Three days in Venice

Venice - the city of waterways, masks and canal bridges has always intrigued me. It sounded like a place from another time, even another world... and it definitely feels that way when you're there.

Since it was high on my travel list and my bucket list for 2018, I was glad when I got the chance to spend three days there at the end of January. Here are my top ten highlights.

1. St Mark's Square and Basilica (Piazzo San Marco)
An obvious choice for any first time visit to Venice, but the basilica of St Mark's really does take your breath away. Those horses! When we first arrived late on the Monday night the square was shrouded in mist which gave it such an eerie, mystical quality.

2. Glass blowing demonstration in Murano
Our three islands boat trip was a definite highlight, and our first stop was the island of Murano. Famous for its glass making (the industry moved here from Venice when a law was introduced permitting open fires. As a result, Murano is now sometimes referred to as 'fire island'.)

We were lucky enough to visit a glass making factory and museum to see a live demonstration, where 'Maestro' whipped up a beautiful vase tinged with red (the most expensive colour in Murano glass) and a prancing horse. Both seemed utterly perfect, and were created freehand using pliers in a matter of minutes. It was amazing to watch.

Afterwards you get the chance to visit the factory shop, where you can take some Murano glass home. Beware - the prices are far higher here than the other shops right next door and throughout the island. We learned the hard way! Still. there are some beautiful pieces on offer. Since we had limited luggage space we chose some jewellery. I picked a clear, sparkling half moon pendant to remind me of my trip.

3. The rainbow island of Burano
Our second stop on the boat tour was Burano. It might have been the most beautiful little town I've ever seen. The houses, shops and trattorias were all painted in the brightest blues, pinks, greens and oranges - colours reflecting into the water of the canals which snaked through the streets.

We wandered through the town and took a lot of photos (it is the most 'instragrammable' place) and enjoyed the peace and quiet. January is a good time to go - I can imagine it would heaving with tourists in the summer months. Perhaps the top highlight of my entire trip, Burano is well worth a visit even for a short stay in Venice.

4. Harry's Bar (and not Harry's Bar)
We'd heard from friends that Harry's Bar by St Mark's Bay waterfront was an institution worth visiting. Opened in 1931 by Giuseppe Cipriani, famed birthplace of the Bellini, the bar was a favourite for the rich and famous. Once frequented by Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote and Orson Welles, and more recently the likes of Woody Allen and Nicole Kidman.

This was enough to get us in the door (after a bottle of wine with dinner to convince us it was a great idea). It's definitely a luxurious experience. Although the interior of the bar itself is fairly underwhelming, the service by tuxedo-clad waiters who bring you delicious nibbles on platters to accompany your drinks is quite something. Said drinks were very expensive - 18 euros for a brandy was heart-attack material for a pair of Glasgow girls. After making friends with an American English couple at the neighbouring table, we stumbled across a lively little bar a hop, skip and canal bridge over which was doing prosecco by the glass for two euros. A much better arrangement!

5. Aperitivo by the Rialto
Admittedly a very touristy experience, I thoroughly enjoyed our 4pm aperol spritzes (at discounted rates) by the canal, right next the Rialto bridge. Nothing quite beats watching the hustle and bustle around the famous Venitian landmark as we sipped our drinks, nibbled on our aperitivo snacks and then swiftly ordered another round! The ideal way to unwind after a day of sightseeing, before heading out for dinner later in the evening.

6. Dinner at Vino Vino
Following a recommendation from our hotel receptionist (who also informed us we wouldn't find good pizza in Venice - turns out this is because there aren't any pizza ovens in the city. See previous law regarding open fires) we headed to Vino Vino, a firm favourite with tourists and resident Venetians alike.

I had pasta carbonara (authentically Italian, cooked only with pancetta, parmigiana and egg) and my mum the lasagna. Both were exquisite - washed down with a bottle of regional red wine which accompanied our meal perfectly.

7. Canal side lunch
Continuing with the food theme - our lunch the next day was equally good. We walked for an hour or so to find the perfect place (I was determined to eat at a canal side location) and finally stumbled across a little trattoria with tables by the window.

We dined on bruschetta while we watched the endless gondolas lazily drifting past, and enjoyed our last glass of wine to celebrate the end of our holiday. Very good, and very inexpensive too (if you don't mind searching for a while!)

8. Lorenzo Quinn's hands sculpture
On our way to see the Ca' d'Oro (an impressive structure on the grand canal which now houses a museum) we stumbled across some giant hands rising out of the water.

Support by Lorenzo Quinn is a monumental installation at the Ca'Sagredo Hotel (which is, incidentally, also worth a visit - we stopped here for a very fancy coffee, unrivaled views of the Grand Canal, and the sculpture in all its glory). The sculpture is meant to be a warning of the threat to cities like Venice due to rising sea levels, It serves as a reminder of our role as humans to help make a positive impact on history and our environment.

