May 23, 2025 Rick Steve’s tour Day 5

”VENICE, THE MOST TOURISTY PLACE IN THE WORLD, IS STILL JUST COMPLETELY MAGIC TO ME.” – FRANCES MAYES

PROPOSED PLAN:

We’ll take a scenic drive to Venice today, stopping for lunch along the way. At the edge of the lagoon, we’ll board a vaporetto boat for an “am-I-really-here?” Grand Canal ride to our hotel in the historic heart of this seductive city. Tonight we’ll take an alleys-and-canals orientation stroll to St. Mark’s Square and enjoy dinner together. Later, your guide will organize an optional gondola ride for this romantic, uniquely Venetian experience. If the moon is out, it will hit your eye like a big pizza pie.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Boat: ½ hour. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep in Venice.

ACTUAL EVENTS:

Before leaving our agriturismo near Florence, Nick and I explored a couple of nice paths in the area. Then loaded up and got on the bus to head towards Venice. We made a stop at Ferrara to check out the historic area and have lunch. Nick and I wandered into a small little restaurant that was off the main drag. We were seated next to a man, who we struck up a conversation with. The man informed us that he was from Switzerland and we told him we were planning on going to a small town on Lake Constance after we completed the tour. He asked us why?? And we told him we planned on visiting the Bernina sewing machine factory. He got a funny look on his face and told us that is where he apprenticed 60 years ago. He then insisted on buying me dessert and coffee (he only offered to buy Nick’s coffee). It was such a delightful lunch and good food too!

Then we headed on down the road towards Venice. We got checked into our rooms then met up again with the group to do a gondola ride. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed the ride. Then the group went to dinner together. Great day! Good food! And good company!