www.italy4real.com/escorted_13day.phpWe awake to sunny sky’s, the smell of fresh bread and coffee float through the air of the breakfast room of our palace on Lake Maggiore. Windows one story high show us the sun and mist of the lake beyond the pampered lawns and glistening pool of the hotel. The group is full of energy and fill their bellies with meats, cheeses, yogurts, fresh baked sweets, cappuccino, espresso and tea. The big breakfast is a welcome start to the day ahead. We board our coach that has been freshly washed and spruced up by our driver each morning, settle in for the drive to the city of love; Verona.
Verona is the home of Romeo and Juliet’s balcony; a grand coliseum that now hosts world class theater and some of the best shops found between Milan and Venice. We stop here for a few hours and lunch on our way to Venice. Verona is to me only a stopover because its small and so close to Venice that it’s hard to justify an overnight there. We offload on to the busy streets of Verona and I guide the group to the main square. We stop for the bathroom; talk about the meeting point and time then we head down the marble laden shopping street toward the famous romantic balcony.
They say it’s a fable; some say its true, but no matter the reason behind the story; today we stand before a small stone balcony where the most powerful story of love is displayed for all to see. People from all over the world come to this spot; not to just see the balcony and touch the statue of Juliet in the courtyard but to profess their love on the walls, stones, windows and doors of the courtyard in pen, pencil, notepad or napkin. Thousands of love notes surround us; layer upon layer of ink tell the story of young, old and dying love of the thousands who have visited this spot. If you are able to look beyond the tourists snapping photos, vendors selling R&J t-shirts you may be able to feel and see the unique place that people have chosen to display their love of one another. In a world where we see so much violence, despair and war; I think it is refreshing to see a courtyard devoted to love; an oasis of positive energy.
Its free time for a few hours and the group shuffles off into the crowds to explore. Some go to lunch, some the outdoor market. Verona offers something for everyone even if for only a few fleeting moments.
After Verona we continue on to one of my favorite places on earth, Venice.
Created out of the desperate need to survive from the invasion of the Barbarians from the North; Venetians created one of the most amazing and unique cities in the world. As we arrive to the check point; the process all groups must complete on the edge of Italy’s major cites; I can smell the salt of the sea and the energy of the group begins to increase as each person is ready to see the city built on water. We cross the causeway with Venice in the foreground; you can see construction cranes on the horizon used to save the city from crumbling ancient foundations holding up massive amounts of weight. The bell tower of St. Marks Square darts above the rooftops. We pull in to Piazza Roma where we offload our luggage. The process that our groups luggage goes through is a complicated dance of land, boat and canal travel to reach our hotel. We double check the number of bags ands our belongings are loaded onto a boat; we begin to walk.
Our hotel is a lovely little family run property in Baroque style. Fabric walls, Murano glass chandeliers in wood beamed rooms. The hotel is only a three bridge walk to arrive which is a wonderful treat considering that Venice has over 400 of them.
We check in and have a few hours to relax before I show the clients how to get around the city on the sea. After a quick nap, a stroll or check of the e-mail, the clients meet me in the lobby. I guide them over to the Vaporetto, Venice’s water bus. The “VEP” system is the only way to get around Venice. Each boat is a lumbering people mover that covers every major area of the city in efficient, regular-scheduled glory. Imagine your local city bus and how many places it goes in your city and then replace the streets with water; and wa-la you have the Venice Vaporetto system.
http://www.actv.it/english/home.phpTicket booths are all over the city and offer passes starting from one hour to four days. Venice has traditionally used paper tickets that must be time stamped in yellow boxes on the docks edge before boarding. While paper tickets are still found everywhere a new system using plastic cards which you wave in front of a card reader are beginning to take plant in the major stops on the Grand Canal.
Once you have your card or ticket then you are ready to explore. Choose your boat number, direction it is going and your stop then hop on. The best view is on the edge of the boat so make a bee line for the railing once you are on.
The “water bus” stops are identified by a floating box anchored to the sides of walkways with glass windows and large yellow band around the top with the stops name such as “REALTO.” Its funny, some clients in the past think the loading dock is the boat and shout out.. “how do these little boats fit everyone” or “where’s the engine” With a smile and a smirk I explain the boats run on ancient Venetian technology of under water pulleys , weights and secret passages and just as the “ohhhh’s” and “ahhhh’s” begin, I tell them the truth and smile. I like to guide with humor between fact and history.
Now that the technical is out of the way, let’s go have a cocktail. I take the group to a little café I know for the traditional Venetian drink a “spritz.” Made of a regional sparkling white wine called Procecco, Aperol which is made with chinchona, rhubarb, genziana and others herbs. It’s a sweet biter herb taste with a orange color; try it on ice it makes for a refreshing treat before dinner.
Dinner is in a small restaurant featuring the local cuisine in a quaint piazza. Fresh fish, pasta, meat, soups, bread and wine flow and the conversation with the group is stimulating. Dinner is a wonderful experience lasting several hours. We head back to the hotel because tomorrow is a busy day of exploring this great city.
