Both Venice and Florence, two hours apart by train, are marvelous travel destinations with much to offer, and we heartily recommend you experience them for yourselves. Together, they make for an excellent excursion.
VENICE
The allure of Venice begins with the picturesque Grand Canal, and we will always remember how we were initially infatuated with the sun-drenched display of pastel-colored buildings at water’s edge as various-sized crafts cruise the city’s “Main Street”.
Speaking of Venetian waterways, a gondola ride remains a wonderful introduction to this most distinct city (118 islands in a lagoon connected by 416 bridges), and we wholeheartedly encourage you to enjoy that special pleasure.
If you only visited the area most frequented by tourists (i.e., Piazza San Marco, which features the Byzantine Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Bell Tower), you might reasonably conclude those impressive attractions comprised the essence of Venice. By all means, visit the piazza, even first, but understand there is much more to see. On our second visit we took an alternative approach and discovered the soul of the city.
After a night at the splendid Ca’ Sagredo Hotel, we left behind the former palaces on the Grand Canal and crossed the congested Rialto Bridge into the San Polo neighborhood where we entered an altogether different environment. Instead of crowds jostling you on narrow streets leading to the piazza, there were young children chasing blown bubbles on a comparatively quiet campo. Instead of merchants busily hustling their latest products, there were people drying their clothes the old-fashioned way. Simply put, the Venetians we witnessed were undergoing life as less privileged locals have known it for hundreds of years, and observing them was a delight.
Later, as we consumed delicious pizza and salad at a quaint sidewalk café, wandering minstrels played for our pleasure. Suddenly I realized we were experiencing “la dolce far niente” (an Italian phrase which literally means the sweetness of doing nothing, but which I suspect is better understood as enthusiastically embracing the present moment without regard for other activities). Rather than race off to the next “must-see” attraction, we lingered at the cafe, valuing that lovely feeling of tranquility and absorbing some of the Italian culture.
As we conclude the Venice segment of this narrative, let’s focus on the city’s primary attribute. Venice is famous for being one of the most romantic destinations in the world. On our three visits there, we’ve met many couples happily celebrating anniversaries, but the photograph below shows two young people on their wedding day.
If you want to stay in Venice, Barbara and I suggest you consider the Ca’ Sagredo, a member of Small Luxury Hotels. Dinner there overlooking the Grand Canal is a distinct pleasure, and, to add to the romantic atmosphere, there is a gondola stand just outside the hotel door.
FLORENCE
The focus of Florence is definitely the Duomo (Cathedral). It is constructed of white, pink and green marble, and the church’s exterior beauty continually evokes reverence. One evening while strolling through the piazza between it and the Baptistery, we perceived a peace there that pervaded the surrounding area, and it was an unexpected joy to savor.
The Duomo was completed in 1436 when Filippo Brunelleschi finished its massive dome. His remarkable architectural achievement was to build the largest dome of his time (and still the largest brick dome) without scaffolding. Some have suggested its immense size was in keeping with the Florentine aspiration to be superior in all things. If that were his motivation, I’d say he fully succeeded.
As we meandered the medieval streets of Florence, we sensed the amazing artistic accomplishments of the past (e.g., Michelangelo’s magnificent David, Botticelli’s brilliant paintings at the Uffizi Gallery and Ghiberti’s glorious Gates of Paradise at the Baptistery) established a heritage of greatness that, I sense, still hovers over the historical district – invisible yet evident, like Hawaii’s aloha spirit.
Given that impression, we wanted to stay in the heart of the City Centre. We chose the Helvetia (pronounced hell-vet-zia) and Bristol Hotel, because it seemed so representative of Florence. The H&B, a member of the Leading Hotels in the World, opened in 1894 and has hosted many of Europe’s leading citizens ever since. Its unique rooms and suites provide an elegant ambience and refined charm that transport guests back to the grandeur of a bygone age, and that was exactly what we desired to experience.
Enhancing our encounter of the Renaissance City has been our enjoyment of many excellent restaurants. Three we highly recommend that are near the H&B are Buca Mario, Le Fonticine and La Giostra. What they have in common is that each offers a celebration of Florentine life and outstanding Tuscan cuisine. However, the most lasting memory of our dining experiences didn’t involve grilled meats, pasta or gelato.
Late into a Saturday night when we had finished our meal at Le Fonticine, I suddenly realized my credit card was back at the hotel. Pulling aside the owner, I explained the predicament (they would be closed Sunday and Monday, while we would be leaving Italy before they opened Tuesday) and suggested Barbara remain there as a guarantee I would go to the hotel and return with the credit card. He graciously allowed me to proceed, and as I made the short walk to the H&B, you can imagine how overjoyed I was that he would grant such favor to a stranger from another country.
The subplot to this testimony of Florentine friendliness is that the remaining couple in the dining room invited Barbara to join them, and that threesome remained in conversation until I returned just past 10:00 to reclaim my wonderful wife.
Florence is fabulous and Venice is exceptionally charming. We enthusiastically recommend this Italian getaway, and we think you’ll love it like we have.
Photography by Barbara Cleveland
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