Italy – Weekend in Venice
Detailed Itinerary/Sights
DAY 1: FLIGHT TO VENICE
We had breakfast at our hostel in Munich before hopping on the S-Bahn train to the airport. It was an easy and relatively cheap way to get from the city center to the airport, which only took 45 minutes.
We landed in Venice at 1 PM after an hourlong flight. From the airport we took the Alilaguna boat shuttle to the city center. Since it was a shuttle, it was much cheaper than a taxi. The company had several routes, all of which had predetermined stopping points in Venice. After waiting 30-40 minutes for the next shuttle, we took the hour and 15 minute ride to the S. Maria del Giglio stop. From there we had a short walk to the hotel.
At 4 PM we finally made it to the hotel. Luckily, I was able to use points and free upgrade nights to stay at the Gritti Palace, where we were upgraded to a stunning suite. Our room had a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal, two marble bathrooms, a living room and a giant bedroom. It was full of charm and character, which made us feel like we were actually staying in a palace.
View from our hotel room balcony
Dinner by the Grand Canal
After admiring the room and relaxing for a few minutes, we headed out to eat at one of the many restaurants along the Grand Canal. Following dinner we enjoyed a glass of wine at the hotel before searching for somewhere to watch the world cup game. Since most bars were already packed, we sat on the ground and watched the game at a random outdoor bar. Halfway through the game a few overly enthusiastic (and more than slightly intoxicated) soccer fans got in a fight, so we left and watched the second half in our hotel room.
DAY 2: EXPLORING VENICE
We had a delicious breakfast at the hotel before heading out to explore the city. Since we had both been to Venice before we decided to spend most of our time getting lost and wandering down random streets, in lieu of hitting up the main sites. Personally, I think that’s the best way to see Venice and avoid crowds.
We first went to find Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, a cool, hidden palace with a beautiful external spiral staircase. We then walked 10-15 minutes to Alta Acqua Libreria, a bookstore which sells used and new books. The bookstore has a staircase made of books that provided views of a canal.
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
From there we walked 20 minutes to the Venetian Ghetto to explore that part of the city.
On our way back we passed over the Rialto Bridge. After relaxing a bit, we headed to A Beccafico for a delicious final dinner in Venice. Once we finished dinner, we headed to the famous St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) for gelato before heading back to the hotel. Luckily, the square was less crowded at night.
DAY 3: GOODBYE VENICE
We enjoyed an early breakfast on the hotel’s porch overlooking the Grand Canal before my friend had to leave for the airport. Since I had a few hours to kill before my train to visit family friends near Milan, I spent the morning walking around and visiting a few sights, including the Bridge of Sighs. It was then a 30 minute walk from the hotel to the train station.
