Venice Part 3
A Venetian Goodbye: Last Walks, Last Views, Last Pizza
Day 4
Breakfast went down very well on our fourth and final day in Venice due to the fact that we walked 7 miles on day 3! And there was still more where that came from.
The weather was still rather rainy, not quite as biblical as the day before, but the forecast was for the sun to make an appearance around lunch time.
We checked out, left our bags and took a short walk to decide if we wanted to change our plan for the day. Originally, we had planned to take in some art at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection but there was still more to see in Venice, so we put Peggy and her fabulous modern art on the “next time we visit Venice” list.
We took a short walk to Basilica Santa Maria della Salute which gives a fabulous view of the waterfront at the Doge’s Palace. The rain had stopped, and the weather improved across the rest of the day.
Having crossed the Grand Canal on several occasions at Ponte dell’Accademia we realised that we had not been on the water, so we took a vaporetto from the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute to Rialto Mercato which afforded us fabulous views. A lot of the buildings on the Grand Canal are beautifully decorated at the water’s edge so you can only see them from the water. We moved to the back of the vaporetto and muscled our way to the barrier to get some great photos.
Rialto Mercato was not trading but it was great to walk around the open-air market buildings taking in the ornate carvings and fabulous views across the canal.
The Rialto bridge was another short walk away and it was full to bursting with tourists wanting to get a photo or two. Now I am quite old school when it comes to taking a photo, I am a child of the “point and click” generation. But there are others who are far superior in their photography skills especially when it comes to taking a photo of their friend/partner/family member. There were lots of people looking wistfully into the distance, and some very interesting angles for the shot. The assumption we reached were that the skills on show were for one purpose only … social media.
Rialto Bridge is a mainstay of the Venice tourist trail. It is the oldest of the four bridges across the Grand Canal and in its current form it was constructed between 1588 and 1591 by architect Antonio da Ponte, after a design competition that even included Michelangelo. Its bold single-span arch design was considered risky at the time. It features two rows of shops along its sides and a central walkway, making it both a crossing and a commercial hub.
After crossing the bridge, we meandered around streets and piazzas of Venice coming across stores for tourists as well as locals, churches open to show their religious art as well as empty pews for quiet contemplation, restaurants and bars springing into life to feed the hungry hoards.
We stopped for late afternoon pizza and an alcoholic beverage or two to keep our spirits up as our last afternoon in Venice was rapidly running away from us. We also stopped off for an espresso and a desert sharing plate as we chased the last of the daylight.
The weather had improved significantly, and the sky was mostly clear. We made our way towards Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo and the setting sun - it did not disappoint. The early evening sun was throwing beautiful light on the Istrian stone buildings that line the boardwalk on the south side of Dorsoduro. It was busy with tourist and late afternoon commuters making their way to a place of rest from their busy day. On the other side of the water, Giudecca district was showing off.
Begrudgingly we made our way back to the hotel and grabbed our bags. Our journey back to the airport was the reverse of our journey on Friday evening - a 20-minute vaporetto ride and express bus got us to the airport in plenty of time. There were a few queues but nothing to write home about and before I could say arrivederci I was fast asleep on the plane – the emergency espresso at the airport did not do the job!
All in all, Venice in mid-November was a fabulous idea. It felt less crowded than the scenes others described in reviews and travel blogs. We made the right decision to book tickets for the main attractions from the actual main attractions (the Google results page was skewed towards retailers who on closer inspection didn’t look legitimate). It may be wise to look at the Venice City Pass as it can be more affordable especially if you are doing the full Venice experience.
Venice is extremely walkable especially as there are no cars, bikes or scooters to concern yourself with. The most we had to navigate on the wide pavements and piazzas were deliveries to hotels, restaurants and shops and large slow moving walking tours. The vaporetto network works like a charm and is an affordable way to see the ornately decorated buildings that face onto the Grand Canal as well as giving your feet a slight rest, but my advice is to get a window seat or move to the back for a great perspective. We investigated purchasing a multi-day pass but instead went for the tap to ride approach. I am sure you have come across it but for those who have not, at each vaporetto stop locate the contactless reader and tap your card or smartphone/smartwatch; there is no need to tap out when you end your journey. The system automatically calculates the best fare for your trips over a 24-hour period, so if you take multiple rides, it will charge you the equivalent of a day pass instead of the sum of single fares.
The weather was varied but not impossible to deal with, with the correct apparel and an umbrella. I would say that comfortable shoes are a must, I went for my Sorel snow boots which are warm, light and waterproof (the latter being the most important when being on or near water).
We were never hassled by anyone nor felt unsafe. We were left in peace to wander the streets of Venice with a smile and a nod from the locals and fellow travellers. And I am confident you cannot get lost in Venice, there is always something to see around a corner and you are always enroute to somewhere fabulous.
Nothing was too expensive, maybe except the drinks at Harry’s Bar. Everyone was helpful and seemed to appreciate our patchy Italian. We used a mix of cash and card payments gauging what was appropriate at the retailer or restaurant.
The hotel was fabulous, and I am forever grateful for the lift to the top floor to help with the bags. I used the stairs as a warm up/cool down for the day and in hindsight mostly due to the moans and groans at the end of a long day, it wasn’t adequate. The location was perfect – close enough to all the main attractions whilst also being peaceful and creating a feeling of being a local, if only for a few days. The breakfast offering was comprehensive; fresh brewed americano delivered promptly to the table, a comprehensive tea selection, cooked and cold breakfast staples with a smorgasbord of yoghurts as well as granola made on site. The happy hour Aperol was more than adequate as was the cicchetti selection. The staff were exceptional, polite and helpful from start to finish – nothing was too much bother. Remember you will need to pay the visitor tax on check out.
There was more to see and do than we could fit into this trip so a return visit will be booked.
Venezia, sei spettacolare! Alla prossima.
Until next time, Susan
Places We Stayed and Visited
Hotel American Dinesen Fondamenta Bragadin, 628, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy
Bar da Gino Dorsoduro, 853, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy
Corner Pub Calle de la Chiesa, 684, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy
Ristorante San Trovaso Calle Larga Nani, 967, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy
Harry’s Bar Calle Vallaresso, 1323, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Taverna San Trovaso Calle Contarini Corfù, 1016, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy
Basilica di San Marco P.za San Marco, 328, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
Palazzo Ducale P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Campanile di San Marco P.za San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Vetreria Ducale Fondamenta Andrea Navagero, 76, 30141 Venezia VE, Italy (Murano)