Venice - Day 1

You can't really be anywhere else with this view



and what a nice sight to greet you when you leave the station.

After getting our vaporetto ticket we wait a little while for the vaporetto to arrive - we're on the number 52 that takes us fairly quickly to our desired stop. The price of this speed is that we don't go down the main canal.

A short walk through Giardini and we are soon at our hotel. We're at the same place we stayed at 2 years ago and when I booked I had asked if we could stay in the same room. That room isn't available but we given a much bigger room - it's even got a spa bath! I must admit this is the room I would have preferred but I just couldn't remember its number - how lucky that I've ended up in it anyway.

Once we settle and unpack we decide the few hours before sunset by exploring the outer reaches of the castello area.

Walking down our street we spy a market boat



all that remains are the empty crates.



A little further on and it's a first view of the walls of the Arsenale.







In the distance is our ultimate destination - with it's leaning tower, it is the Chiesa di San Pietro di Castello.











Before too long we reach the Campo San Pietro






The tilt in the Campanile is obvious this close and not just a trick of the eye.





And this is the Chiesa di San Pietro.



This current church dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. At one stage this was the seat of the main church of Venice before it was eventually moved to the Basilica di San Marco.



The campanile is made from Istrian stone and was designed by Mauro Codussi.

You would normally have to pay to visit the church (it is part of the Chorus Churches) but at the moment it is free as there is serious renovation work occurring inside. I have no photos of the interior as it is not allowed.

As it's starting to get dark we make our way back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.



Sunset - view to Santa Maria delle Salute - it's dome is now surrounded by scaffolding a marked change to its appearance 2 years ago


For dinner we return to one of the restaurant we visited last time though it seems to have had a bit of a face lift

To start we have the Seafood Antipasto



on the plate we have smoked salmon, Baccalà mantecato, Sarde in Saor, boiled shrimp, vongole and in the centre, octopus salad

the Baccalà and Sarde are particularly good, the rest is okay but nothing special

For our main we share a whole oven baked fish, cooked with tomatoes, potato and olives. After the whole cooked fish is presented, it is then boned at the table





The fish is plated and then served with its vegetables and sauce in a separate bowl



The fish was well cooked and the sauce quite flavoursome but the experience just wasn't as good as it was 2 years ago.