Wine bars, cicchetti and narrow canal streets, a laundry-day slowdown, an empty beach on the Lido, and a lot of people-watching.
“Something I wanted to experience for myself. Two nights was exactly right.”
A fast train north from Rome brought me to the lagoon, and the pace finally slowed. By Venice I was
museumed out, so I let the canal streets and the little wine bars set the pace.
Being on my own here was a little of both. Seeing couples together made me think about what it would
be like to have someone with me, but it was also really freeing to do whatever I wanted. It didn’t
get me down; it made me think. And because I was alone, I noticed things I normally wouldn’t: a
school letting out, with all the parents waiting to pick up their kids; a group of kids playing
soccer in a residential neighborhood; vendors setting up their stalls one morning. Those are the
things that are easy to miss when you’re with someone.
For me it’s a 3 out of 5, and that’s slightly unfair: I think it has more to do with being there
solo. I’m glad I saw it, and I don’t feel a need to return, but if someone who’d never been wanted
to go, I’d happily go back with them.
Highlights
Cicchetti and wine at Cantine del Vino già Schiavi in Dorsoduro: my favorite wine bar in Venice and my favorite bites of the whole trip
Wandering the narrow canal streets and taking in the architecture
The Walks & Devour sunset cicchetti tour. My favorite stop was Bacarotto
A last slow morning of wine, pizza and people-watching in Campo Santa Margherita
Wandering an empty Lido beach with no agenda
The Line 2 vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal on arrival
Misses
The food leaned heavily on seafood and anchovies, which I don't care for
The 48-hour vaporetto pass: convenient, but I walked too much to get my money's worth
A long line for the vaporetto at the station
Next time
Walk from the station with a carry-on and backpack, and ride the Grand Canal once for the views
Buy single vaporetto tickets instead of a pass if I'm mostly walking
Do the food tour on the first evening so I can go back to the places I liked
Day by day
Thu, Sep 17
Into the lagoon
My favorite bites of the entire trip.
I arrived to a light rain, and it was really humid. The line for the vaporetto at the station was long, and I waited through three or four boats, about 45 minutes, before I got on. There's always that anxiety of standing in a line, and this was no different. But once I was on the water I could relax and start taking in my surroundings, and the ride down the Grand Canal showed me exactly why I'd wanted to come. It really is something to see.
The San Samuele stop let me reach Ca' Morosini without carrying bags over bridge steps. With only a carry-on and a backpack, though, I could have walked. I also bought the 48-hour pass. It was nice not to think about timing boats, but I walk so much that I didn't use it enough to justify the cost.
Afternoon in Dorsoduro: the San Trovaso gondola yard, the Zattere and the Salute. The cicchetti at Cantine del Vino già Schiavi were so tasty and paired so well with the wine that they were the best thing I ate all trip.
In the evenings I'd end up at Bacaro e Trattoria da Fiore, the little wine bar next to the hotel, where I spent a lot of time. Mostly I people-watched. The square was popular and the walkway beside the bar was well traveled, so there was always something to see. It was calming to sit with a glass of wine and watch everyone else bustling about for a while.
Planned: Frecciarossa 09:35 · Vaporetto 2 to San Samuele · Accademia Bridge · Dorsoduro · sunset on Vaporetto Line 1 · cicchetti near Rialto
Arrival: Santa Croce dome (San Simeon Piccolo) across from the station, in the rainLine 2 vaporetto down the Grand CanalGrand Canal palazzi from the vaporettoWater taxis on the Grand CanalGrand Canal toward the Salute from the AccademiaLooking up the Grand Canal from the Accademia BridgeThe San Trovaso squero, one of the last gondola yardsSan Trovaso gondola yard across the canalCicchetti and a glass of red at Cantine del Vino già Schiavi: the best bites of the tripCantine del Vino già Schiavi, DorsoduroA quiet Dorsoduro canalIl Redentore across the Giudecca Canal from the ZattereSt. Mark's campanile from the water at the Punta della DoganaSanta Maria della SaluteInside the SaluteLate light on the Grand CanalGondolas in a side canalSan Moisè's Baroque façadeBack canals near the hotelThe ship's-keel ceiling of Santo StefanoCampo Santo Stefano at dusk, below the hotel windowEvening wine at Bacaro e Trattoria da Fiore, next to the hotel
Fri, Sep 18
Laundry, the Lido & the sunset cicchetti tour
Let my curiosity run the show.
I skipped St. Mark's and the Doge's Palace. Instead, the morning started at the laundromat. Once my clothes were in the washer, I went for a cappuccino at Caffè del Doge and just relaxed while I waited. It was slow, but I was still getting things done, and it was a nice break from the go, go, go.
Then I rode out to the Lido, not for any special reason. It looked interesting, and I was curious what the beach was like. There was nobody there, which was strange, though you could tell it gets busy at times, probably earlier in the summer. Lobster spaghetti for lunch, and the boat back past the Doge's Palace. It was just nice to wander with no agenda and follow wherever my curiosity led.
In the evening, the Walks & Devour sunset cicchetti tour from Campo San Tomà was great, with some really good food stops, ending with sunset over the Giudecca Canal. It's my number two after Paris, and my favorite stop was Bacarotto. My one wish is that I'd done it on the first night so I could go back to my favorites. To be honest, Venetian food isn't my thing: a lot of it is seafood-forward, with plenty of anchovies, and I don't care for either.
Planned: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace 09:30 · Murano or Castello · Walks & Devour cicchetti tour 17:00
Morning cappuccino at Caffè del DogeThe Lido: touching the AdriaticLobster spaghetti for lunch on the LidoBoat back from the Lido along the RivaThe Doge's Palace and campanile from the waterDorsoduro canal at golden hour on the cicchetti tourSunset along a Dorsoduro fondamentaSunset over the Giudecca Canal
Sat, Sep 19
Slow morning, bus to the airport
One more glass in the campo.
On my last morning I sat in Campo Santa Margherita at Trattoria Pizzeria Antico Capon with some wine and food and just people-watched for a while. Then I walked to the bus station at Piazzale Roma and took the regular bus to Marco Polo airport instead of the Alilaguna water bus. It was much cheaper, and I had the time.
I was really excited to leave for Barcelona. I love Spanish tapas, and it seemed like a city I'd enjoy. And it was nice that I'd get a day on my own before the rest of the crew arrived.
Planned: Accademia or Peggy Guggenheim · Alilaguna Orange Line to VCE 15:00 · fly to Barcelona 17:30
Prosciutto and burrata in Campo Santa MargheritaLast-morning pizza and wine at Antico Capon, people-watching in Campo Santa Margherita
Arrival: Frecciarossa Roma→Venezia S. Lucia, ACTV Line 2 to San Samuele
Ca' Morosini · Campo Santo Stefano, San Marco · 2 nights · 5/5 Great location, really nice facilities, and a window that opened over the square. A great stay.
Playbook from this leg
Worked Take the regular bus to Venice Marco Polo instead of the water bus
Do differently Check whether a city's signature food suits your tastes before planning around it
Worked In Venice, make the meal a wine-bar crawl
Do differently Expect museum fatigue by the second week, and plan wander days for it
Didn't work Skip the 48-hour vaporetto pass if you'll mostly walk Venice
Do differently Venice with luggage: Vaporetto 2 to San Samuele to skip the bridge stairs
