Days 8, 9 and 10
Day 8- Venice
We arrived at our hotel on the mainland of Venice around 3:30 PM. We stayed at the Hotel Ambasciatori. This is where I have a huge complaint with the Globus tour. Why they didn't chose to stay on the Island of Venice, was a shock to me. The hotel was ok, clean, decent size, but nothing special and the location was terrible! I had hopes of being on the Island and leaving my hotel for a short walk around this magical city, instead we had to take buses and it took approx. 20 -30 mins, so big waste of time.
This evening we decided on the optional tour which consisted of a dinner cruise along the lagoon and canals and then an evening tour through St. Marks Square. I can not remember the cost of this tour, but would highly recommend it. It was fabulous for so many reasons. The dinner cruise was at 6:00 PM where we enjoyed cocktails on the open deck and cruised passed the main Square. The dinner was nice with wine and entertainment and dancing and everyone seemed to be having a really nice time. As I mentioned before Venice is my favorite place, there is no where else on earth like it, a city of canals. I remember the first time I saw Venice, I was on a cruise with my sister and we took the local bus to the Island from our hotel room. Once we got off the bus, we were a little confused for we did not see the water, so we asked directions and then when we turned the corner.....There it was, this unbelievable magical place that is Venice. We were like 2 little kids, jumping around and laughing and soaking up the sites. It was so lively and fascinating to me. I was in LOVE. This is also where I had the best pizza of my life.....
After the cruise we had free time to walk around St. Marks Square and investigate some of the narrow alleyways pass the many canals. Here is the nice thing, Venice is always beautiful to me, but in the evening it was especially nice. First there is a lot less people around, so you can actually take photos and see a lot more of what Venice has to offer. And with the lights illuminated around the square and on the water, it was so amazing. Everything was peaceful and resting. Great time to get photo's of the gondolas moored. We continued to walk around and take photos and stopped for a cappuccino before heading back to the bus for our return to the hotel. No one wanted to leave.... It was a great evening.
Day 9- Venice
After breakfast we left around 8:00 AM for our local tour of the Island of Venice. Venice is interesting to me because I see the amazing beauty of it all. I love the canals, old buildings, gondolas. My husband was not too impressed, he said it was old and run down, but that to me is some of the charm. It is so different that any other city, so unique. I actually found it to be in better condition than I expected. So what I found with talking to people, you either love it or you don't! I feel sorry for the folks who don't get it. :)
We took the water taxi to St. Marks Square for our walking tour and visited the Byzantine Basilica, Doge's Palace and the famous Bridge of Sighs. *Note: "The enclosed bridge passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was built in 1602. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice out the window before being taken down to their cells. A local legend says that lovers will be granted everlasting love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge." Even the legends are romantic....What's not to love about Venice?
My Husband really liked the mosaics on the Basilica, and I would agree, they were beautiful. We really enjoyed the tour of Doge's Palace, ( a Gothic palace. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice.) It was quite impressive and the architecture was just beautiful. After the tour you then go to a workshop where they have the Murano glass blowers. It was interesting to see, but you end up in this very expensive shop that sells the outrageously priced glass. The tour was over by 11:30 AM, So we had some free time for lunch and shopping before our Gondola Serenade tour. Yes, that is right, we paid extra for this and yes, it is very touristy, but we loved it. You have to spend the extra money and do the gondola. How can you go to Venice and not see they city how it was meant to be seen? We went in groups of 6 (which helps keep the cost down) and there was a musician who played the accordion and sang. It was nice but the best part was getting off the grand canal and going through the tiny side canals and under the bridges that you can only get to by boat. It was wonderful. I wish I could have hired a Gondolier for the whole day just to take me all over Venice. I am sure you can, but it would probably cost the price of a small mortgage! I can only dream.....
After our 30 mins. on the gondola we had the rest of the day at leisure. And as our tour guide said, "you have not seen Venice if you do not get lost." The streets are so confusing and tons of people everywhere. We got to see a lot and luckily my husband is an excellent navigator, so we never got lost. If I did it on my own, I would still be there, trying to find my way out! :) We walked all over, down some narrow streets and investigated the shops, headed toward the famous Rialto Bridge. It is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal and one of the prettiest. It was fun shopping for the famous Venetian Mask, which are all over the place, as well as the wonderful Marionettes.
I was so thrilled that we had a full day in Venice and wished I could have had more time, it never seems to be enough. We headed back for the bus and returned to our hotel at 6:00 PM where we were to have dinner at the hotel with our tour group. A long day, but a wonderful day with hopes of returning to Venice again in the near future, this time to relax and watch the excitement that surrounds the city of canals......
