The Rough, But Fun, Italy Trip (Day 7)

Waking up, I couldn’t believe this was our seventh day in Italy. Time felt like it was going fast and slow all at once. It wouldn’t be long before we would be leaving Florence to head to Rome, but we still had things to do and see before then. Today we were off on another exciting adventure and another train ride. This time the high speed rail would be taking us to visit Venice. 

This was my first trip to Italy, so I’d never been to Venice, but my husband had visited briefly many years ago when he was in the U.S. Navy. I was looking forward to this visit. I’d seen photographs and watched many films showing the canals of Venice and couldn’t wait to go there one day.

Our apartment was only a half a mile walk to the Santa Maria Novella train station. The brisk morning air helped to wake us up as we made the trek. As usual, we were early and took this time to grab a bite to eat from a café inside the train station as the ride this morning was going to be over two hours. I knew once we made it to Venice that we wouldn’t have much time to stop for food since we had tickets to some of the attractions in the city for specific times.

One of the things I’ve come to love about Italy is how easy and convenient it is to travel by train between the major cities. A journey from Florence to Venice on the high speed rail is only about 2 hours and 20 minutes, whereas the journey on the normal train would be nearly double that. I don’t recall the price difference in the fares, but the price for a roundtrip same day return ticket was €95.60 for two tickets when booked through the Omio app. I did a lot of research and compared prices before purchasing our fares and felt that I really did get the best deal.

The trip was relaxing and it was nice to be able to look out the window as we passed through many towns along the way. When we finally arrived at our destination, we knew our day was truly just beginning. The train station in Venice is Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia. Right when you walk out of the train station you are met with various vendors selling all kinds of souvenirs and then you see the canal with various ferries and water taxis taking people all over Venice. This is a city that is completely dependent upon boats to get around. 

For us, it was time to begin our journey. With the help of Google Maps, we crossed the first of many bridges on our way to our first stop. There were signs along the way, pointing you in the direction of the Rialto Bridge and Saint Marks Square. With all the turns you made, it felt as if you were in a maze. Going over bridges and making a left or a right down some narrow way, it felt like you were going the right way and the wrong way all at the same time. It was fun to be able to explore the city and take in the architecture that has survived the centuries. Along the way there were tons of shops filled with everything from handmade Venetian masks to little cafes serving espresso and pastries.  

The area started to become more crowded the closer we got to the Rialto Bridge. Unlike most bridges you come across, this one is unique in its own way. The bridge is situated at the narrowest part of the grand canal. Having been built in the late 16th century, it doesn’t look that way. As you begin to climb the steps of the bridge, you have a few options as to which path you can take. The bridge has three walkways, one that goes through the center where the shops are and one on each of the outer sides of the shops. It’s a great place to stop and enjoy the view of the Grand Canal. It was pretty crowded when we were passing through, but we did manage to stop and enjoy the view. Since we knew we’d be crossing this bridge again, we didn’t linger too long as we had to be somewhere at a specific time and I didn’t want to be late and miss our slot.

We continued over the bridge and stopped to take some photos. There were some beautiful gondolas along the canal just waiting for someone to pay for a ride. Some of them were covered with ornate decorations and had plush velvet cushions for passengers to sit on. I admired these as we passed and began to walk through the pathways of Venice. 

It wasn’t long before we were entering Piazza San Marco, St. Mark’s Square. It really is a stunning place. St. Mark’s Basilica was to the left, with the campanile towering in front of us. To the right was the square, busy with people taking photos, shopping, or dining at one of the restaurants. The basilica was undergoing some restoration work when we arrived, so you couldn’t get a good look at the front of it, but just being next to it, seeing the domes, it was breathtaking. Since we had a bit before our timed entry slot, we decided to get a drink and explore the square a bit. This was one of the things I made sure to book tickets for. The queue to get tickets was pretty long when we arrived, so I was glad that I planned ahead. 

