restaurants

1 August, 202126 September, 2021

Cuneo, Italy – A Piedmont Gem

We left Turin in a rain storm, just getting into our carriage before the rain really came down hard. It poured most of the way and we saw several instances of lightning as we traveled to Cuneo, giving us the foreboding feeling that perhaps we had made a terrible mistake.

Piazzale della Liberta – Cuneo Train Station – July 2021

When we arrived, it was still raining terribly hard and we were trapped in the train station for a little over fifteen or so minutes. But I checked my phone and the weather radar application on it gave every indication it was going to pass soon, and thankfully it did, though it would continue to threaten us for the remainder of the morning.

Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Corso Nizza

Cuneo appears at first sight to be a clean, very well kept city. In many respects, unlike its larger brother to the north Turin, it has every indication of being a very pleasant place to live. One rarely finds any graffiti and the number of animals seems much less than other cities in Italy, and Europe over all.

The Reading Man – Via Nizza – Cuneo – July 2021

As the man on Corso Nizza will suggest, sporting his shiny clothes and shoes, everything is just perfect in this little city.

Park and Flowers – Corso Dante Alieghieri

Maritime Alps – via Lungogesso Corso Giovanni XXIII

The main attraction is Corso Dante Alighieri, which after the main piazza, Piazza Galimberti, turns into via Roma. It is a traditional historic center promenade, with its wide street and classic Sampietrini, it offers a great place to walk and many places to shop and eat.

The Bell Tower of Cathedral Santa Marie Del Bosco on via Saluzzo

Having only spent the day here, we carefully chose our place to lunch, after researching several opportunities prior to leaving. Fortunately, Cuneo provides many top places to eat, most of which open at or around 12:30 and will close by 2:30 to 3:00, in traditional Italian style.

Restaurants – 4 Ciance

Our first choice was Osteria dei Colori, but it was no longer open for lunch. After that, it was the process of elimination and we finally ended up at 4Cinace.

Patti’s Secondo – Veal Cheek And Eggplant

Erick’s Secondo – Veal Braised With Roasted Potatoes

My Lunch Appetizer – Mozzerella with Pesto, Marinated Red Onion – A Fine 2015 Abbona Barolo

This restaurant is typical of today’s fine dining establishments, part art, part harmony, mostly excellent food. Paired with an excellent wine and you are in for a delicious time.

Cuneo appears to be an excellent place to live. Very close to the Maritime Alps and the sea, one can easily get to the beach for a weekend get-away. Nestled close to the Alps it must be an easy drive to the mountains during winter for a quick ski holiday. Or, just stay home and enjoy the city itself, dining in one of its many excellent restaurants or Osterias.

7 September, 202012 September, 2020

Merano – Tyrolean Bliss

11 August, 2020

Luzern – The Latern City

The fourth largest city in Switzerland and split by the Reuss river on the Vierwaldstättersee, or Lake Lucerne, lies Luzern. A pretty little city with ample bridges and pedestrian streets, where one can easily spend a few days relaxing and enjoying the fine Swiss hospitality of the people here, who speak a dialect of German called Alemannic. I found it impossible to understand and difficult sometimes even when they spoke High German, their dialect’s influence on their pronunciation being that profound.

Hotel Ameron

Our hotel was rather well situated. A block or two got us to the train station one way, the other we can cross the famous Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge. So, it is an excellent place to start a tour of the city.

The Chapel Bridge

The first, and most conspicuous point of interest to see, is the Kapellbrücke. Restored in 1993 after a major fire, some of its paintings survived and can be enjoyed with a casual walk across it to see its namesake church, Saint Peter’s Chapel, or just to get to the other side.

The above is a slideshow of the bridge and its adjacent water tower, or Wasserturm, but the tower has nothing to do with holding water. Rather, it is named so, because it is standing in water. It has had several uses in the past, but recently it now has a tourist shop located within, which is currently temporarily closed due to lack of tourism in the area.

The Spreuer Bridge

This Spreuer Bridge also spans the Reuss river and has a more interesting structure adjacent to it, a turbine house and assembly for generating electricity. It is no longer in use, and was closed in the 1970s due to high maintenance cost and difficulties finding parts.

The bridge also contains the similar paintings as can be found on the Chapel Bridge, along with a small altar celebrating the Madonna.

