Venice - Dining and Shopping

If you ever get to visit Venice, I think you'll agree that an entire post devoted to food and shopping is appropriate. I can't remember where I read this, but I'm passing it on to you... Don't worry about a single calorie while you're visiting Italy. You will walk it off and then some, so take advantage of every pizza and gelato and wine tasting that you can!

Hotel Courtyard

We were lucky to start most of our days with a complimentary breakfast at our hotel. Most of the time, the spread was breads, butters, jams and coffee. In a couple of places we lucked into eggs and prosciutto, too. Usually there were some fruits and pastries thrown in, and that was plenty to fuel our morning adventures. Even if you don't stay in a place that offers a morning snack,

Venice - a City on the Water

A few years ago, in preparation for my epic Birthday Adventure, my friend Ashley gave me a travel journal. I wrote in it religiously - recapping each days events and escapades. I've taken notes on quite a few trips and I definitely think it's worth the time and effort. Especially for big trips where you're traveling to different cities - the notes are very important as you go back through your pictures and start organizing (or if you want to write about your trip and finally get around to it much much later). Hope you enjoy the journal view and notes on Venice!

Train: Verona to Venice - We woke up early to catch a taxi to the train station. This time, we didn't want to risk being in the wrong place! We quickly realized that something was different about my luggage - it was VERY HEAVY. Going up and down steps is a bit of a challenge with 50+ pounds of suitcase. Note to self: when packing for next European excursion, remember that the backpackers are onto something... travel light! We made it to the correct platform and boarded the train... but we were in the wrong car! We had to weave through 5 train cars before finding our seats. Finally, we were able to relax. That's one of the best things about riding the train - once you're settled in, you can just sit back and relax!

There were two stops in Venice: one was still on the "mainland" and then our stop - Venezia St. Lucia. The train crossed the water and we could see the big cruise ships docked nearby.