I roll over and my eyes begin to focus as the alarm rings. Its wonderful to wake and the first image of the day is a lovely Murano glass chandelier hanging over the bed with streaks of light reflecting on it from the sun sneaking through cracks in the curtains.
Hop in the shower, brush the pearly whites and off to breakfast. Espresso, ham, cheese, yogurt, juice and a croissant taste perfect. Members of the group enjoy their own selections of yummy items and we meet in the lobby a few minutes later.
We leave the quietness of our hotel into the busy streets outside; walk over to the Vaporetto stop and wait for the #2 heading toward St. Marks Square where we will meet my guide. The ride is lovely, the breeze is cool and the ancient buildings pass by while gondolas rock back and forth in their nightly sleeping places. Shop merchants set up, shops open and Venice begins to come to life as it has done for hundreds of years; magic is in the air.
I hand choose all of my guides for their personalities, enthusiasm and knowledge. It has always been important to me that my clients get the most accurate historical information about what they are seeing but it must be presented in a fun, interactive way. History is great, but if it is delivered in a mundane slow pace; its going to put people to sleep.
Travel TIP: Hire a private guide. Certified local guides are the one and only way to see a city you have never been to before. They give you a perspective, insight and commentary that a guide book or audio guide could never touch. An experience with a private guide is moderately expensive but historically it is one of the best memories you and your family will bring back from the trip. Guides can also save you money by telling you where to shop for the best prices, how not to get ripped off by pickpockets and where to get the best food; so by adding value the actual expense is well worth it. Want to hire a private guide for a full or half day?:
info@italy4real.com“Rem, is this our stop?” “hey Rem, do we get off here” “Rem where is our stop” my clients rattle off their concerns of getting off the water bus at the right place from all directions. As a professional guide, it makes me laugh inside that I might just get off and leave them on the boat and go my merry way as they sail into the sunset of the unknown. With a reassuring voice I tell them its St. Marks and I will come to let everyone know when to get off and all they must do is relax and enjoy the scenery.
We set foot from the vessel onto the solid ground of St Marks Square. Hairs stand on end as I imagine the millions of people from Roman warriors to modern day movie stars that have taken the same strides on these walkways of history.
The first stop before embarking on a tour back in time is the bathroom! You can not truly appreciate what you are seeing if in the back of your mind you are looking for a place to pee.
Travel TIP: Public bathrooms are few and far between and they run from .60 to 1 Euro for entry. You can always go into a bar, buy a water or gum and use the bathroom. Restaurants are not keen on offering this so stick to bars and cafes. P.S. a bar is not a bar as it is in the good old USA, its more a coffee bar where you can get an espresso, sandwich or your favorite cocktail in a relaxed café environment.
Next is a stop at the tourist information office for a good map. One critical item of the traveler is a paper map. Sure GPS or PDA maps are great but good luck getting a satellite signal in the narrow alleyways of Venice and when your battery dies so does your sense of direction. Old school paper maps are dependable, available and ones produced locally will offer detail not found on maps purchased abroad.
Now that I have outfitted my group with the essentials we meet my guide. The guide will take them on a two + hour tour of the historical center of Venice; including St Marks Church, Bell Tower, Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge to name a few. The clients will listen to stories, learn about important historical spots that everyone else is just walking by not knowing what they are looking at. My clients will learn more in three hours than people to have been to Venice multiple times and only used a guidebook to get around.
As the group is enjoying their tour I go off into the winding streets to schedule several Gondola rides.
The famous Gondola ride of Venice is a trick or treat experience. If you don’t do it correctly you can get taken for a bunch of cash which will make your ride bittersweet. In ancient times Gondolas were used by everyday Venetians; today only tourists use the unique one oared boats. Each Gondola is the pride of its owner. Some are adorned with statues, gold trip and plush fabrics. Each boat is handmade and can cost upwards of 75,000 Euro each. The drivers of these slender vessels are called Gondoliers and belong to a union but do not follow any regulated pricing structure; this is where it can be costly for the inexperienced traveler.
Travel TIP: When you approach a Gondolier to request a ride you must be prepared to barter for both the cost and amount of time. Bartering is a natural part of Italian life and it is expected. If you don’t haggle over the price then you can expect 150 euro for less than an hour. If you are not the bartering type then try pre booking your gondola. You have the choice of a private one (cost more) or a group one (cost less) The group Gondola ride involves a boat that seats about 6 people and usually 5 or 6 boats will travel together with the center boat offering music and song from a local artist singing traditional Italian love songs. I think the later it the more memorable choice. You can book in advance by contacting
info@italy4rel.comClients happy.. check, Gondola rides scheduled… check, tomorrows departure scheduled…check. Great, my job is done for the day and now it’s my time to relax.
I’m not sure why but Venice calls to me in a way no other city does; maybe it’s the maze of canals darting their way through ancient buildings, or the unique qualities Venice and its people bring to the table.