When it was originally built, the destroyed by a storm, then rebuilt, then renovated

The water from the Reuss picks up speed rapidly after this bridge, as it is confined to a smaller space for the turbine to use. The rapids are swiftly moving and create quite a noise. Unfortunately in the video below, I thought the bridge was the Chapel bridge at the time, since it does have a small chapel or altar within it, so please ignore that comment.

The Musegg Mauer

The Musegg Mauer, or wall, is a long and imposing edifice of the city. It climbs the hill rapidly on the side of the Spreuer Bridge, starting at the Nölliturm, and ends almost at the other side of the city before Zürichstrasse, with the Dächliturm. The towers are arranged as seen below, some of which, like the Wachturm, can be visited.

Here is a short slideshow of our walk around the wall, up the Wachturm and along the top of its wall for some way.

Using the legend provided above, you should be able to identify each tower by its unique shape.

Luzern The City

The rest of the city is geared toward shopping, eating and tourism. It is clear that some shops have fallen on hard times have closed, others are temporarily closed or are opening on modified schedules. Here are some views as you walk through the city.

One thing to note, the city is full of interesting looking doors and cornices. If you keep your eyes open you may see a few things you likely not see elsewhere.

The Lion Monument

Hidden across the Zürichstrasse and in the same area as the Glacier Garden, is the Lion Monument of Luzern. A carving out of solid rock in a very quiet and tranquil place in the middle of a city.

So, if you are looking for a relaxing spot to end your day of walking the town, this park will provide the quiet you need. It is open to the public for free, however, for the Glacier Gardens, there is a fee of 12CHF per person.

The Rathaus Brauerei

If you are hungry and need a bite to eat while walking around, or just need some good Swiss food, the Rathaus Brauerei may fit your needs. It has customary Swiss fare at a reasonable price. They even have expresso and a good selection of wine and beer to wash it down. We had soup, water, wine a large mixed salad, an order of Wurst with Sauerkraut, expresso and Sambuca, all for the reasonable Swiss price of 63CHF. I say reasonable, because all food in Switzerland is expensive. By the way, they have great mustard here, enjoy!

Luzern_110_RathausBraurei — My Salad and Wurstchen Plates

Well that’s it for what we call a whirlwind tour of Luzern. Normally, we like to stay awhile in a place to get the real feel for it, but it was more of a waypoint for us on our way back to Turin. We were glad we stopped by to enjoy what it had to offer, even though it was still very quiet due to the affects of the pandemic.

Bis nächstes Mal, Tschüß!

8 August, 2020

Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg

At two thousand or so meters above sea level and little Grindelwald, is the small train interchange of the mountain pass at Kleine Scheidegg. Three separate lines run from here and it becomes a busy little beehive in the morning hours, less so in the afternoon, at least during summer.

KleineScheidegg_42 — Kleine Scheidegg Train Station

We purchased our tickets in Grindelwald station not thinking much about passes, which is actually a mistake, but live and learn. In any case, to get there you take the rack train, or cog train, from Grindelwald.

Tickets For Two – Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg

The way up takes about thirty minutes and there are about three stops along the way, including Grindelwald Grund, to pick up passengers who drive to take the train on a day trip. Since I forgot to take a video going up, here is a short one on the way down.

Note: Investigate getting a multi-day pass that includes the Jungfraujoch and traveling in the area. Especially if you are traveling with family or a group, this may save you serious money. The Jungfraujoch is an inclusive train/experience, so it will be a bit pricey, so any discount you can get may relieve the sticker shock.

Kleine Scheidegg

With the Hotel Bellevue, where Clint Eastwood stayed during the shooting of The Eiger Sanction, a movie based on the novel with the same name; Kleine Scheidegg is a collection of hotels, cafes and train lines to other parts, including Jungfraujoch and Lauterbrunnen.

The Eiger Glacier

Next to the imposing Eiger, the Eiger glacier drains its icy contents between itself and the Mönch, while Jungfrau sits idly by, to the right of both.

KleineScheidegg_30 — The Eiger Glacier – Eiger Is To The Left, Mönch Is Directly Behind It

The hike from the train station up to the glacier is about an hour and can be quite demanding at time. There is loose gravel and some tricky places where you ascend. But it’s all worth it in the end, the views are amazing. Here is a slideshow of the sights that we saw on our trek up.

Patti And Wetterhorn and Grindelwald In Distance

Erick And Wetterhorn and Grindelwald In Distance

Restaurants

I hope you enjoyed our trip to the glacier and the area around it. We actually did eat at a small place here, it’s not much to look at, and at the time they only had window service because they are still in reduced operations.