When it was a few minutes to our time slot, we got into the line for people who already had tickets. This made it so there was no wait, but as with most things, you do have to pass through security. The doors as we walked into the basilica were huge and made you want to stop and admire them, but there was much more we wanted to see so we went inside and began to explore the basilica. 

We’d been to many churches and cathedrals, but this was our first time visiting a basilica. The word basilica is derived from a Greek term meaning “royal house.” A basilica in the Catholic world is a church that has been allowed special privileges by the Pope. The design is much different from the other churches and cathedrals we’d visited in the past. Despite the dark feeling as you entered, there was plenty of light when you were finally in the main area. The one thing that really stands out about this place is it isn’t just decorated with paintings and frescoes, but the dome, ceiling, and even part of the walls are covered in mosaics. Being an art lover and having studied art, I was able to see the influence other cultures and even religions had.

Inside, just as with the outside, there was preservation and restoration work taking place. There is so much to look at inside that you really have to just take a moment when you’re in the main area and stop to absorb as much as you can. With the ticket I had purchased, it included access to the Pala D’Oro and the terrace. We made our way through, stopping occasionally to take photos and admire  the art work and the design. I feel like I could’ve spent an entire day looking up at the dome and still wouldn’t be able to take in all the detailing.

We made our way to the Pala D’Oro. I was really glad I had made sure to get the combination ticket. I really cannot stress how much easier it is to make sure you plan ahead. When I was booking and saw the option for this ticket, I didn’t even know what the Pala D’Oro was. That was when I started my research. I found out this is the high altar piece of the basilica. Once we finally got to it, I couldn’t help but just stand there and marvel at the work that must have gone into the piece. It is encrusted with hundreds of jewels and there are several enamels of various saints as well. It is something I would go see again. 

After we left the Pala D’Oro, we made our way to the upper level. On this level is where the museum is and the access to the terrace. We went out onto the terrace, which gives amazing views of the square. It also allows you to see more of the exterior details of the basilica up close. The terrace isn’t for anyone that may have issues walking since it can be a bit uneven in spots. From there we ventured to the museum where there was information about the history of the basilica, artwork, and the famous bronze horses that once sat on the exterior above the terrace level. Outside now showcases replicas of these horses that had originally come from Constantinople before being brought to Venice. Over time, they had been taken during times of war, so replicas were made. The originals are now safely ensconced inside the museum. 

We visited the gift shop before leaving the basilica. I do want to go back some day as I know I didn’t get to see everything, plus they were doing work to the exterior, so I didn’t get to see the front as it was covered in scaffolding. Since there was time between the timed entry we reserved for St. Mark’s Campanile, we decided to use our reserved entry tickets for the Doge’s Palace. The palace was home to the Doge, the chief magistrate and military leader of Venice. He was elected to a life term by the Venetian nobility. The last Doge was Ludovico Manin in 1797. He abdicated when Napoleon Bonaparte’s soldiers entered Venice. In total, there were 120 who served as the Doge over the years. Which is interesting as it was a lifetime appointment. It makes you wonder how their terms ended.

We began to make our way to the entrance, we passed by several vendors with various merchandise. Most of it is very reasonably priced and many vendors will be happy to barter if you’re paying with cash and purchasing more than one item. Closer to the water, we saw some artists working on paintings. I can say that I was very tempted by a few of the beautiful works I saw, but managed to keep my euros for other things I had my eye on.

As with every place we visited, we had tickets but still had to wait through a line for security. After the first few times doing it, you will get used to it. Most of the lines are quick and don’t take more than a few minutes, at least that is my experience. This could change during peak travel times and during special events. Once we were through the line, we entered the courtyard. For the age of the building, it has been well maintained and preserved over the years. 

The path through the palace rooms is well laid out and easy to follow. I will say that, while there is an elevator for people who need it, not all of the areas are accessible. If you do not need the use of an elevator, there are quite a few stairs that can be challenging. It really is worth it to see the rooms decorated with art on every inch of the wall. The amount of opulence and wealth in these rooms is astounding. There was a modern art exhibit in one of the larger halls that took away from the experience for me. I didn’t want to see some modern stuff, I came to experience the history that Venice holds, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. 

