December 2023

Thoughts. 

I last visited Venice in 1999 and fell hard. What’s not to love about a city of canals? Today, Venice is just as lovely, especially for Christmas and especially when no one else is there. Somehow our timing worked perfectly and we had it practically to ourselves. A few times we looked around some of the biggest tourist sites and were the lone wanderers. I was worried I’d miss my Delaware family too much over the holidays, but we made a point to seek out festive restaurants and activities. Venice delivered.

Stay.

• Hotel L’Orologio. Simple, contemporary and on the water. I liked it but you can find another place that is just as nice.

Eat.

• Cantine del Vino gia Schiavi. Cicchetti is Italian tapas. Coming from Spain, I felt vaguely snooty about the prospect, but I think the Italianos have us beat?
• Farini. Pizza standing on the street. Always.
• Cantina Do Spade. Ciccetti again. This is the way to eat.
• Rosticceria Gislon. Cool spot where you sort of yell and point at things in a case you want to eat.
• Hotel Danieli. Beautiful restaurant in an old world Venetian hotel overlooking the water.

Play.

• The Futbol. David and Milo watched Venezia play. And bought the requisite scarf I then usurped.
• Doge’s Palace / Bell Tower. We did a Palace tour, nothing to write home about but good to learn from a knowledgable local. I definitely recommend a guide of some kind. Then climb the tower! This was spontaneous because there was no line, but get advance tix.
• St Mark’s Basilica. Visited for Christmas Day Mass (en Italiano) and noted the uneven tiled floors warped by the rising water.