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Published: August 28th 2012
We got up early and checked out of the The Park Palace (I loved that place!) and took a cab to the train station. We boarded the FAST TRAIN to Venice and were there in an hour. Having never been there before, it was amazing to see the canals. I had seen pictures and video, but nothing compared to seeing it in person.
We figured out the water taxi system quickly and found our hotel, The Pesaro Palace (www.hotelpesaropalace.it). It was located right on The Grand Canal. Our room wasn’t ready so we ditched our bags and started walking the pathways and bridges of the city.
Our first stop was The Rialto Bridge. Here we took in the views of gondolas and buildings. There were no gondoliers singing, like they do in the movies. We decided that the only way to enjoy Venice to its fullest was to allow ourselves to get lost in the back streets and alleys, discovering things on our own.
We eventually came upon the
Piazza San Marco. This is the giant square in the city. We had lunch at the
Café Florian (since 1720)… an outdoor restaurant where a five piece band was
playing traditional Italian music. It was perfect for having drinks and people watching.
Once we were finished, we continued to get lost in the city as we slowly made our way back to the hotel to check-in. The Pesaro Palace was very nice. Here is how they describe the hotel on their website...
“The floating city’s first genuine boutique hotel and newest addition to the luxury accommodation family on the northern curve of the Grand Canal. The end product of a major restoration of the Ravà Giustiniani historic palace, in the heart of the world famous Cannaregio district, our expertly designed hotel combines luxury with value for money here on Venice’s main island.”
To me, the rooms looked like the inside of a bordello. The red velvet, mirrors, and gold wallpaper were a little over the top, but it certainly looked authentic. I think the Venetians were a little more overstated than the Florentines, but what do I know?
Later that afternoon, we took a boat tour of the Grand Canal. What a great thing to do when there. The cost was minimal and the sights got better with every bend in the canal.
We had dinner at an sidewalk café before calling it a night.
The next morning, we were up to do a little bit of last minute shopping. Once we were ready to go, our private water taxi pulled up and took us to the port where the cruise ship was waiting for us. When we boarded, we were told that we were the last two passengers to check in... Keep them waiting, I say.
10 days on the Mediterranean coming up!
I love my life!
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nerene and al
non-member comment
For old times sake!
As you stood oh so close to the edge of the canal in Venice, I expected the next photo to be you falling backwards into the water as your best impression of Kate Hepburn in "Summertime".