Restaurant Eigernordwand

This little restaurant has very limited room inside and outside, so first come, first served, as they say. The menu is rather simple, but the food is very good. Like other places around and due to its location, the prices are on the high side, especially for window-only service.

If you are traveling during virus restrictions, keep in mind that you have to remain flexible. So prices notwithstanding, we still enjoyed it and felt that we had a decent lunch when we left.

Our day trip ends with a short video of us pulling out of the Kleine Scheidegg station. Patti and I both agreed we have to visit during winter, to get the full feeling for this beautiful place.

31 July, 2020

Obertraun, Sankt Gilgen – The Better Alternatives

Having stayed in Salzburg for about three days, we were eager to explore other areas within the beautiful Austrian countryside. After discussing our options with our daughter Ericka and her boyfriend Gabi, and having heard so much about the little town of Hallstatt, we decided it might be a good idea to try and pay it a visit.

StGilgen_2 — The beautiful Austrian Countryside between Wolfgangsee and Hallstattersee

Hallstatt

From Salzburg, about a hour’s drive away or so, is the tiny town of Hallstatt. Billed by Rick Steves, and many others, as the place to see in Austria, the so called quintessential Austrian town – hemmed in by mountains on one side, the Hallstattersee on the other and a stream dividing it – it must have been, back in the day. I stress, must have been, because it is no longer, thanks to over-tourism.

Obertraun_3 — Hallstattersee and Hallstatt from Afar

It is much like Venice now, spoiled by the hords of people that descend upon it daily and ruin its quaint charm, it is nothing but a hollowed-out tourist trap. Do not bother going, unless of course you are willing to do the Covid-elbow-rub with thousands of others. It is so overrun, even in times like these, that they have parking attendants, much like they have in the US at a state fair! It is so bad, people park along the sides of the roads for kilometers and walk in, perhaps for up to an hour. Therefore, after several U-turns and mulling it over for ten minutes or so, we didn’t think it worth the risk, nor the increased burden on the town. We gladly passed it by…

Suggestion: With the exception of major cities, here is something you may want to try. If you have paid for a travel book, circle everything in it on a map, and just don’t go there. Part of traveling should be discovery, not necessarily traveling on someone else’s footsteps. Unless it’s large city, like Rome or Paris, I am sure the people in these tiny little towns – who have been targeted by the tourism industry – will thank you, if anyone still lives there.

In our travels, we have been in some seriously one horse towns, and though some may be considered down right boring, we have never regretted visiting any of them.

Obertraun

This tiny little place is not in anyone’s book and consequently, is nothing to look at, but it has fantastic views. It has a beautiful park where you can walk and enjoy the day, you can even make arrangements to go swimming, boating or paddle-boarding.

Additionally, there are ferry rides that can take you to other places along the lake. At the time we were here, they were running a reduced scheduled, so you may want to have alternate plans, if planning a visit soon.

Sankt Gilgen

Another quiet little gem is the small town of St. Gilgen, or Sankt Gilgen. It is on the road to Salzburg along the Wolfgangsee. We spent a quiet afternoon here, eating lunch, walking and talking and enjoying the town, almost tourist-free.

This little town seems to enjoy mostly local tourists, probably from the surrounding countryside, eager to get out and relax in the beautiful waters of the Wolfgangsee. There appears to be a host of things you can do on the water, as well as cycling, camping and just sunbathing.

St. Gilgen – Copper-roofed Building Along The Quay

St. Gilgen – Gabi and Ericka enjoying Lunch

St. Gilgen – Gabi and Ericka by the Wolfgangsee

After our initial disappointment with Hallstatt, we were glad we made the day-trip to see these two unexpected surprises in the Austrian countryside.

25 July, 2020

Salzburg – Home Of Mozart

Salzburg is the name for both the state and capitol of Salzburg. It is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, arguably a genius and the most accomplished musician and composer of all time.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart also lived in Salzburg, along with his family. One can visit the Mozart Wohnhaus, which today is a museum. The cost for entry is around 12€ per person, 10€ for senior citizens. There are also family and group rates. The fee comes with an audio guide which is filled more with music than biographical data. The museum has quite a collection of artifacts from his life, especially numerous letters he wrote to his wife. One can go through the entire six rooms in less than an hour.

While in the museum you will learn some interesting facts about the composer, for example his stature. He was on one and half meters, or fifty-eight, fifty-nine inches or about five feet tall. I guess what he lacked in height he gained in his ability to play and compose extraordinary pieces of music. Worth a visit if you have the time.