Being not only the home to the Doge, but also where court trials were held and sentences were given, there is also a prison that is attached to the palace. Once you were sentenced, you would then be taken out of the courtroom and straight to the prison. To get to the prison, you were taken across a fully enclosed bridge, the Bridge of Sighs,  that has only a small window to look out of when you stop in the center. Prisoners would stop here and sigh, knowing that this would be the last glimpse of the outside world they would ever see. It really is an experience. The path is narrow and not something I would recommend to anyone that doesn’t care for small spaces. The prison cells that it led to were not much more than a box with a door. There was no way for sunlight to enter. It is a very interesting, yet gloomy place. I was more than happy to know I wouldn’t be staying in one of those cells. 

While we could both spend the entire day exploring and staring at all of the artwork, weapons, and history the building holds, it was time for us to make our way towards the exit. Of course we had to make a stop in the gift shop before we left. After adding to our growing collections of trinkets to take home with us, we walked around and visited some of the shops. One was a jewelry store where my husband bought me a necklace to remember our trip. 

Time was ticking to our next timed ticket entry. We’d done our fair share of climbing, but there was one place we wanted to visit, the top of St. Mark’s Campanile. However, instead of having to take stairs, we would be able to take the elevator to the top. This sounded much better to our knees and backs. They only allow so many people up in the elevator at a time, so it’s best to make sure you purchase tickets in advance for a time that will work best for you. The view of Venice from the tops is breathtaking. We were able to get a great view of the bells and a plaque that marks when Galileo Galilei demonstrated his telescope to the Doge of Venice. Once we had our fill, and with the growling of our stomachs, we took the elevator down and decided to explore Venice and find a place to eat.

We didn’t venture too far before deciding on a restaurant. While it was most likely a tourist trap as it wasn’t too far from St. Mark’s Square, the food was good despite the price. If we’d ventured further from the Square and tourist areas, I’m sure we would’ve been able to find something less expensive. Then again, it is Venice, and things here are not cheap. 

There were two things I wanted to purchase in Venice, something Murano glass and a Venetian Mask. Since we didn’t have time to get over to the island of Murano, I did find a small light blue bowl that I really liked in a gift shop. After a quick google search as we were walking, I found a highly rated shop that sells masks. We made our way to the location, which was a bit of a walk, but it was well worth it. 

The small shop, run by two sisters, has a vast collection of masks that they make in their shop. When we walked in, they were busy at work hand painting masks. Elisabetta and Roberta are the artists that run the Franca Girls shop. Everything we saw was made by them. They were extremely helpful in showing us different masks and explaining the difference between the ones for women and the ones for men. We talked for a bit about how busy they get during Carnevale in Venice every February. Out of respect for their work and to not give away anything, we didn’t take photos inside their shop. I do recommend stopping in there for a mask if you are ever in Venice. We came home with two, one for me and one for my husband. They now hang in the living room so we get to enjoy them everyday.

There is no lack of shopping in Venice. We spent time exploring some of the shops as we made our way back towards the train station. If you need to find a gift for someone back home, I’m sure you will have no problem finding something in Venice. There were still several hours before our train back to Florence, but we decided to head back to the station and relax for a bit. While we waited, there was a man that seemed either drunk or emotionally disturbed that was harassing people waiting for their trains. The police were on it and ended up escorting him out of the building.

The train station has many shops to explore while you wait and there is also an area where you can purchase food. I picked up some drinks and snacks for the train ride back. Once we were on board the train, we relaxed a bit more and hoped to come back to Venice some day and spend a few days exploring some of the areas we didn’t get to enjoy. After we made it back to Florence, it was time for us to get some rest. The next day had more adventures for us.

We still didn’t have any gelato.