Venice, Italy

In July we took our kids on an incredible trip to Europe for a cruise through the Mediterranean - stopping in Crete, Turkey and Greece.  I'm going to share our itinerary with you over my next few travel posts and if you have any questions - let me know!  Right now is an ideal time to shop a last minute cruise trip (or watch for a great deal on airfare to Europe!) and going with teenagers made this trip so fun and memorable.  

Since it is a LONG trip to get over to Rome (where our cruise started), we decided to add a few more days and show the kids Venice.  Alan and I had been there about 20 years ago and loved the city so much.  HUGE shoutout to our amazing travel agent, Laurie Carruth at IntoMotion Travel.  She is incredible and will plane the most amazing trip for you.

We had a day and a half in Venice so as soon as our plane landed we hit the ground running....at least as good as you can jet lagged! 

-Land, wait FOREVER to get through customs, (seriously - it was SLOW!)

-Private Boat Transfer (just like in the movies - so much fun!)  This was booked via Viator, (experience was called "Venice Maro Polo Airport Private Arrival) with Bucintoro Viaggi.  They pick you up at the dock right outside the airport and drop you off at the dock closest to your hotel.  

-Check into our hotel - the boat brought us right up to the dock in front of the hotel - Maison Venezia UNA Esperienze.  I would stay here again in a heartbeat.  Fabulous boutique hotel with very reasonable prices and breakfast included.

-Row Venice experience - we got to learn how to row a gondola!  It is a workout!  We learned on a wider gondola than the typical skinny black ones which was good because we didn't want to tip them over!  They took us out for an hour and a half through the narrow water streets of Venice and even out into the lagoon, (which was scary since there were boats that passed by that created more ripples in the water - but no tipping for us!).

This is the outside of our hotel and you can see a private boat (and a gondola) waiting on the dock out front. 

Gondola Rowing was such a workout but a fun experience!  It was such a hot summer day, so it was nice to spend some time in the shade of the buildings on the side "streets".

Of course - LOTS of gelato!

After rowing, we made our way down to the Grand Canal and got a picture by:

The Rialto Bridge.  It is lined with shops on the bridge but they had closed by the time we made it there.

Dinner was really fun that first night - you walk around and find a cafe that looks interesting...they are everywhere!  We sat in the courtyard and my husband ordered his favorite local food - squid ink pasta!

My son got their spagetti and meatballs and of course we had to have pizza!  The food was really delicious.

-We took the Vaporetto water bus to Murano.

-Did a glass experience with Laboratorio Artigiano making our own Murrina necklace or keychain.

-Toured Murano and walked in different glass blowing stores.  It is so beautiful!

-Back to Venice & a tour of the Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica with LivTours

-Then we walked around the city, window shopped and got some dinner.

The glass we used in our necklaces/keychains starts out in these skinny tubes.  The color/design is through the whole tube - can you see the blue flower with the orange center?  Those tubes get sliced up into little pieces and those pieces get put together and melted down to create some pretty amazing items.

Here we are going through their bowls of glass to put our creations together.

Here is the progression:  Finished necklace goes into the ceramic baker and melts, (super hot red) and as it cools the colors come back.  So interesting!

Then a few doors down from our class was a venetian glass chandelier shop.  The owner gave us a tour of his entire multi building shop and we saw the most beautiful creations that are each hand done.  

Took the Vaporetto Bus back to Venice, and took a tour of St. Peter's Basilica & the Doges Palace.  As the Basilica is a church, you have to be sure to wear appropriate clothes.  My youngest was wearing shorts that ended above her knees and we had to wrap some cooling clothes around her legs to be covered but it passed.  So not a bad idea to pack some longer dresses when traveling to Europe just for days like this when you are going into churches.

Inside the courtyard of the palace.

The Italians know that Americans are looking for dinner so early-they stand outside their restaurants and call you to come inside.  We were a little heat stroked and tired and this location a few streets away from the palace looked good on the menu.  I was really glad we went in - everyone enjoyed their food, the a/c was fantastic and you are NEVER rushed at dinner anywhere in Italy.  Food is meant to be enjoyed.

-Took a water taxi to the train station and got our tickets for our train to Rome.  Be sure to check your travel plans when taking trains!  We had to take a train from Venice to another station called Venice Mestre.  Then we had to get off that train and wait about 2 hours for the next train which took us to Rome.
Travel tip:  have the front desk of your hotel help to coordinate taxis and the cost.  That way you have no questions.  There were a few mix-ups with this taxi and the hotel got it all figured out for us.

Next stop....Rome!