9. The Museum of Music (Museo della Musica)
One of the best things about Venice is the way you can stumble across some real gems without even trying. On our last day we found this great little museum (which was also free - a rarity in Venice) and home to an expansive collection of old and beautiful musical instruments.

10. Shopping in Venice
Last on my list may seem like an obvious one - but I had to include shopping. Anyone who's been to Italy before will already be familiar with the juxtaposition of high and low end stores, quality goods and tacky souvenirs creating a harmonious retail experience.

I picked up some real finds - the leather goods are of course, second to none and I couldn't leave Venice without Murano glass souvenirs (and a glittery Venetian mask or two!).

If I had the money, perusing the rows of beautiful designer stores, Italian houses in particular (Dolce and Gabanna was like a palace) would be the dream! Until that day comes (which I'm confident it will) I was satisfied with taking in some of the wonderful window displays as we strolled round the streets.

So, was there anything I didn't manage to do?

I feel like I definitely managed to do and see quite a lot in three days here. However I would definitely return - I'd love to come back during the famous annual carnival, and to see an opera.

Venice was even more enchanting than I expected, and confirmed by love of all things Italian. I can't wait to return to my favourite part of the world again next month.

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Weekends in Rome with The Roman Guy

Italy is one of my favourite places to visit and in the past few years I've fallen even more in love with it. February seemed like the perfect time for an Italian pick me up to blast away those Winter Blues, so my friend and I decided to book a long weekend trip to Rome.

This would be my third visit to the Eternal City - read about what I learned on my first trip here. I was excited to return and for what I would discover this time around.

Arriving in Rome is a sensory experience - the sound of Vespa motors fills the air, leaden with History and memories of grandeur. The Italian passion and style exudes from every crevice- you can see it with every couple in the street; the well-dressed elderly man; the pizza maker busy at work in the window and the avenues and streets of expensive boutiques. Designer stores sit right next to tiny little cafes, launderettes, bars and quirky leather goods shops.

There is so much to take in and people watching is part of the charm of this city. On our first day, we arrived at our Air BnB - Ivan Camillo's The White Inn, located in the San Giovanni area. Ivan and his wife greeted us and could not have been more helpful, suggesting lots of local places for us to check out. The apartment itself was beautiful and had everything we could need - even a little outdoor terrace which is unheard of in Rome!

We were starving so headed out to grab some lunch - authentic local pasta and a trattoria just down the street. We knew it was legit since there was no menu - only a specials board in Italian! Fully fed and watered we headed for a wander round town, past the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia and Via Del Corso.

We finished our evening with some aperitivo in a little bar just off Piazza Venezia - the staff were really friendly and even offered us another glass of prosecco on the house when we left!

On Saturday, we had an early rise for our tour of the Vatican Museums. We booked the Privileged Entry tour with The Roman Guy, which turned out to be an excellent decision! Our guide, Jovita, greeted us at a little cafe just outside the entrance. She gave us ample time to have our breakfast of espresso and cornetti, which gave us the energy we needed. 

Being one of the first groups to enter the Vatican meant we were able to wander the halls with no-one else around. Experiencing the Sistine Chapel in absolute silence (it is forbidden to converse inside) with only a handful of other people around is indescribably wonderful. 

Jovita was an excellent guide and made our tour even more special - not only was she incredibly knowledgeable and was able to explain everything to us well, answering every question - she filled the tour with stories and anecdotes to spark our interest and imagination. 

The three hours seemed to fly by and soon we were at our final destination - St. Peter's Basilica. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale of the place - the biggest in the world. It's a breathtaking way to end a tour which I'll never forget.

After our culture-filled morning, we had a slightly lazier afternoon- the sun was shining so we sat outside lunching at Da Francesco - highly recommended by our local foodie Lorna. Afterwards we enjoyed an espresso at the famous Sant'Eustachio Caffe - the best coffee in Rome (I can testify this is true...) and later a gelato in the sunshine, overlooking the ruins at Torre Argentina (famously speculated as the site of Julius Caesar's murder - now a home for lots of stray cats!)

On Saturday evening, we headed to Trastevere to meet Lorna. She took us to the excellent Grazia & Graziella, where we sat outside and sipped on our Aperol Spritzes before enjoying a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we wandered around lively streets of Trastevere and headed for some cocktails at Pimm's Good, where we danced to the blues band that were playing.

Our first two days in Rome were busy but so much fun. Thank you to Lorna and The Roman Guy for everything. Check back for my next blog about our Sunday wine tour in Frascati!

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