Day 10- Ravenna and Assisi
Up early and on the bus by 7:45 AM as we followed the sparkling Adriatic Coast to Ravenna to see the mosaics in the 6th century Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe. We saw some nice mosaics, but I have to say Ravenna was our least favorite stop. I assume they stop here because we can not get to our hotel until 3-4 PM, so they gave us a little time to view the Basilica, then have lunch, which we were told by our tour guide "had the best lasagna". Not so much! Should have known better than to take to word of a woman who was from England not Italy.....What does she know about lasagna....ha ha ha!
After lunch we drove through the breathtaking hills of Umbria as we approached higher and higher to the hilltop village of medieval Assisi. The drive up to Assisi was so beautiful and my husband and I were just wowed by this hilltop village. We LOVE it...And we must have been high up because the temperature dropped dramatically to 45 degrees.... It was cold! but we didn't care. After checking into our very old but quaint hotel, Dei Priori, which was in a great location, we headed right out to walk the hilly streets to visit the beautiful Basilica of St Francis. You could not believe the views in Assisi. They were incredible. All the winding streets and hills, made you feel like you just went back in time to the 13th century. We had a lot of free time, but again, this was one place we had wanted to spend more time in and unfortunately it was so cold at night we didn't get to explore too much after dinner. Assisi was such a peaceful and very safe town. You have to see it to appreciate it's uniqueness.... Dinner was at a very interesting room in our hotel. It was old and different... Good meal that night.
My Husband really liked the mosaics on the Basilica, and I would agree, they were beautiful. We really enjoyed the tour of Doge's Palace, ( a Gothic palace. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice.) It was quite impressive and the architecture was just beautiful. After the tour you then go to a workshop where they have the Murano glass blowers. It was interesting to see, but you end up in this very expensive shop that sells the outrageously priced glass. The tour was over by 11:30 AM, So we had some free time for lunch and shopping before our Gondola Serenade tour. Yes, that is right, we paid extra for this and yes, it is very touristy, but we loved it. You have to spend the extra money and do the gondola. How can you go to Venice and not see they city how it was meant to be seen? We went in groups of 6 (which helps keep the cost down) and there was a musician who played the accordion and sang. It was nice but the best part was getting off the grand canal and going through the tiny side canals and under the bridges that you can only get to by boat. It was wonderful. I wish I could have hired a Gondolier for the whole day just to take me all over Venice. I am sure you can, but it would probably cost the price of a small mortgage! I can only dream.....
After our 30 mins. on the gondola we had the rest of the day at leisure. And as our tour guide said, "you have not seen Venice if you do not get lost." The streets are so confusing and tons of people everywhere. We got to see a lot and luckily my husband is an excellent navigator, so we never got lost. If I did it on my own, I would still be there, trying to find my way out! :) We walked all over, down some narrow streets and investigated the shops, headed toward the famous Rialto Bridge. It is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal and one of the prettiest. It was fun shopping for the famous Venetian Mask, which are all over the place, as well as the wonderful Marionettes.
I was so thrilled that we had a full day in Venice and wished I could have had more time, it never seems to be enough. We headed back for the bus and returned to our hotel at 6:00 PM where we were to have dinner at the hotel with our tour group. A long day, but a wonderful day with hopes of returning to Venice again in the near future, this time to relax and watch the excitement that surrounds the city of canals......
Day 10- Ravenna and Assisi
Up early and on the bus by 7:45 AM as we followed the sparkling Adriatic Coast to Ravenna to see the mosaics in the 6th century Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe. We saw some nice mosaics, but I have to say Ravenna was our least favorite stop. I assume they stop here because we can not get to our hotel until 3-4 PM, so they gave us a little time to view the Basilica, then have lunch, which we were told by our tour guide "had the best lasagna". Not so much! Should have known better than to take to word of a woman who was from England not Italy.....What does she know about lasagna....ha ha ha!
After lunch we drove through the breathtaking hills of Umbria as we approached higher and higher to the hilltop village of medieval Assisi. The drive up to Assisi was so beautiful and my husband and I were just wowed by this hilltop village. We LOVE it...And we must have been high up because the temperature dropped dramatically to 45 degrees.... It was cold! but we didn't care. After checking into our very old but quaint hotel, Dei Priori, which was in a great location, we headed right out to walk the hilly streets to visit the beautiful Basilica of St Francis. You could not believe the views in Assisi. They were incredible. All the winding streets and hills, made you feel like you just went back in time to the 13th century. We had a lot of free time, but again, this was one place we had wanted to spend more time in and unfortunately it was so cold at night we didn't get to explore too much after dinner. Assisi was such a peaceful and very safe town. You have to see it to appreciate it's uniqueness.... Dinner was at a very interesting room in our hotel. It was old and different... Good meal that night.
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