A Walkable City

Salzburg is by every measure, very walkable. The city also enjoys a very robust electric bus system and plenty of alternative forms of transportation, including bicycles, electric personal scooters and even river boats.

Mirabellgarten

The Mirabellgarten in Salzburg is a great place to take some time back from walking and the general hustle and bustle of seeing the sights. It is located toward the river Salzach on the East side of the city.

The garden belongs with the Schloss Mirabell, which is an imposing structure and site. It has ample seating and benches along its borders to sit and enjoy the flowers and its grand fountain, the Vier-Elemente-Brunnen.

Hohensalzburg Fortress

The Hohensalzburg Fortress sits atop the Festungsberg, or fortress hill, of Salzburg. It has a commanding view of the city and the countryside. Apparently build in four stages it became a formidable fortress in its hayday.

SalzburgAndSurroundingArea_1 — The View from Festung Hohensalzburg

For around 12€, the basic entry pass get’s a trip on the fernicular rail to the top and back and entrance in to most areas of the castle, excluding the bishop’s quarters. The entire reason for even having a fortress is to command military might in the region, the fortress has several rooms around this theme.

Examples of World War I Soldiers and Outposts

There is also a Marionette or Puppet Museum on the premises. It has several works by a famous Puppeteer Master and several diorama around their history and use. A very interesting museum for the younger audience.

The remainder of the fortress includes the history of the actual structure, how people lived inside its walls and the involvement of the church in it’s operations. Here are some additional scenes from the fortress.

Finally, residents of Salzburg are often referred to as Stierwasher or “Bull Washers”. This epithet comes from a tale out of the Siege of the Fortress during the great Peasants’ Uprising. Apparently the fortress was staring to run out of food and one soldier had a great idea. He took the bull that was left and painted it a color, then he went down and show his enemies the bull. He did this for several days, painting the bull a different color each day. At some point the enemies decided the fortress still had too much food and they would never be starved out, so they retreated and left. A happy ending, I guess, except it took the population several days to wash all the paint that had accumulated on the bull, giving them the name Bull Washers!

Salzburg_Festung_14_Stierwascher — Salzburger Bull Washers

Kapuziner Kirche Und Kloster

The Kapuziner Kirche and Kloster sits atop of Salzburg, with an amazing overlook of the city. There is a short climb to get up there, but once there, the overlook is great.

Unfortunately, we had a rather rainy morning when we ascended to take our photographs, but they still came out pretty well.

Restaurants

While in Salzburg we visited the following notable restaurants.

Gasthof Alter Fuchs

The Gasthof Alter Fuchs is a typical Austrian restaurant, serving typical cuisine for the area. They have, “die beliebten Klassiker der österreichischen Küche“, or the most beloved classic of Austrian cuisine, Wiener Schnitzel and more on the menu.

Everything we ordered was delicious and with wine and water it all came to less than 50€!

Sternbräu Biergarten

The Sternbräu Restaurant and Biergarten is billed as delivering authentic Austrian cuisine. Their menu seems to be full of unfamiliar items, for example Salzburger Nockerl, and many favorites like Bratwurst. A very busy and large place that seems to have many servers, but even so, you may find service a bit slow.

We were hungry, so had a rather big lunch that included wine, water and the items shown above. Budget-wise, this place is a bit more expensive than some others, so be prepared to pay a small premium for wine and perhaps even beer. Our entire lunch came to 69€.

Cafe Tomaselli

Apparently one of the places for a drink to go in Salzburg is Cafe Tomaselli. They also serve breakfast and some other small things like ice cream. We stopped here for a quick drink and found the prices fair and drinks very good.

Salzburg_5 — Campari and Soda – The Elegant Way

We ordered an Iced Coffee with Vanilla Ice Cream and a Campari with Soda and the bill came to 11.60€

Gasthof Wilder Mann

Another great place for lunch is the Gasthof Wilder Mann. The Eintopf, or soup we can say is fresh and first rate. We had the Vegetable Beef Eintopf, which came with a lot of beef, yellow and orange carrots and thin spaghetti noodles. It was spiced just right and delicious.

We also order water, white wine, a Mixed Salad with Chicken, coffee and schnaps, and our bill came to 44€.

22 July, 202022 July, 2020

Klagenfurt – Wörthersee

There is no trip to Klagenfurt am Wörthersee worth its while, without visiting its namesake, the Wörthersee. A short twelve minute ride on the S1 train to Pörtschach am Wörthersee, will put you directly in the middle of the lake. We thought it a great place to take a day trip.

