they have had too many issues. So back to Venice, we had fun browsing and I got a lovely very small Murano glass plate that can hold jewelry on my bureau back home. Of course, I have bought several jewelry items so far on our trip to add to my extensive collection including cute Murano glass earrings. So little time, so much jewelry!
Lunch on the canal as gondola glides by with a saxophone playing passenger.
As we enjoyed our last meal in Venice by the canal, we heard a sax playing and then saw a guy with his family in a gondola floating by us. The guy was just belting it out on his sax playing a free water concert for us. I wonder how far he travelled with his saxophone just to have this experience of a lifetime in Venice on a gondola. Definitely living his best life. Shouldn’t we all do that too? If you could do anything anywhere what would it be?
We stayed at a Marriott propery, AC Hotel, which is new and not on a canal. However, it was reasonably priced by Venice standards, which are crazy expensive. I didn’t care about a canal view and we like a hotel with modern amenities like updated electrical from this century, comfy large beds and smart TVs. A roomy bathroom with a waterfall shower and great water pressure as well as an expansive breakfast buffet are always appreciated. So AC Hotel worked well for us and was two blocks from a canal, cafes and the train station. If you want that “historic” experience, look into one of the many little old hotels around Venice but make sure you understand how you will get there with luggage from wherever you land. Also, ask any hotels if they have elevators, as most don’t and you end up hauling your luggage up steep stone staircases. They don’t do it for you. Trust me.
GETTING AROUND VENICE
Vaporetto aka water bus
While walking is the easiest way to get around Venice, taking the water bus is inexpensive and efficient. Buy your ticket at the various water stations where the bus stops or at tabacchi/newstands around town-look for the ACTV logo. A 75 minute ticket costs under 10 euros but you can buy multiple day passes starting at one day for 20 euros. Make sure to “validate” your ticket by swiping or tapping them on machines located at the water bus boarding entrance or on the boat. If you don’t validate and a security person checks your ticket, you will get a hefty fine due on the spot. It happens-I’ve seen it! Hours for the water bus run from 5 am to midnight with a few running all night because Venice does like to party. At high tide when Venice floods (plan your trip accordingly), there can be restricted service. Key routes include: #1 on the Grand Canal-good for a tour around to see the sites. Route 12 will take you to Murano and Burano islands.
Gondola
A “must do” in Venice, expect to pay 80 euros for a 30 minute Gondola ride, more in the evening. Take exact change in euros. You can get up to about 6 people in a Gondola to share the cost but we enjoyed our ride for two very much. Don’t expect your gondolier to speak English or sing to you, though it could happen. Our gondolier spoke a little English and said he would charge more to sing. We were cool with no singing and just wanted him to focus on navigating the narrow canals without incident. There are gondola stations all over Venice-if you see a line waiting just walk on by and find a gondolier that is ready to go.
Walking
Look for signs on the corners of buildings as you walk to get your bearings and get pointed in the right direction. These directional signs for the “big” sites like St. Mark’s Square are everywhere on main thoroughfares. On the smaller streets, you may wander down one way and dead end at a canal with no bridge and have to turn around-part of the experience. Be aware that there are very few benches on which to rest pretty much anywhere in Venice. In the larger squares, you just go to a cafe and pay for pricey drinks during off meal hours. If it is close to meal time, they won’t let you take up a table without ordering food too. The considerate way to get a seat at a café is to find a waiter or maitre d’ and ask to be seated. Sit down without permission at your own risk because you will get a good “talking to” by staff and perhaps even be asked to leave. Best to ask first and then, once they tell you it’s okay, order something and enjoy a rest.
Public bathrooms are scarce. Usually in almost any city I’m visiting, I walk into a hotel and use the lobby facilities as if I am a guest staying there but in Venice they are mostly tiny hotels so that was not an option as the lobbies are overseen closely by the front desk clerk. The train station is very centrally located so if you are nearby I’d use that as an option. It was very clean and cost 1 Euro coin. Or buy something at a café and use their facilities.
Accessibility is an after thought in Italy and especially Venice. We did see one bridge retrofited with ramps over the steps but all the rest had no ramps. Everywhere you go in Venice requires crossing one of the 150+ bridges over a canal. If you are physically challenged, plan ahead how to navigate Venice during your trip.
Seeing people struggle with their luggage all over Venice, plus navigating the many bridges and the dense crowds made me very happy that all we had was a light backpack for our weekend trip. If you arrive by train or air, you can take a water taxi which charges by the minute and is private so can take you right to your hotel if it’s on the canal. We also saw luggage porters you can hire who will take your luggage on a cart to your hotel. From what I have researched, this service can cost about 50 euros so it’s not cheap but if you need help, negotiate with the porters, which can usually be found outside the train station and major water bus landings waiting for clients with cash.
Getting to Venice
There is a Venice airport (you can take a water taxi from the airport to the city but it’s expensive) and, at least for now, the cruise ships stop there though there is talk that they might cut those back due to overcrowding issues. We took the train to Venice from Florence using the Trainline site to buy tickets: Trains in Italy | Buy Italy Train Tickets | Trainline (thetrainline.com). It’s just four hours from Rome to Venice by train. Of course, you can also catch a bus or drive a car but, if you drive, parking will have to be outside the city, so I don’t recommend it.
Travels with Melinda 