Venice Map
I’ve been to Venice three times before this trip: when I was 12 years old and when I was 19 years old, both times with my parents, and in 2005 on my Italy tour. I’ve never stayed more than 1 1/2 days in Venice at a time, but this trip I was planning on staying four nights, which turned into five nights since I missed a plane connection. So on this trip, I finally got to see more than I have ever had before. On this map, I circled all the places that I was at: Venezia (Venice Island), San Giorgio Maggiore, Torcello, Burano, Murano, the Lido, Mestre, and the Marco Polo Airport. I also circled the island of Guidecca because our vaporetto stopped there and I was able to take some photos of its coastline. I hope that you will refer to it so you will have a reference as to where I was.
Venice Map
Milan Central Station
Keith and I left Milan on the 9 a.m. train to Venice. On this train, we had to make advance reservations. We arrived in Venice at 11:30 a.m. We didn’t have any problems except for me trying to lug my suitcases up the escalator to the train tracks––I made it okay.
Milan Central Station
Santa Lucia Train Station
We arrived in Venice at the Santa Lucia Train Station and were not pleased when we saw the two flights of steps that we would have to lug our suitcases down (it made me greatly appreciate all the handicapped access rules that we have in the U.S. If we were in the U.S., there would have been a ramp!). Keith took all our luggage down the steps while I kept an eye on the suitcases.
Santa Lucia Train Station
Santa Lucia Train Station
Here we are in front of the train station on the Grand Canal––so pretty. The bridge is named the Scalzi Bridge, one of only three bridges on the Grand Canal. Keith is now keeping an eye on the luggage while I get the vaporetto tickets.
Santa Lucia Train Station
Ferrovia Scalzi Vaporetto Station
Waiting in a long line to buy our vaporetto tickets. A one–way ticket was 6 euros, and an all–day ticket, 13 euros. You can also buy 2– and 3–day tickets. Those are vaporetto stations on the right of the photo––you go through them to get on the vaporetto. The ticket seller told me to get on no. 51 and Keith and I went to wait on the 51 line. Our hotel directions said to take either the 1 or the 51, both going to the Lido where our hotel was located. The 51 came and so many people outmanuvered us getting on the very crowded vaporetto before we could get on (we were too slow lugging our suitcases). So we waited for the next vaporetto and got on it. It crossed the canal to the Piazzale Roma station and everyone was told to get off. This made no sense to us––Why would people get on a vaporetto to cross the Canal only to get right off? (I found out later that Piazzale Roma is where the buses and taxis to the mainland are, so people who have just gotten off the train get off at Piazzale Roma to catch a bus or a taxi. I also found out that vaporettos of the same number go in two directions even though they may stop at the same vaporetto stop––we got on a vaporetto going in the wrong direction). We were then told to catch the no. 1 about 200 yards down the dock. Keith saw a water taxi sign and we bargained a rate (not a particularly low one) for the taxi to take us to our hotel––about a 30–minute boat trip.
Ferrovia Scalzi Vaporetto Station
The Grand Canal
Our water taxi route took us through part of the Grand Canal.
The Grand Canal
View from the Lagoon
The body of water surrounding Venice is called the Lagoon. We are now in the Lagoon, approaching Piazza San Marco. You can see the Campanile all the way to the right.
View from the Lagoon
View from the Lagoon
Now you can see the Campanile (the bell tower) and Doge’s Palace.
View from the Lagoon
View from the Lagoon
And now, the Campanile, Doge’s Palace (the beautiful pink building), and the domes of the Basilica San Marco behind the Doge’s Palace. Very pretty.
View from the Lagoon
View from the Lagoon
We are now passing the church of San Giorgio Maggiore which is on its own island, right across the Lagoon from Piazza San Marco. We visited it two days later.
View from the Lagoon
The Lagoon
Farther out in the Lagoon, heading toward Lido Island.
The Lagoon
Lido Island
A villa on Lido Island. The Lido is a residential island with both old villas and very modern apartment buildings. Cars are allowed on the Lido but not on the other Lagoon islands.
Lido Island
The Western Excelsior
First look at our hotel, The Western Excelsior––wow! Keith and I were sharing the room rate here, which was quite low for a five–star hotel. We found a special rate for it at www.booktravelbound.com, a website used by travel agents (you need to book through a travel agent). When the Excelsior opened in 1907 (a hundred years ago!), it was the largest luxury hotel resort in the world. It was built in a Moorish style.
The Western Excelsior
The Western Excelsior
Docking at the Excelsior’s private dock.
The Western Excelsior
The Western Excelsior
Our huge Moorish–style room.
The Western Excelsior
The Western Excelsior
The Excelsior’s Adriatic Sea side. This a a major summer resort, but in October the pool is closed. We did see some brave souls in the water. The Excelsior had an about hourly free water shuttle service to the Piazza San Marco. We had some time before the next shuttle, so we had lunch on a patio overlooking the Adriatic. It was so very quiet here, greatly appreciated after the noise of Milan and our journey to the hotel.
