Let the Rick Steves' Tour Begin!
After our excursion in Spain, it was then time to go to Venice and meet up with our parents and begin the tour! With a direct flight from Barcelona to Venice via Vueling Airlines (All for less than €100 with bags per person!), we were able to arrive in Venice with plenty of time to spare. And that first step off of the water taxi and into the winding streets of Venice...Well, that was a completely surreal experience.
Venice is a city unlike any other. Seeming more like a city-museum than modern metropolitan hub (like Barcelona), Venice is inundated with tourists during the day and remains fairly empty at night once all of the tour boats leave. Nevertheless, when strolling through the streets, it's remarkably easy to envision this city at the height of its splendor. We saw got to see everything from the Doge's Palace, where the Doge at one time rivaled the Pope in his power, to the Bridge of Sighs, where Casanova glimpsed at an eyeful of the city before being dragged off to prison.
It was in this fantastic city that we met up with our parents and the rest of our Rick Steves' tour group. Patricia, our informative and hilarious guide, met us at Pensione Guerrato and had everyone give introductions and then off we went! Andiamo!
Venice is a city unlike any other. Seeming more like a city-museum than modern metropolitan hub (like Barcelona), Venice is inundated with tourists during the day and remains fairly empty at night once all of the tour boats leave. Nevertheless, when strolling through the streets, it's remarkably easy to envision this city at the height of its splendor. We saw got to see everything from the Doge's Palace, where the Doge at one time rivaled the Pope in his power, to the Bridge of Sighs, where Casanova glimpsed at an eyeful of the city before being dragged off to prison.
It was in this fantastic city that we met up with our parents and the rest of our Rick Steves' tour group. Patricia, our informative and hilarious guide, met us at Pensione Guerrato and had everyone give introductions and then off we went! Andiamo!
Day 5: Arrival Day
Day 6: Official Start of the Tour
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Day 7: Historic Venice
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Tips
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Highlights
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Day 8: Accademia and Islands
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It was a long day of island hopping and boat rides... Dad made the most of his breaks.