The Train to Venice

After a couple days in Florence, it was time to take a quick jaunt over to Venice for the weekend. I must say, with the exception of my train being delayed by 25 minutes, this type of travel was smooth and painless. My Trenitalia train car was very nice and mainly consisted of groups of four seats that faced each other (as two and two) with tables in the middle and even plugs between the seats. I spent most of my time hurtling along at approximately 70mph listening to music and reading. Much of the trip took place in tunnels, so I wasn't missing much of a view.

The general trajectory from Florence to Venice (courtesy of Google Maps).

How Venice is situated (courtesy of Google Maps).

However, as it approached Venice, things got more interesting: i.e. water. The water in question is the Laguna Veneta, which is the enclosed bay of the Adriatic sea. If you're curious, Venice is 160 miles from Florence.

Water view from the train

Known for its canals, there are no cars on the streets of Venice. In fact, many of the streets wouldn't come close to being able to fit a car on them. Personally, I think it adds to the charm. Getting around either takes place by walking or by water.

From the train station, I took the vaporetto (water bus) to the stop nearest my hotel. For 7 euro, you can stay on the waterbus for 60 minutes, so it's a pretty good way to cheaply view the city by water (trust me, it's well worth it). It travels along the Grand Canal, so you're right in the heart of things. If you need to go through some of the smaller interior canals, you have to take a water taxi (expensive) or a gondola.

Room at the Foscari Palace.

The bottle of complimentary prosecco (my first taste of the stuff!) it came with.

The huge fireplace.

Here I'm staying at the Foscari Palace. Gorgeous and right on the Grand Canal, it used to be a real palace. It was built in 1520. Details in the room allude to the grandeur of its past. The ceilings are intricate and there's a huge stone fireplace by the bed. And my room's windows happen to offer up sweeping views.

What a perfect introduction to Venizia.