Unique Adventures in Florence, Bologna and Venice?

Row Venice, which is a group rowing lesson on the quiet back canals, about 90 minutes, probably €100 total for you both. It's harder than it looks!
Enjoy.

Not sure if these are wild or adventurous, but here goes.

La Terrazza Rooftop Bar in Florence is really expensive if you want a cocktail, but a large bottle of sparkling water more than large enough for 2 was only 7€ in 2022. Comfortable seats, lovely views, and best of all shade! Of course it is Italy so there was a small coperto but we received the same olives, bread sticks, and other snacks as those who ordered cocktails for less than 15€ total.

In Venice we stayed on Giudecca. Trattoria ai Cacciatori is very good with a wonderful view across the lagoon. We found this area far less crowded. There's a lovely church nearby and a small museum that had a very old gondola down the way closer to Redentore Vapretto station. There's a nice rooftop bar over at the Hilton. I think the cheapest glass of wine was 14€, but water was only 4€. We went up for aperitivo at sunset and it was well worth the cost.

If you take a vapretto over to Lido SME there is a lovely beach on the far side of the island. I'd never realized Venice had beaches.

There was also an immersive thing going on at Isola del Lazzaretto Vecchio which was really cool. I looked and it may not be open right now due to renovations, but there are apparently rare open days? Guess we just got very lucky. The Armenian Monastery Mechitarist is gorgeous and was empty save for us when we visited. Scala Contarini del Bovolo is another gem that is far less visited than Piazza San Marco.

Lastly for Venice, Dragon Bones! We'd just come from the City of Dragons, Ljubljana, so we found it interesting. Allegedly where Jason of Jason and the Argonauts encountered a dragon. I guess he didn't get all of them because there are bones in this church from one slain by a saint in the 4th century.

In Bologna we visited Santa Maria della Vita for The Lamenation and had it almost entirely to ourselves. Amazing what some are able to do with stone. the Factum Foundation has a great piece about these. If you're into 18th century medical curiosities Museo di Palazzo Poggi is worth a look, or if you're more into animal taxidermy there's the Zoological Collection. If you pass Casa Isolani be sure to look for the three arrows.

If that's not your speed there's the Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano. We had a wonderful lunch nearby at Sfoglia Rina. They had some really good lunch specials and a mezzo of the vino della casa was delicious and very reasonable. San Petronia has a chapel with the Devil. Don't ruin the surprise by looking for photos before you go! Just be ready for a look straight into Dante Alighieri's Inferno.

If you're into Roman Ruins the Salaborsa Library has some under it.

BTW we were able to easily book a stay in a tower in Bologna on Bookings website.

If you like cemeteries, you could consider a visit to the island of San Michele.
Visit the Venissa winery on Mazzorbo, a small island connected by bridge to Burano and have lunch at their restaurant or their osteria.

https://www.venissa.it

From Bologna we took a local train to Ravenna, once an important city for imperial Rome, and home to amazing mosaics- really breathtaking. Perhaps an hour by train.

In Venice, buy a vaporetto pass for a few days, it's a great way to explore the main island, as well as offering transit to Murano, etc.

We absolutely love Venice's tapas culture and almost exclusively dine in the many bars that offer delicious little bites called ciccetti. I bet there's a ciccetti walking tour, and I bet it's great fun. But it's also great to discover your own favorite places.

Another vote for Row Venice. My son and I did it a couple of weeks ago. Lots of fun and unique. If you haven’t got accommodations yet, stay in a convent/monastery ! In Venice, Istituto San Guiseppe, in Florence Casa per ferie … Borgo Pinti. Book thru monasterystays.com ( easiest ) or directly ( cheaper )

It's the opposite of "wild," but we love going out to Sant'Elena - very peaceful compared with the rest of Venice - more like a small town.

in Venice - turn left (or right) at any/all intersections. First make sure there aren't any tourist groups going the same way! It's amazing what you can discover. I dare you: try to get lost!

Not wild but also not on the typical tourist list is another less-visited cemetery - this one in Florence - with stories to tell: Cimitero Degli Inglesi (English Cemetery). Also called Cimitero Acattolico.

https://theflorenceinsider.com/english-cemetery-florence/
https://www.arttrav.com/florence/english-cemetery/

Among those interred here are poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the son of Elizabeth and Robert Browning, Robert Barrett Browning, author Frances Trollope, and sculptor Hiram Powers.

The cemetery's caretaker, Sister Julia Holloway, is a fascinating figure with her own story!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDW9TB4IMPU/

Husband and I are going hot air ballooning in Tuscany. We booked it using Chase rewards points. The company is Balloon Team Italy. We will do it in mid-June, so no review yet, but we are very much looking forward to it!

In Venice, climb the cupola of Santa Maria della Salute for stunning aerial views of the city. It’s a challenging ascent through narrow staircases, but the reward at the top is well worth it. Similarly, the bell tower of Torcello Cathedral offers incredible views over the wilder side of the lagoon with a couple of hundred steps to the top.

These are awesome ideas!! Thanks a bunch!!