There really isn’t anywhere else in the world like Venice. I have seen a couple of “little venice” labelled places, but there is no comparison.
The train arrived at the start of the Grande Canale; from where the waterbus made access to my accom, Hotel Violino D’Oro; an easy and uncomplicated connection.
The hotel was only a very short distance from San Marco (St Marks Square), and had it’s own Gondola station to the left of it’s entrance. Great breakfasts, fabulous courteous service, and comfortable room at justifiable rates; an easy walk to what Venice has to offer.
Being early February, Venice by this stage was in pre-Carnavale mode, shops laiden with masks and regale for the upcoming annual event.
I enjoyed the walking, in and out of narrow streets, amongst markets and shops, over bridges and around waterways. As a single traveller, the Gondola’s (at 80 euro) seemed pointless to me, but Venice does need to be enjoyed from the water as well.
I tried to book a Kayak tour, but being winter, that proved more difficult than you may expect, so I instead paid for a 24hr transport pass that would cover my return to the train station for departure; and used the waterbus as a way to circumnavigate the islands both from the day, and night prospective. 20 euro well spent.
Venice offers a very wide range of food & drink, from coffees just over 1 euro, to meals & drinks that require a mortgage taken out. Not hard to find something to appeal to all desires and budgets.
