Italy/Slovenia 2024 - Day 3, May 24: Venice

For out third day in Venice, we had decided to get out of town and visit some of th eother islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Yes, we would visit touristy Murano and Burano, but we would also venture to less popular Torchello for a special lunch.

As with most days, we started out with cappucino and a cornetto, pistacchio and creama, this time from the corner shop just steps from our apartment.  We stood, like locals, at counter.

After our caffine fix, we made our way down to St. Mark's Square, across from the Giardini Reali, to wait for our private boat taxi to Murano.  

We had had a problem with the shower head in our apartment and when the host came to replace it, he told us about an offer they could arrange.  Like a timeshare deal, a private taxi would whisk us away to Murano for a private tour of a glass-blowing shop and gallery on the hopes that we would drop some BIG money in their showroom.  That was certainly NOT our intention, so we happily agreed. 

Once aboard, I have to say, it's a nice way to travel!  Here's Kathi, sitting like a queen. 

Together for a selfie...

The fastest way north is straight through Venice, passing under the Pont de la Pieta ...

 ... and slicing through the main thoroughfare of the rio dei Greci

That's the Campanile della Chiesa di San Giorgio dei Greci pointing to the heavens.

Here, we are approaching the Ponte Lion.

Exiting Venice, we speed towards Murano.  I could get used to this!

It's a short hop to Murano, where we meet our guide and he tells us about the family glass-blowing business and takes us to the shop where the making of several typical glass sculptures and vessels is interpreted.

We can appreciate the skill, but I have to say I was not overly impressed.  We're spoiled living near a glass art musuem where we've seen several production demonstrations and even participated in making some personal ornaments.

Nevertheless, it is fun to watch and the mandatory show and gallery tour is a fair trade for the bougie private water taxi service. 

After the gallery tour and and guilt-ridden disinterest in thousand-dollar pitcher and glass tumbler drink sets, we emerged back on the street with the rest of the tourists.  Don't know if this is Murano-blown glass, but I did like these colorful light fixtures at this canalside cafe.  

Here we are on the Ponte San Donato looking south towards the Canal Grande di Murano

After being overwhelmed by the super-expensive glass artwork and the number of cheap trinket shops all hawking the bragable Murano glass, we were quite anxious to leave.  Having deviated from our taxi-purchase-taxi arrangement, we now joined the other tourists on the public service, island-connecting ferries. 

Schlepping it like the locals - not bad at all.

We missed the announcement for people wanting to get off at Torchello (there are few tourist attractions)...

...  so we ended up in Burano and had to wait with some other inattentive tourists for the next ferry to come along. 

We eventually made it back and disembarked with a couple handful of fellow adventurists.

The canalside promenade was busy, but wide and inviting - much more to our liking.  I don't remember there being many shops, if any, but rather just a few bars/restaurants.  In the private gardens, were beautiful purple asters and the poppies that Kathi loves so much.

We knew we were in the right place as we saw locals arrive by private boat for a stroll and family lunch.

If I lived in this part of the world, I would happily take up residence in one of these less-travelled islands in the lagoon and boat when and where I needed.

Our destination was the Ristorante Villa‘600. Yes, we saw in on Stanley Tucchi's Searching For Italy show, but he never mentioned it by name and we went the atypical extra mile to discover its identity. The walkway entrance from the Str. della Rosina told us we were in for a nice treat.

The outside seating was uncrowded and intimate.  We sat next to a large, extended family having a leisurely and multi-course lunch taking breaks and playing with their kids on the manicured lawn.

Our first dish was a special sample of traditional seafood delights - squid, mantis shrimp, baccala (cod), and pickled octopus.  The garnish with nasturtium leaves are always such a beautiful touch.

For secondi, we ordered linguine with shrimp ragu and fettuccine with shrimp in creme sauce.

YUM!

After a slow and restful lunch we moseyed off the property to explore a little more.  Headed towards the Ponte di Santa Maria...

Looking back at the restaurant and bed and breakfast.

Not much to look at from the street, where Locandra Cipriani shines is with its hidden private gardens - reserved only for its 4-star guests.  I'd bet this place comes alive at night!

Continuing down the Fondamenta dei Borgognoni, we came to the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta. I can't remember if it was closed, but for whatever reason, we decided not to go inside.

I did walk a little further down a gravel path and found the church's (?) vineyard with glorious poppies growing in the understory.

On the promenade, strolling back to the ferry docks, we peeked in at the Osteria Ponte Dei Diavolo - looks like a nice place for a meal next time we come back.

The gardens were pleasing all the senses... 

Across the crumbling Ponte del Diavolo, on the way to the agricultural fields, was this devotional to the Madonna.  

I am constantly drawn to these intentional and personal displays of faith. 

Back out in the lagoon, it's a short hop to the jam-packed tourist destination of Burano

Compare it to the mostly agricultural Torchello (with the Basilica).

Burano's draw, as a long-established fishing community, are their brightly colored wharf-front homes.  They are picturesque.  I'm a sucker like the rest I'm afraid. 

The streets and alleys are a technicolor smack in the face! 

Getting off the main, packed promenades with trinket shops and gelato vendors, in the quieter alleys, one can find the local personal spaces filled with flower decorations and hanging laundry.

I stumbled upon Bepi's house.  Due to its colorful geometric patterns, I later learned it is one of the most famous houses in Burano.  The throngs must not have gotten the memo, because I was alone on this tucked-away alley.  

Bepi, aka Giuseppe Toselli, besides being a lover of painting was also a movie buff, fueling his passion while working at the Cinema Favin, where he was employed as a janitor and maintenance man. When the cinema was closed, he began to sell sweets in Burano's Galuppi Square: hence the name of "Bepi Sua" or Bepi of Candies.

Until the early eighties, during the warm summer evenings, he would organize an outdoor cinema, hanging a white sheet on the wall of his house, where he hosted cartoons and funny movies for the children of Burano.

Continuing to wander around, you can see I had the alleys to myself...

... trying to live up to the title of traveller, not tourist.

Long after full saturation, we boarded the public ferry and made our way back to Venice. But first we would pass the vineyards on
Isola Mazzorbo that Stanley Tucchi talked about.

The island floods periodically and the vines have adapted over centuries to survive these pulses of saltwater and these grape varieties give their wine a distinctive and appreciated local flavor.

The ferry dropped us off in the Cannaregio neighborhood of Venice and rather than take a taxi back to San Marco, we decided to walk back. And we were glad we did, because we found a lovely little spot to take a break and have an apertivo - the Combo Bar. It was very unassuming from the promenade Compo dei Gesuiti

But inside in their courtyard, we mixed with students and couples enjoying this hidden gem.

Apertivo was simple and refreshing - a Hugo spritz with double (paper) straws - yes please!  I think we ordered seconds! 

We continued to weave our way south, loving the mosaic devotions to the Madonna...

... until we reached the Campo Santa Apostoli. These church squares are always the hub of activity.

Navigating across the Canal Grande, we traversed back through San Polo and, now past 7:30, our stomachs advised us to stop for a street snack of fried dough and french fries.  YUM!

It seems like all roads led us to cross the Rialto bridge.  With hands in pockets to thwart the thieves, these two savvy travelers made their way back to San Marco and our little Ca dell'Arciere apartment for some well-deserved sleep.