This was probably the nicest of the trains we took, a high speed train, about a 2 hour trip to Venice.
We arrived at Venezia Santa Lucia station in Venice around 2 pm. As you come out of the station, you immediately get the sense that you've arrived somewhere quite unique.
It's a place where transportation by water is your only option, or walking.
Our room here was another AirBnB, and prior to our arrival, our host informed us that the Vaporetto (public water bus) drivers would be on strike on Friday, the day of our arrival. The vaporetto is a very useful tool in Venice for going longer distances, lugging around bags, getting to other islands, etc. Fortunately the strike would only last one day. Strikes seem to be a very common thing in Italy.
Anyhow, our host gave us two options, a private water taxi for 50 euros (it's maybe a 10 minute trip), or a 20 minute walk to the apartment. We opted for the walk, crossing bridge after bridge. But it was a nice walk.
Made it over to the apartment, which was located very close to the Rialto Bridge.
One of the sights most commonly associated with Venice: Rialto Bridge
From the other side
Leading up to the Rialto Bridge and on the bridge itself are plenty of stands and stores. What does this mean? Crowds, and plenty of them.
Unless you walk by early in the morning and there's barely anyone around...
Here's a view from the Rialto Bridge. This wasn't the best looking picture I had from here, but it shows a neat scene that reflects Venice. The grand canal is filled with the crowded vaporetto (public water bus), water taxis speeding by, and gondoliers slowly cruising by with their tourists onboard.
View on the other side of the bridge
About a 5-10 minute walk from Rialto Bridge: St. Mark's Square. It's really a huge square. I suppose it wasn't the nicest I've seen. There's huge crowds but it's such a large square that u can still find empty space. St. Mark's Basilica is in the background, but there's not a great view of it since it looks like they're refurbishing a portion of it.
Just next to St. Mark's Basilica is the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), the residence of the Doge of Venice, basically the governing authority in Venice. It was built in 1340.
From the courtyard inside you get a better look at St. Mark's Basilica.
This is the entrance that was used by visitors of the Doge.
Inside the palace...
The armory
This was a pretty cool museum. You get to see various rooms, halls, the armory...and the part everyone looks forward to, the prison (which is connected to the Palace by the Bridge of Sighs. They say these views out of the little holes are the last views the prisoners get before going to prison.
Here's the Bridge of Sighs from the outside.
The prison
Looking out from Doge's Palace
We wandered the streets, took in the canals, window-shopped, and just enjoyed what is Venice.
For dinner, it seemed to be more common for people to grab bar bites standing up and socializing. But alas, we opted for the canalside dinner at Osteria Bancogiro.
Sophy got soup with scallops and I started with gnocci with wild boar ragu and smoked cheese sauce. We then shared chicken with potatoes and onions.
The food was really good actually...more modern, but wow, is Venice expensive haha. Pasta was 16 euros, and the chicken dish was 22 euros. This was by far our most expensive meal, but it wasn't that filling either haha. Their coperto and water was also the most expensive.
But, I guess you can't beat the view...and that's what you pay for. It's definitely an enjoyable dinner location.
Of course, we also tried some gelato which we had at Gelateria Suso. This place was only okay for me.
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