Beset by any number of mishaps on our journey to Italy, we were looking forward to a trouble-free and enjoyable few days in Venice prior to embarking on our cruise. The JW Marriott Resort & Spa set the stage for our visit to one of Europe’s most charming cities. On arrival, we were upgraded to a King Bedded Junior Suite with Terrace views, complete with a sofa, lounge chair, writing desk and in-room safe. These suites range in size from 505 to 592 square feet and feature a sizable entranceway, a spacious walk-in closet big enough to accommodate large suitcases and a bathroom with a separate walk-in shower and an oversized garden tub. There was even a mini fridge and coffee maker in this well-designed space. The oversized television separating the bedroom and the mini parlor swiveled effortlessly so that one could view the screen from either location. The glass wall in our suite overlooked the resort gardens and had a private balcony with electrically controlled shades for sun blocking and further privacy. The location is certainly a key aspect of this property’s appeal, providing guests with a tranquil retreat from the most congested parts of Venice via a complimentary water shuttle service. Amenities include several restaurants, a rooftop bar, swimming pools, a spa, a rose garden, and a 100-tree olive grove, through which guests can stroll at their leisure. Together, these features give the 5 Star, 266 room and suite resort, brought to life by the Italian architect and designer Matteo Thun, a distinctive and very welcoming allure.
After a very restful sleep, we awoke early on the Friday morning to greet our first full day in Venice. We met our friends in Cucina for a great buffet breakfast. The Marriott offers complimentary water shuttle service to the Piazza San Marco, the principal public square in Venice and after breakfast, we caught the first one of the day. From the square, we made our way to the Alilaguna Ticket Office for the Three Island Tour. Our water shuttle initially took us to the Island of Murano, long renowned for its glass making, where we watched a master craftsman practice his art by the furnace, shaping molten glass through a combination of heat, blowing and sculpture technique. Of course, we were then led into the Murano Glass Factory Store, but we quickly took advantage of our free time to stroll the picturesque streets and bridges which make up the second largest island in the Venetian Lagoon. Our next stop was the tiny Island of Torcello. Once the commercial capital of Venice, nowadays Torcello boasts a population of only 60 people. Seemingly deserted, the island boasts two main attractions: the Museum of Torcello and the Venetian-Byzantine Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta founded in the Seventh Century, which was Venice 's first cathedral. We stopped by a roadside café to enjoy an Aperol Spritz, the number one cocktail in Italy composed of Prosecco and Club Soda. The final island on our tour was Burano, famous for its fisherman, lace making and the pastel color of its buildings.
Returning to the city, we stopped for a leisurely lunch at one of the restaurants facing the lagoon and then walked over to Harry’s Bar, a famous Venetian watering hole. Harry’s is considered to be the birthplace of the Bellini Cocktail, a drink made with Fresh White Peach Puree and Prosecco, which was created by the bar’s founder Giuseppe Cipriani in 1948. Harry’s seemed to be on everyone’s agenda that afternoon. It was so crowded we considered ourselves lucky to have found a table, watching while the staff turned other would-be visitors away at the door. The concierge later recommended dinner at Trattoria Do Forni, but it was somewhat of a disappointment. When we requested separate checks, our waiter copped an attitude, To top it off, the food was just OK, but nothing special. I did however, get a chuckle when we were first seated. This restaurant is very brightly lit with clusters of bare bulbs shining from chandelier-type fixtures directly at patrons' eye level. I asked the waiter if he could dim the lights while making a turning gesture with my one hand. He immediately wet his fingers, unscrewed two light bulbs, looked at me and said, “OK?” I nodded and later noticed him unscrewing even more bulbs at another couple’s request. Returning to the hotel at day's end, we learned the missing luggage promised for delivery that day had still not arrived.
Silversea sent emails on Saturday advising us of a limited public transportation strike scheduled for Monday, the day of our sailing. While it didn’t affect us, it prompted me to arrange two water taxis to transport us to the Port of Venice Marittima Pier for check in on that day. After another breakfast at Cucina, we spoke with the concierge at length regarding the missing bags. Lufthansa confirmed they arrived at the Venice Airport on Friday evening and were “scheduled for delivery.” We had our fingers crossed as we headed into the city for some shopping and on our return, discovered the delivery service had 24 hours in which to reunite the luggage with its owner. We were told that if the bag did not arrive by Sunday, to call back, leading me to conclude one should never lose luggage in Italy! Staying close to home, we dined at Sagra, the Marriott’s rooftop bar and restaurant, where Alex did an excellent job of serving the group as we dined outdoors enjoying the balmy weather. Featuring regional specialties from any number of Italian regions, we gave high marks to the White Lasagna, Bolognese and Veal Ragout. After dinner, we discovered that the missing luggage was finally delivered in the early evening bringing smiles to us all.
We slept in on Sunday morning and rode the 12:30 water shuttle to the Piazza San Marco, the city’s main public square, it was established in the Ninth Century and 1,000 years later Napoleon referred to it as “the world’s most beautiful drawing room.” The square is dominated by St. Mark’s Basilica that’s built in the shape of a Latin cross with five domes. Said to contain the remains of Saint Mark the Apostle, the Basilica features over 500 columns dating from the Third Century and over 13,000 feet of mosaics from the Thirteenth Century.
The Doge’s Palace is also situated along the square. Originally a fortified castle constructed in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries, the building served as the residence of the Doges, the former leaders of the Venetian Republic. Of special note is the Bridge of Sighs. It’s an overpass built in the Seventeenth Century to provide access to the prisons. The name evolved after the men condemned to death would cross the bridge and see the lagoon for the last time.
Following a delicious lunch at Ristorante Al Leon d'Oro , we strolled over to the world famous Rialto Bridge, the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. That’s where we queued up for a gondola ride and it was our good fortune to have Lucano as our gondolier. Lucano spoke excellent English and informed us he loved the US, reciting up to a dozen cities he’d already visited. Lucano also told us he began his training to be a gondolier since the tender age.of eight. Today, he is truly a master. Plying the canals, I marveled at how close he took the turns, coming within inches of many buildings, but never touching one of them. During the ride, he showed us the House of Casanova, the Eighteenth Century Italian adventurer and author as well as the House of Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road in the Thirteenth Century. We also had an opportunity to see the Antica Trattoria Post Venice, the oldest restaurant in the city with sections of the building dating from the 1500s.
Upon returning to the Piazza, my friend and I visited the Bell Tower, telling the ladies we intended to climb to the top of the nearly 325 foot structure. Actually, the only way to get up there was by using the lift, and the 360 degree views above the city were truly fantastic! St. Mark’s Campanile, as it’s called in Italian, was completed in the Twelfth Century and is so high it was used as a lighthouse back in the day in order to guide ships to the port. The tower contains five different bells once used to mark different points in time as well as various occasions, including executions. Along this vein, during the Middle Ages, the tower was used as a punishment. Those who broke the law and were caught and convicted, were taken to the top in a cage and left there to endure the ravages of hot and cold weather. Back down on terra firmer, we caught up with the group at a café in the square. No-one bought our claim to have climbed the steps.
Sunday evening found us having a quick bite in Cucina again and packing up for our sailing, which was to begin on the following day. I’ll tell you all about the cruise in a future post.
Until next time…safe travels.
Glad it all worked out for you, and the luggage, in the end ...