Travel Log: A Journey of Restoration (Day 13)

Previous Day (A Beautiful Day at Amalfi)

Destination: France & Italy

Duration: 15 Days 15 Nights (Sep 02~Sep 17, 2014)

Day 13: A Crowded Day at Venice

We were picked up by Seahorse Car Service (link) in the wee morning of 4am to get to Napoli International Airport for our EasyJet Flight to Venice. Our flight would be departing from Napoli to Venice Marco Polo Airport at 7.20am and we actually reached the airport at around 5am! Gosh!!! There were very less people in the airport and we did not queue at all to check in our luggage.

At Napoli International Airport

Easyjet is the European version of AirAsia thus there is no free drink or meal. That was not a problem as we simply fell asleep once the airplane departed. The flight took around an hour and we reached Venice in no time.

Our 1st EasyJet Ride

We followed the signs in airport to reach the boat dock of Alilaguna to exchange our online ticket to actual ticket. The online ticket can be purchased at their website (link) with cheaper online prices. In order to reach our Hotel which was located near San Zacarria station, we had to take the Blue line. All the detail information and timetable are available in their website as mentioned above.

Alilaguna Ticket Office at Airport Pier

On Board the Alilaguna Boat

1st View of Venice up close

Nearing our Destination

It took around 1.5 hours to get from airport to San Zacarria Station and we were shocked at the crowd once we disembarked from the boat. San Zacarria Station was very near to Piazza San Marco and the crowd was simply crazy! We continued our way to the hotel – Locanda Cavanella which was basically a less than 5minutes walk from the station.

Here we are at San Zacarria

A Lookout to the Canal

Looking for Hotel in the Maze

Since our room was not ready yet, we’d decided to leave our luggage there to explore the area. Bracing ourselves against the crowd, we did some window shopping, saw the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) and ventured into Piazza San Marco. The queue into Basilica San Marco was astonishingly long! Not as long as the one at Vatican City (link) but still TOO LONG! Part of the Basilica and the dome were in the middle of RESTORATION as well. Darn!!!

The Masks of Venice

Preparing to cross the Bridge to Piazza San Marco

The Bridge of Sighs

Finally at Piazza San Marco

See that? It's Restoration at the Basilica!

Lots of People!!!

Campanile di San Marco at the Back

A View of Campanile & Basilica (with Restoration) from the Piazza

Gondola around the Corner

A Random Bridge

With Lots of Flowers

The Exit of Palazzo Ducale

We simply wondered around the piazza (and took TONs of pictures) before getting back to the hotel for check in. Since we were starving, we got to the restaurant recommended by our hotel to grab some lunch. We ordered the “Tourist Menu” to try out and I must say the portion were really ridiculously big! First of all, we were served with primi – spaghetti then the main course of roasted chicken and calamari. Frankly speaking I was not so impressed by the food there – my favourite among the huge portion would be the fried calamari which was fresh with good chewy texture.

Taking a Picture from the Bridge between S. Marco & S. Zaccaria

Our Hotel Room

Toilet

Bathroom

Let's have some Lunch!

The Tourist Menu

Waiting for the Food

Penne all'Arrabbiata

Spaghetti al Pomodoro e Basilico

Roasted Chicken with French Fries

Fried Calamari with Salad

We went back to Piazza San Marco again after lunch and the queue to get into Basilica San Marco was still crazily long. Thus we skipped the Basilica to get into Palazza Ducale (Doge’s Palace) instead. Palazza Ducale is one of the main landmarks in Venice and it was the residence of the Doge of Venice in old time.

OMG! They press down the boat to go through the Bridge

At the Courtyard of Palazzo Ducale

Another Angle of the Courtyard

The palace was exceptionally grand and there was a path which led us right through the Bridge of Sighs to the prison. Apparently in old time the prison was built near the palace – not sure about how practical this was. =P Anyhow, we walked through some dungeons and right across Bridge of Sighs to reach the new prison before we were completely LOST and walked in circle! *facepalm* There I was thinking what if we were trapped forever in this dungeon! LOL!!!

They do built Beautiful Ceiling

Is that a UFO falling at the back?

More Staircase

Look Closely at the Architecture

At the Justice Room?

Majestic Ceiling again..

View from Palazzo Ducale

Another little Fort Island?

The Piers

Old Painting at the Back

The Throne Room?

Getting Lost in the Dungeon!

Last Glimpse of Freedom from the Bridge of Sighs *Sigh*

Imagine the Prisoners walking through the Bridge

It's a Big Palace

The Staircase

When we left Palazza Ducale, we could see the queue to the Basilica was significantly shorter thus we queued along for a visit. Unfortunately, we were stopped by the guard before getting in as backpack was not allowed inside the Basilica. We had to run to the storage room at another side of the Piazza to store the backpack thus wasting precious time to get into the Basilica which would be closed soon at 5pm. In fact, we did not enjoy our visit inside the Basilica as we were rushed to get out.

Inside Basilica San Marco

The Altar?

At the Side of Basilica San Marco

The Clock Tower at Piazza San Marco

Since the Basilica was closed, we’d decided to go to Campanile di San Marco instead. Thankfully there was a lift to get to the top thus we didn’t have to climb more steps. At the top of the tower, we snapped the picture of the surrounding building and actually saw a Costa Cruise leaving Venice. How I miss our cruising day in Costa Atlantica in Greek Islands (link)!

Waiting for the Lift

Bells at the Top of the Campanile di San Marco

Panoramic View from the Tower

Clock Tower & Basilica from the Top

 A funny thing happened when we were on top, the bell for no apparent warning suddenly rang! Everyone was shocked and we could see one of the tourists almost dropped his iphone from the tower to the ground as his hand shake when the bell suddenly rang! LOL!!! There was some symphony from the bell but for us on top – it was simply too loud. =P

The Piazza from the Top

Santa Maria della Salute

The little Fort Island Again....

The Costa Cruise Ship!

Another View from the Top

Yet Another Panoramic View

Costa Leaving Venice...

After the bell tower, we’d decided to cruise the Grand Canal the 'economical' (= CHEAP) way – taking the Vaporetto Route 1 from San Zaccaria to Rialto. The view was indeed beautiful and we disembarked at Rialto station to take a look at Ponte Rialto. We took some pictures around the area before the sky getting dark and went into Hardrock to get some t-shirts.

Cruising the Grand Canal - Here is Piazza San Marco from Grand Canal

Gondola along with Venetian Buildings

Lots of Small Canals

Row Row Row a Boat to the Sunset...

Looking back at San Marco Direction

Water Taxi and another Venetian Building

The Famous Ponte Rialto

Here we are!

Hard Rock Shop

The sky was slowly getting dark thus we took advantage to take night view picture as well. We continued our boat trip to P.Roma before taking the same route back to San Zaccaria again. The night view in Venice was beautiful but unfortunately difficult to be captured on camera. Guess our camera was simply too outdated. *sigh*

Getting Dark at Rialto

Sammy was there!

The Street of Rialto

Ponte Rialto with Jewellery Shops at the top

It's Nightime!

Waiting for the Boat

Cruising through Ponte Rialto

Beautiful in the Dark

Santa Maria della Salute in the Dark

After back to San Zaccaria, we were simply too tired to get dinner thus we bought a wrap at a random café. Of course we had no idea what it was as the label was in Italian. The meat inside actually tasted like Chinese sausage. Strange huh?

Strange Wrap

Next Day (Island Hopping in Venice - Murano, Burano & Torcello)