Venice

Days 47 & 48: Venice
After a very restful night of sleep in our luxurious ferry cabin we arrived in Ancona. Getting to Venice seemed a little like being on The Amazing Race or something. After leaving the port we asked for directions to the train station. We thought the guy said three hundred meters but apparently he said three kilometers. We followed another pair of backpackers (hoping they were going to the train station) and eventually made it to the station. There was a train leaving in four minutes from the farthest platform (the next was 90 min later) so we ran with all our bags and caught it with two minutes to spare. After catching some much needed sleep on the long train ride we arrived at the station, just outside of Venice, closest to our hotel. Before heading to a new city we map out the route from the station to our hotel on google and take a picture so that we can access the directions easily once we arrive. We start following the direction and about halfway there we are both standing there, looking at the camera, saying this can't be right. Google maps walking directions has taken us up onto what looks like an interstate. There are no other streets to take so we head down the interstate. Thankfully there was sort of a sidewalk with a guard rail between us and traffic and there was a red light at the point we needed to cross the road to head down our exit ramp. We finally made it to the hotel, took a much needed shower and found the bus route to go into the city.

Our couchette on the ferry

I may have gotten a better nights sleep than these guys, but I'm not so sure.

Ancona from the arriving ferry

I love Venice! I love the narrow streets, all the little bridges over canals, the houses with doors that sit on the canals, the Rialto, St Mark's Square. the gondolas... It's all beautiful and I love the feel of the city. There's not a whole lot to do in Venice but it's a great city to walk the streets or sit at a cafe.

The Rialto

View from St. Mark's Square

After an evening of weaving our way through the streets we decided to take the waterbus from St. Mark's Square back to the bus station. It's not quite the same experience as a gondola ride through the little canals but it was a neat way to see the city from the Rialto. The houses and buildings were beautiful, with their lights reflecting on the water.

The Rialto Bridge

The next day we got to wander around and see more of the city in daylight.

Little bridge over one of the many canals.

The Rialto Bridge is in the background.

The Rialto

The square in front of the Venice train station.

After a great afternoon in Venice we headed to Florence.