Venice

This is the place of Sues 60th birthday and as such we booked a boutique hotel room for two nights next to the famous Rialto Bridge. Our most expensive accomodation so far. However you only turn 60 once.

We took the water ferry to the hotel and on the walk to the hotel Mark was pick pocketed. They managed to get two bank cards and about €40. Luckily we figured out within minutes what had happened and locked both cards without them being used. So all good.

The Hotel.. Well! This was sheer luxury. We had a room on the Grand Canal overlooking the Rialto Bridge with our own patio on the canal so we could sit and watch the water traffic go by. The rooms were incredible. They only have nine rooms. We were given a tour of the hotel by the concierge and a run down of the history of the building which was originally built as a palace and then became a bit neglected and used as a merchant storage area until the current owner purchased and refurbished it in 2007.

We got absolulety spoilt here. The owner, Matteo, cooked our breakfast each morning, he was a lovely bloke as well. The most incredible, one of a kind coffee machine, cost over €20,000, and the coffee was good. Sue was spoilt with a bottle of bubbles on her birthday from the hotel staff. A very nice gesture. We decided after our first night, if we were able to extend our stay for another night. We could see after our walk on the first afternoon we were going to need more time. Thankfully they had availability, although a different room.

Walking through the alleys and lane ways was amazing and they were a maze winding through the city crossing numerous canals with Gondoliers ready to take you for a float down the canal. There was no haggling with price as it was all set at €90 for 30 minutes for a maximum of 4 or 5 people.

We found the Piazza San Marco not to far away dominated by buildings all around. With the St Marks Basilica, the Doges Palace, a huge clock tower and yet another palace called the Plazzo Patriarcole, (now mostly shops, and museums). Again so much to take in all at once.

We spent the day just walking though Venice admiring the incredible shop displays and the architecture. Found a nicel little cafeteria to have a dink at and spent an hour or so there.

We went across to the lace capital on the ferry to a place called Burano. This was a small island we stayed an hour or two went to a lace museum and walked around admiring the colourful houses.

Then we caught the ferry back to Murano, home of the famous Murano glass. Walking around here every shop had displays of fine glassware. We would have loved to have bought some home however not convinced it would make it safely back home.

We opted for a sunset gondola ride on our last night. So smooth and peaceful. We loved it.

Before we left on our last day, we squeezed in a visit to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. It was a whirlwind stop, which was a shame because the floor to ceiling artwork was extraordinary, over 60 Old and New Testament scenes, all created by a single artist.

Our final treat was a ride to the train station in a water taxi rather than on the crowded water bus.

We were very sad to say goodbye to by to Venice and the lovely hotel and staff. Such a wonderful memorable journey.