Our plan was to take the train from Klagenfurt Hbf, see the town, walk around the lake a bit, enjoy a nice lunch and then take a boat ride back to Klagenfurt. The weather was beautiful and everything went according to plan. Well almost, we actually stretched it out a bit, since the weather was so nice.

Pörtschach am Wörthersee

This little town is perhaps the main spot along the entire lake. Though we did not go to Velden, it had the look and feel of a long established tourist town for local Austrians. This appears to be their place to come, relax, play, eat and generally have fun. Here is a quick slideshow of the views along the lake.

There is also a waterpark on the Spitz, that requires a fee to enter, but provides everything from sunbathing and waterslides into the lake, to picnicing for the day on the small island.

The town is some three hundred meters or so from the actual lake, but gives you the impression that it is a laid back tourist town. There are many amenities and stores for tourists to shop in, including bike rentals, hiking and trekking gear, etc.

The Lake Boat Ride

There is a boat, in fact I think there are several, the travels up and down the lake carrying passengers from one small town to the next. It runs every hour or so and takes over an hour to complete the full length of the lake itself. It is another nice way to take short trips all along the lake, or just a nice gentle boat ride to see the lake for itself.

Well that’s just about it for Pörtschach and the Wörthersee. We have a great day seeing it and enjoying a nice lunch along the water. The weather was just gorgeous. Here are a few video clips while we were on the boat.

On to other places of interest, next stop, Salzburg.

20 July, 202023 July, 2020

Klagenfurt – Carinthia’s Capitol

Gruss Gott! This is the customary greeting when you visit Austria. Though many speak English here, they will still use this greeting upon meeting you. So, become an Austrian for a day and smile and say it back, it’s easy.

Nestled in the heart of Carinthia is its capitol, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. Though at first a bit abstract and hard to get a feel for it, after a few days stay and talking to the people in their own language, we have actually become very comfortable with this happy little city. It is quite open at the moment showing little affects of the pandemic, though one can see the occasional store closed (though it might not be related.)

Klagenfurt_20

The Capitol’s Main Sights

There are of course several sites here to see, some religious, some governmental and others historic. The best way to show this is a quick slide show, since there really is no better way to cover so much succintly.

Lindwurmbrunnen

An interesting Brunnen, or fountain, is the Lindwurnbrunnen in Neuer Platz. This fountain is actually central to the fable or history of the creation of Klagenfurt.

The inscription tells some of the tale in a very abbreviated form. The actual fable or story unfolded more like the following.

A Lindwurm once lived in the swamp around Klagenfurt. The river that flows through the city often flooded. This threatened travelers and city dwellers and a Dragon was thought to be the cause of these floods. It was actually a Lindworm. The Duke offered a reward for which some men tied a bull to a chain and offered it to the Lindwurm. When it took the bate, it was hooked and then swiftly killed.

The Wörtherseemandl is a small tourist attraction close to the sister city pavement marker. I do not think there is much meaning behind it, other than a piece of art that someone created for the city.

Restaurants

We visited only two restaurants while in the city proper, one was Italian, which will not be covered since it is not Austrian. Though if you are ever in the city and looking for Italian food there are several restaurants around.

Haus am Markt

The HAM, or the Haus am Markt restaurant is typical Austrian, or more precisely Carinthian food.

Haus am Markt – Hühnersuppa mit Fadenknödeln

Haus am Markt – Wiener Schnitzel and Fries with Currant Sauce

A small clip of the Oom-pa Two Person band we enjoyed while eating, how Austrian!

We go next to the actual Wörthersee for a special day and boat trip on the lake. So stay tuned! Auf Wiedersehen!

19 July, 202019 July, 2020

Venice – Without Tourists – Part Three

This last part, includes some of the additional things we were able to enjoy while in Venice, especially good places to dine. We found it takes about a week to get a really good feel for Venice. We also think it’s especially true that you have not really seen Venice until you have visited the other islands, as well as other out-of-the-way places around Venice proper.

Other Interesting Sights

For those that love architecture you will want to see the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Corte Contarina in San Marco. A bit of a challeng to find, but when you get close enough, there are signs pointing the way. They of course use Scala not Palazzo, for stairs, so do not let that confuse you!

Sign to Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, del Bovolo

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, del Bovolo, Corte Contarina

Another great sight is the tiniest alleyway in Venice. Called Calle Varisco, or sometimes Calletta Varisco (incorrectly mind you). It is a fairly narrow passage that goes nowhere, or more precisely, a canal of all things. But there are others in and around Venice, that are likewise very narrow, for example the Calle de la Raffineria.

