It has been a long time since my wife and I wanted to visit Venezia, Padova, and Verona (in the Veneto Region of Italy). As follows, we report our trip experience indicating what is worth visiting and a description of the best restaurants we tried during our holidays according to different criteria (location, menu, service, and price). Our tips and plan can be adapted to 6-8 Days in Italy spent in the areas of Venice, Padova & Verona.
Structure of Pages in this Blog post:
- Days 1 and 2 - Visit to Venice
- Day 3 (morning) - Visit to Padova
- Day 3 (evening), Day 4 (End of the Year), and Day 5 - In Verona
- Day 6 and Day 7 - In Milano
Days 1 and 2 - Visit to Venice: (click Here to be back to top part)
Our adventure in Italy started with driving from Riccia (our old town) to Termoli, and from there we got a direct train to Venice.
(To see all pictures, scroll left <-- )
Day 1 - Overview of the beautiful Venice
We arrived around 4 p.m. Reaching the city is quite easy thanks to the train connections. Our accommodation was not far from the main station of Venice.
An interesting feature for tourists visiting the city is to have the Venice tourist card. There are various ticket options: from 2 hours up to 72 hours or a 7-day ticket. We found the 72-hour tourist tickets quite good for us, with no public transport (including boats to Murano).
Since we arrived in the afternoon, we decided to have an overview of the City. From the main train station, we walked through the city, appreciating the night view of “Ponte di Rialto”, enjoyed the views of the “Basilica di San Marco”, the “Campanile di San Marco”, the “Palazzo Ducale”, the “Ponte dei Sospiri”, the “Palazzo delle Prigioni”, the “Riva degli Schiavoni, etc. Venezia is a very vivid city with a great atmosphere, unique sights, and very artistic views everywhere.
Restaurant 1: Trattoria il Vagone
Location 6.5: After an aperitif at the Riva degli Schiavoni, we had a dinner in a restaurant close to the station. The place looked like a classic trattoria in the Venice center, frequented by many locals.
Menù 7: We got baccalà mantecato with black polenta, spaghetti allo scoglio (great seasoning, good tomato, fish could be more abundant), cuttlefish in black Venetian style (good and well presented, maybe a bit salty), white wine (2 glasses). Food presentation was essential, with balanced flavors.Price 8: Honest and in line with what was offered
Day 2 - Visit to Murano (city of glass) and the Basilica di San Marco (back in Venice)
To fully enjoy your visit to Murano, we recommend that you get off the Vaporetto at the first stop (Colonna) and walk along the Fondamenta dei Vetrai, the street that runs along one side of the Grand Canal and into the heart of the island. Must to see and visit are Basilica di Santi Maria e Donato and the Glass Museum. The glass cathedral of Santa Chiara is a splendid glass-making furnace, probably the best in Murano.
In the early afternoon, we decided to come back to Venice. It is very interesting to see how Venice can be so nice at different moments of the day. For instance, in the afternoon and the evening...
Among the other things, we have visited the "Basilica di San Marco" (we recommend getting the audio guide, which explains the story of each part of the basilica). The incredible interior of the basilica, shows the columns, pillars, and floor covered with precious colored marble; the walls, vaults, and domes, on the other hand, are covered with mosaics on a gold background, which alter and dilate the space, making it suggestively rarefied. The ceiling tells of different moments in the old (from creation, the universal flood, etc.) and new (the life of Jesus, images of Jesus' young and more mature) testament.
Inside you can admire also the so-called "Madonna dello Schioppo" (see following figure): it is an ex voto, offered by the Venetian navy servicemen miraculously saved after an Austrian bomb blast (literally called "lo schioppo") in Marghera.
The "Pala d'oro", preserved in the chancel of St. Mark's Basilica consists of a panel covered with sacred images in gold and silver with hundreds of precious stones and enamels. The composition of the Golden Pall is reminiscent of the architecture of a cathedral that encloses in the center, within a mandola, the figure of Jesus surrounded by the four Evangelists.
Location 7.75: After so much walking, we had dinner in a place in the center of Venice. The location is elegant and remembers an old wooden ship, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Menù 8.5: We got as appetizer mussels and octopus, as the first dish ravioli stuffed with scallops, shrimp, pistachio, and cherry tomatoes. As the second dish, we had a day-caught fish (sea bass fillet). The food was great, the menù has balanced flavors, fine presentations
Price 7.5: We have paid what one expects from a place like this in Venice.
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