Trip Report – Venice – Cruise from/to Venice – Rome
Part 1
I’ll attempt to give a not to detailed report on our recent trip, May 10 to May 25. Four nights in Venice, seven nights on an RCL cruise and four nights in Rome.
We arrived in Venizia at around 9am from PHL. Went through passport control in about 4 minutes. Down to the luggage area to get our ATVO bus tickets from the machine, out the door to the waiting bus and off to Piazzale Roma. Off the bus & across the street to the Vaporetto ticket window, purchased two 72hr passes, hopped on the vaporetto and on our way to Pensione Gueratto.
I mention the above just to tell you that it took longer to exit the plane than it did to get from the plane to the waiting bus. Wow. We were at the hotel in maybe an hour. Left our luggage, we were checking into one of their apartments later, and hit the ground cruising around town.
Since we were in Venice last year on an RS VFR tour we attempted to visit other sites. So…this time we visited the Correr Museum, Ca’Rezzonico, the Doges Palace
and the Guggenheim. REALLY enjoyed the first three. To us the Guggenheim was way beyond bizzzzare & overpriced.
Places we dined:
Al Ponte Storto – eh…OK
Ciccetti bar tour with Alessandro – what a blast. Our second time. He has changed the second and third Bars. Great time!
Taverna San Trovaso - Nice place, good food and pizza
Ristorante Vini da Pinto – nice place, good food near fish market
Birraria La Corte – restaurant & pizzeria
Trattoria de Bepi – nice place, good food
Pasticeria – Rezzardini – WOW!!! I won’t disclose the location! WOW!
Some thoughts about Venice on this trip:
Rain at times for 3 of the 3 ½ days.
It was basically empty. Same time last year you couldn’t move.
Line at Doges Palace: in the prepaid line – 6 people, in the buy tickets line – nobody was there!!!
Security – every museum inspected your bag and wanded you.
Security – Heavy Duty – did notice a presence of soldiers on patrol, mainly near San Marco.
Museum Cafes – never got to try one as the senior locals use them as hangouts with their neighbors.
The RS books don’t spend much time on Cannaregio. They should. After dining at Trattoria de Bepi we walked up the main drag, which is the Strada Nova for a portion of the way, all the way to the train station. Literally hundreds of shops, restaurants, etc. Worth some exploring on a future trip.
Staying in an apartment was better than a hotel. Room to stretch out. Made us feel like we were almost residents.
On Saturday, May 14, we hopped the vaporetto to Piazzale Roma, walked over to the People Mover, zipped over to the port and boarded Vision of the Seas. Seemed to be quicker than a FLA port.
Visited Dubrovnik, Ephesus, Santorini, Katakolon. Really enjoyed Ephesus – even with the carpet sales pitch, and Santorini.
Returned to Venice Saturday, May 21, disembarked, took the people move back to Piazzale Roma, walked over the Calatrava bridge and went to the train station to wait for our Frecciarossa train to Rome.
Arrived in Rome at about 4pm. Walked over to Hotel Aberdeen from Termini.
Since we had been to Rome on three other trips we also attempted to visit unseen sites. This trip we visited the National Museum & Capitoline Museums. We also participated in the pilgrimage to the Holy Door at the Vatican. Toured St. Peter’s. That took the better part of a half day. Missed Castel Sant Angelo and Galleria Doria Pamphilj. Another time!
Places we dined:
Cavour 313 – go for the wine and “snacks” Service depends on who serves you.
Ristorante Abruzzi – Rigatoni ala Carbonara to die for!!! Probably our 10th visit. Small but fantastic...to us.
Ristorante Re Degli Amici - good food, very attentive staff
Hostaria dei Bastioni Rest. - good lunch. We always stop here.
Couple of pizza places
The Café at Termini Station – Hey…it was handy.
End of Part ! – Please see Part 2