February 2008
And so we found ourselves in Venice, on the last day of the Carnival. Timing couldn’t be more perfect. This was a side tour after we had powered through 3 days of sightseeing around Rome and found ourselves with 2 extra days before our next planned destination.
Getting into Venice was a 2-step process. First we flew in from Rome to the airport in Venice. Then we took a water taxi to get us to the hotel, which had a side entrance that’s off the main canal traffic.
Hotel Danieli sits right along the canal and around the corner from St Mark’s Square. The majestic hotel is filled with old European charm. We were surprised, and thrilled we got a room on such short notice. AND – they had dropped their rates back to normal, when other places still had festive rates on the last day of the Carnival.
Bit of history: The Venice Carnival, a congregation of masked people, started int he 15th century. But the tradition can be traced back to the beginning of the 14th century. The masked costumes made it possible for there to be no differentiation between nobility and the common people.
I was overwhelmed to see sooooo many people in costumes. It was my first Carnival! Lots of couples, or groups were dressed in Victorian outfits and they were happy to pose for pictures for anyone, and with just about anyone.
The Carnival made for a very colorful Venice at this time of the year. Festivities and merry-making started in the day and carried on well into the night. St Mark’s Square was crowded with revelers. They were either partying out in the square, or gathering with friends in similarly lavish and elaborate outfits in some of the restaurants.
Piazza San Marco
St Mark’s Square houses a beautiful cathedral. The ceiling was decorated with a mosaic of artwork which included a lot of gold inlay. No photography was allowed, so I am going by memory here. The rooftop is accessible to the public, and from there you get another view of the festivities taking place in the main square.
I was most definitely delighted to discover pink street lamps at St Mark’s Square.
Florian Cafe was filled with merrymakers too, and it was a full house in the evening. Things calmed down the morning after, and we popped in for a snack. I felt like we were dining in a museum, as we sat there for a bit, taking in the cool ultra-old-school European decor.
When In Venice…
I was initially against the idea of a gondola ride, thinking it was just cheesy and touristy. Then again, when da hell else am I going to be in Venice, and get a chance to be on a gondola for that matter?!
And so we did it, and our gondola man was an old-timer, who regaled us with singing as he skillfully navigated through the canals and gave us a bit of a history lesson, pointing out to the apartment Casanova used to live in.
La Dolce Vita!
We went to Gritti Palace Hotel and had a drink in the outdoor area. While sipping on a bellini, soaking up the warm afternoon Italian sun, and just gazing into the Venetian canal, I had that moment where I thought to myself, “Life can’t get any better than this.”
Murano, The Other Venice Attraction
A small island called Murano is a short boat ride away from Venice and we went there to watch the ancient art of glass blowing. We were the first ones, and only ones at a Murano factory early in the morning. The proprietor showed us around their shop and more interestingly the work station, where a handful of men were working on an order for a chandelier so they were producing elaborate glass flowers.
An old-timer who was on duty that morning indulged us with his brilliant skills and he produced this glass horse in minutes! It was fascinating, watching this piece of work executed flawlessly right before my eyes.
Small, Cozy, Festive, Beautiful Venice
So the Venice trip was a surprising detour and I’m glad we made the decision to leave Rome for one night. Would I go back to Venice? YES! I want to go back for the champagne flutes from Murano which I foolishly resisted buying on my first trip.
Always Pack Heels 