The Western Excelsior
The Lagoon
We took the 3 p.m. free water taxi to the Piazza San Marco––about a 15–minute ride. I was having trouble getting in and out of the water taxis because of my sore foot. I figured out a system: Keith would get either in or out of the boat first, I would give him my handbag, and then Keith and the boat operator would grab my arms and help me in or out of the boat. For me it was a bit scary but Keith kept giving me the encouragement I needed.
The Lagoon
The Lagoon
Rowers on the Lagoon.
The Lagoon
Venice Island
Getting ready to dock at the Westin private dock in front of the Danielli Hotel (the Danielli is also a Westin hotel––very elegant and very expensive).
Venice Island
Back on the Water
We found the San Zaccaria–Jolanda vaporetto station and got on line 41 to take us to the island of Murano. I thought it would be better to visit the sights on Venice Island the next day when we could start out early in the morning.
Back on the Water
Murano
Coming into Murano. Murano is where the famous Murano glass factories (fornaces) are located. They line the entire waterfront.
Murano
Murano
The vaporetto dock. We got off here and found a factory nearby to visit.
Murano
Murano
The factories will invite you in for a glass–making demonstration. First, we were given a glass–blowing demonstration, then a very interesting one in which glass is shaped by tools. Here the maestro, a master glassmaker, is heating what will end up as a glass horse.
Murano
Murano
The maestro begins shaping the glass.
Murano
Murano
He continues the shaping.
Murano
Murano
He’s finished.
Murano
Murano
The glass horse. Next, we were invited into their showroom. I had decided even before my trip that I would buy Murano glass pendants for gifts and I bought some here along with some crystal earrings. I was pleased with my purchases as I thought that I had saved money by buying Murano glass in Murano. However, I saw elsewhere––in Venice and even on the Lido––the same items that I bought for lower prices.
Murano
Murano
Murano glass in a store window. The glass designs here and seen elsewhere are mainly modern.
Murano
Murano
More Murano glass.
Murano
Murano
Glass jewelry.
Murano
Murano
We wanted to catch the vaporetto to the island of Burano from here. We could have walked back to the vaporetto station where we got off and then taken a vaporetto to a different station in Murano, the Faro vaporetto stop. Or you can walk around Murano to the Faro station, which we did, walking along the right side of the canal, way way down, crossing over to the other side on a bridge, and the walking back just as far on the other side. It was a very interesting walk.
Murano
Murano
Seen on our walk.
Murano
Murano
Also seen on our walk.
Murano
Murano
Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, built in the 12th century.
Murano
Murano
Walking along another canal.
Murano
Murano
Farther along.
Murano
Murano
Farther along.
Murano
Murano
A water fountain.
Murano
Murano
Pretty scene.
Murano
Murano
And another.
Murano
Murano
A statue on a pillar.
Murano
Murano
Another canal.
Murano
Murano
Getting close to the vaporetto station.
Murano
Murano
Almost there.
Murano
Murano
Waiting for the vaporetto in front of the factories.
Murano
Murano
View of the factories from the vaporetto.
Murano
Burano
Burano’s very colorful houses. I was in Burano on my Italy tour in 2005 and the photos I took then are already on this site: Go to Slide Shows, Western Europe, Italy–1, Burano.” I still took some more photos this day.
Burano
Burano
Coming home at the end of the day.
Burano
Burano
The main tourist street in Burano.
Burano
Burano
Burano is known for its lace.
Burano
Burano
The signs: In Italian: Non Toccare Grazie. In French: Ne Touche Pas. In English: Do Not Touch. No Self Service.
Burano
Burano
The “leaning tower of Burano” is having work done on it. Maybe it is being straightened up? There were still some tourists here at this late afternoon hour, but also many people who live in Burano were taking their evening La Dolce Vita walk––it reminded you of being in a small town in Italy.
Burano
Burano
I told Keith that I knew of a great seafood restaurant in Burano, where I ate on my trip to Burano with my 2005 Italy tour group. The restaurant was closed. There was another restaurant here that was setting its tables and they told us that they were full up even though they had no customers. I figured out later that these restaurants probably only serve tour groups.
Burano
Burano
So we decided to eat at this restaurant. It was not a good meal––Keith even returned the fish he ordered. The waitress here told us that the next vaporetto to Venezia was going to leave in 15 minutes. Recognizing “Venezia” to mean “Venice,” we figured that it must be the vaporetto we needed to take back to San Marco to catch the water taxi back to our hotel. Wrong guess. We hurried to the vaporetto station (it was now dark outside) and got on the vaporetto to Venezia. It made its last stop at the Fondamente Nuove station, which was entirely on the other side of Venice Island than where we wanted to go. Someone helped us find the vaporetto station that would have a vaporetto to take us to Piazza San Marco, but before that one came, one saying The Lido on it came and we got on it. It took us to the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta station and we took a taxi back to the hotel. That made two times today that we got on the wrong vaporetto. We need to figure out Venice’s transportation system. Anyway, the end of an interesting day.
