tuesday in venice

Tuesday I decided to spend the day exploring many of the areas of Venice that I have not spent much time in during my past visits. After a good breakfast at my hotel, I took the vaporetto over the the Cannaregio area. I spent most of the morning in this area stopping in some of the shops, visiting the Ghetto area, and also in search of another restaurant I have read about with good reviews that is located in this area. I finally found it, but it was closed.

(Cannaregio Canal heading to the Ghetto area)

(canal in the Ghetto area)

With the list of recommended restaurants I got from the slow travel website, I took the vaporetto back to the stop by my hotel, and found Osteria al Garanghélo (another restaurant with a good recommendation). When I arrived, there was a table available outside. This is a very small place with only 3 tables outside and so I was very lucky to find a table available without a reservation. The woman that waited on me was one of owners of the osteria. I told her that I was looking forward to having lunch here as I have read good things about this osteria. She wanted to know where I read the recommendation. I told her slow travel and she asked me for the website. I had a very delicious spaghetti with clams dish and also a zucchini, shrimp, and cheese dish which the owner recommended. When the second dish arrived, the cook (who I think is her husband) came out to serve me this dish.

After the meal, I complimented both of them on the delicious lunch. The woman told me that she was going to go look up the slow travel recommendation now as it was the slow time of the day. I asked her if she wanted me to help her find it. She took me to an area in the back where her computer was located. She found the website and then I helped her find the restaurant recommendations. She laughed and smiled as she read the detailed recomommendation. She understood most everything and I helped translate the few words she did not understand. She was so happy to see such a nice review. She gave me a card with both their names written on it which I cannot find at the moment, but I told her I would later write a review and use her name in the review. She was such a lovely person and by the end when I was leaving the osteria, it was like we were old friends. Everyone made sure to say goodbye to me as I left. A good lunch and fun experience!

After lunch, I took the vaporetto from the Rialto stop to the San Marco area.

(view from the Rialto vaporetto stop)

(the island of San Giorgio Maggiore)

(view of Piazza San Marco from the Vaporetto)

TONS and TONS of tourists AND pigeons everywhere!! I was well aware of the crowds remembering past visits but wanted to go back to Piazza San Marco to see the clock tower that finally had been restored.

Campanile (Bell Tower) & Basilica di San Marco in Piazza San Marco

This is the Venice Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio). I actually took this picture on
Thursday which was a sunnier day but am posting it here with the other San Marco pictures.

(gondolas)

(ambulance on the Grand Canal)

 

After a little time in the piazza, I decided to go over to the Dorsoduro area for a gelato. This is the first time I have ever been in this area. Even though I was carrying 4 maps, I still got very lost, but finally found the beautiful Campo Santa Margherita where the gelateria was located. This was another wonderful campo (which is like a piazza - an open area where people hang out). It was very much like the other campo that is located near my hotel - an area where mostly local people and hang out and little children play.

(Campo Santa Margherita)

(vegetable seller on a boat outside Campo Santa Margherita)

 

After having another very delicious gelato, I headed back for the vaporetto stop and back to my hotel.

(a doorway and a window in Venice)

My feet were very sore and I was dead tired when I arrived back at my hotel. After a shower, I had another lovely dinner at another restaurant near my hotel - il Refolo.

(this is the canal view I had from my table)

ciao!!