There are also several impressive 24-hour clocks that are in and around Venice. Though not terribly easy to find, with some research and a flexible itinerary, they make wonderful sights to see.

Restaurants

We ate at many good and one fine restaurants while in Venice, here is our take on each.

Bistrot de Venise

Probably some of the finest dining in Venice, the Bistrot de Venise has a menu and winelist that rate high on our list. A bit pricey, but if you can afford it and go with the flow, that is, let them do their job, you will not be disappointed.

Ristorante Antica Sacrestia

Another jewel in the crown of Venice is the Ristorante Antica Sacrestia. Rather humble from the outside, the inside is a nice little courtyard with stone, well shaded from the midday sun. Perfect for the lunchtime replenishment.

Ristorante Antica Sacrestia Courtyard With Awards

Osteria la Zucca

Osteria la Zucca con Cucina is a very nice place for true Venetian cuisine. If you are looking for some home-cooked Italian food, this is you place. I can speak from experience, the Mousakka is great, as is the house wine.

Osteria la Zucca – Patti Waiting For Lunch

Ristorante Rosa Rossa

Ristorante Rosa Rossa on Calle de la Mandola, is a restaurant and pizzeria and is great for families, small gatherings and couples, with plenty of outside seating. Their pizza is delicious and large enough for two to share, when accompanied with salad and drinks.

Cicchetti Arciccchetti Bakaro

Last but not least, if you are in Venice, you have to visit a cicchetti. While walking around, you might see signs about cicchetti this and cicchetti that, but it’s usually simple street food served at a bar. Normally, there is a selection which you may pick and choose from, along with assorted drinks that can be ordered at the same. We stopped here while just out for a long walk. The Deli bites were one for a Euro and drinks were as usual, pretty inexpensive.

Cicchetti Arciccchetti Bakaro – Drinks And Deli Food

Conclusion

As opposed to our last whirlwind tour of Venice, this trip was a totally different and a more enjoyable experience. Not only the lack of tourists has helped my own opinion of Venice, but also the Summer heat has cooperated and our length of stay was what we would call minimal (one week). There is plenty to see for sure. If the factors are conducive and you are able to spend more than a week, I would, just to get a better overall feel for Venice. However, the amount of tourism they let come back, will dictate whether or not Venice will feel like a place you would want to stay longer than a week. That remains to be seen.

Our next stop takes us to Austria, so stay tuned for our adventures and insights there; until then, Ciao!

15 July, 2020

Venice – Without Tourists – Part One

Arriving over the weekend with the expectation of finding few, if any tourist in Venice, we were pleasantly surprised. Apparently, we have beaten the rush to see some remarkable tourist spots, without all the international hords.

Venezia_TrainStation — Venice Train Station – Platforms Empty

Hotel NH Collection Venezia Palazzo Barocci

We chose this four star hotel for its location to the Grand Canal and a pier for the Vaporettos, or ferries, that connect all of the islands together. We were not disappointed, it definitely has all the access we were looking for along with other comforts, amenities and conveniences we wanted, plus it’s very quiet.

Piazza San Marco

Usually abuzz with activity, this square or piazza is usually crowded during this time of year, with countless tourists. We have been fortunate to be here at this time, while the rest of the world struggles with how to cope with their outbreaks.

Santa Maria della Salute

One of the four plague basilicas in Venice, the Santa Maria della Salute, contains a rare Black Madonna. The altar is especially grand.

The view from the end of the island, just down from Santa Maria, is amazing.

Venezia_18 — Panoramic View of Part of the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco

Caffè Florian

Established in 1720, Cafe Florian is arguably the oldest cafe in the world. It was amazing to sit and enjoy a drink in an establishment, that frankly is older than my own country.

Pastor Saverio Le Forcole

The old art of carving and developing individual forcole for Venetian gondola rowers goes way back and is passed down from master to apprentice after a lengthy teaching process. Pastor Saverio is one of four masters still performing his art on the island.

Inside the workshop – other items done by other craftsmen

If you are ever in Venice you should look him up. He speaks English and is willing to talk to anyone who has questions about his art and how it is used. You can probably spend hours doing just that, but he does have to work, so keep that in mind.

Okay, enough for now, we are here for the entire week and will probably post more once we get a few moments of down time. Next stops are the other islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.