We went to Venice on the same trip we last went to Croatia, about 2 years ago. I was not impressed with Venice that time. It was over-touristy, hotter than hades, and just plain crowded with people and cheap souvenirs.
This time it was totally different. Yes, the tacky souvenir stands were still there, but there were a million less people. The weather was perfect, warm and sunny but not blazing hot. We arrived at Venice's port just before sunrise and had to be out of our cabin by 7:30, which is the only reason I was up at 6:30 to take these pictures of the Grand Canal and St. Mark's Square at sunrise.
These pics alone are enough to make me appreciate the beauty of this city!
After disembarking, waiting an hour for the shuttle bus to Piazalle Roma, then storing our luggage for the day, we hopped on a vaporetto boat and cruised the Grand Canal with no plan. Since we'd been here before, we didn't feel the need to see everything again. Instead we just had drinks along the canal, wandered all the alleys, and rode the boats.
Jason drinking a "Spritz", a very Venetian wine-cooler like drink. I thought it tasted like Boone's Farm!
Super yummy strawberries from the market near Rialto Bridge
St. Mark's Square
Aidan taking our pic in St. Mark's Square
Overlooking the gondolas. We decided not to shell out the money for that experience again.
One thing we didn't do last time was go to Lido, the newer beachy part of Venice. It was a great day for a boat ride, so we took the 20 minute ride there. Self portraits are always fun!
While on Lido, we rented this bike for an hour and toured the beaches and town. Not much happening at this time of year and the public beach is a bit dated, but the kids loved the ride and putting their toes in the warm sand.
After Lido, we took the boat back to the main part of Venice and had just enough time for a quick bite before we had to pick up our luggage and catch the bus to the airport.
Arrivederci, Venezia! You're not so bad after all ;)
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