On our 4th day in Italy, Jeff and I packed up and made our way to the train station for the next leg of our journey. We were proud of ourselves for packing light for the entire trip - carry on luggage only! - which made our travel much easier. We took a train from Rome to Venice, which was supposed to be a 5 hour train ride, but with delays we ended up traveling for most of the daylight hours. It was a bummer to lose a few hours but we were so excited when we finally arrived.
When we exited the train station, we had to take a water taxi to get to our hotel. It was pretty dark by this point, but we were still able to see the beautiful Venice seascape in the 5-minute boat ride to our hotel. It was so enchanting! Arriving at the beautiful St. Regis, we were impressed with the gorgeous hotel and super swanky setting. Our hotel suite was incredible! I had cashed in some of my Marriott points for our stay, and it was by far the fanciest hotel experience I've ever had. Such a fun introduction to Venice, and I couldn't wait to see more!
Even though it was dark, Jeff and I set out to find some dinner and soon found ourselves amidst a maze of narrow canals in the heart of Venice. It was so dark and became incredibly confusing trying to find our way around, but we were able to find some dinner and get a sneak peek of the Venice landscape. One of the funny things about the city of Venice is that the narrow alleyways with tall buildings on either side made it tough for Jeff to find his bearings. I was the designated navigator as we explored through the alleys until he figured out how to turn himself around, ha!
The next morning, we enjoyed an amazing breakfast buffet right outside on the canals of Venice. The weather was slightly chilly but gorgeous, and the breakfast was delicious with a picturesque patio setting. One thing I was starting to notice about Italian food - while I didn't find much difference in the food overall, the croissants were noticeably better and so much more delicious than back home! After breakfast we set out extra early to explore before our scheduled city tour, and it didn't take long before I felt completely mesmerized with this unique city. The narrow alleyways, the canals with gondolas, the historic architecture of the buildings lining the waterways... it was unlike any other place I've visited. On the quiet morning, it felt like we had the city to ourselves and I just fell in love!
When it was time for our scheduled tour, we met up with the group and were excited for the day ahead. Jeff had booked us a full-day tour of Venice - almost 8 hours - and it ended up being our favorite tour during our entire visit to Italy. The tour guide was a wealth of knowledge about Venetian history, and he walked us through the streets of Venice, giving us unique insights about the past and present of this beautiful city. I couldn't help but snap picture after picture because I was so enthralled!
After a couple of hours exploring the city, it was time for the highlight of the tour - a private gondola ride down the canals of Venice. This turned out to be my absolute favorite moment of our entire trip. It really is as special and romantic as it seems on TV! The gondoliers are so skilled and it's fascinating to see how they work to navigate the overhead bridges and tight canal turns. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather for this quintessential Venetian experience. Truly a perfect memory that I will always cherish!
After our gondola ride, our tour group was given a couple hours to explore the city on our own and grab some lunch. We enjoyed some food and gelato and then ended up at St. Mark's Square to rejoin the tour. We then were taken inside St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace for an extensive guided tour, and admittedly it was information overload by the end of the afternoon. One of Jeff's favorite moments was inside St. Mark's where he was able to light a candle for his sweet mom, such a special gesture!
Needless to say, we were pooped by the end of the afternoon. It had been the best day exploring this unique city, and I had fallen completely in love with the allure and charm of Venice. We were able to do some early Christmas shopping and enjoy one final dinner before retiring to our hotel for the night. After another beautiful breakfast overlooking the water and a stunning sunrise, we boarded a water taxi and said farewell to Venice as we made our way to the train station for the next and final chapter of our Italian adventure.
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