Day Three: Venice & Burano – Espresso, Burano, & of course we took an evening gondola ride, very peaceful, uh?
You guys don’t even know what’s coming…the first half of our day was spent enjoying a quiet sleepy Venice and checking off two more top sites, the second half was spent daytripping off Venice away from the crowds.
I would not be denied an authentic espresso two days in a row. Google was showing me that Goppion Caffe’ opened at 6:30am. Unheard of! And convenient for us. 
Seriously, just LOOK AT THOSE CROISSANTS. By the way, the Italian word for croissant is “cornetto”. And these corrnetto were dang fresh.
Being the only patrons in the café, we promptly ordered up two shots of espresso and two cornettos. Devoured our pastries, chugged our espresso, slapped some coins on the counter all in true local fashion. Now we were wired and ready for the day!
So….call us crazy, but now knowing the secret of Italy’s affection for sleeping in, we rushed over to San Marco square hopeful it would be empty and ripe for pretty pictures. Fortunately, our path took us through several other prime tourist hot spots enabling us to also snap empty Venice photos of them, starting with Rialto Bridge.
I mean….
I think it was this morning walk that solidified our affection for Venice. The city was SO quiet. So peaceful, so pretty. It really did feel like an entirely different place. And the morning light was NOT fooling around today.
Above photo = fancy schmancy Google Camera app + HDR + sunrise
Phew! Need a break? Enjoy the visual feast that is early morning Venice? Okay, catch your breath…because this day is far from over. We had a REALLY hard time narrowing down the photos to include. Sorry, not sorry.
We decided to run back over to our B&B to refuel with a light European breakfast that was included with our stay and enjoy a delicious cappuccino with our B&B mates. But of course, had to snag a few more pictures of a still deserted Rialto Bridge.
When traveling abroad, it’s always a good idea to mingle with your flatmates (assuming you have any). Fascinating to meet all sorts of people, because you can learn so much about other cultures in such a short amount of time and get to know some really interesting people. We should all strive for multi-cultural understanding and respect. The world would be a better place. *steps off soapbox*
Check out the HUGE kitchen at our B&B. (okay, it’s tiny). Don’t let that fool you though, it was stocked with a very satisfying spread of hot, flaky croissants, meats, cheeses, yogurt, cereal, eggs, and delicious coffee beverages. The hostess will make you any type of coffee drink you like and we promise it will compete with what you can get at a local cafe. After breakfast, we geared up for another long day of sightseeing, because even though we had already seen so much, we had much left to see. First, we took a slight detour to check out the Rialto Market, literally steps away, which was chock full of fresh produce and fish.
After ogling all the pretty fruits, vegetables, & fresh fish we started the (now memorized) route back over to the square just before the church opened its doors (seriously getting our steps in). We hopped in the already LONG line waiting for St. Mark’s Basilica. That’s where we learned a way to skirt the system. You see, the long line is to get in the church. Once you make it up to the front those who have bags and backpacks will get sent around the corner to have their bag held in the cloakroom, be given a ticket and sent back around to the front door where they will wave you inside. Well…assuming you have a bag, just head straight to bag check, get your ticket and walk back over to the front door ahead of the 1,000 or so people and act like you belong. They waved us right in because Kara had a claim ticket. BOOM. Hey, judge us all you want, but our time is precious. Okay, so we did feel a little awkward sort of cheating the system to get inside a church cause it does feel a little bad, BUT really it just pays to do your research in advance and know the system. So lesson for you, take our hard done research and use it to your advantage too! See, that makes it better because we shared! Right? Note: the cloakroom is off to the left of the basilica down an alley on the right. It can be easy to miss or hard to find, so follow the signs posted or just ask someone.
Anywho, the inside of St Mark’s was absolutely stunning. I’ve never seen so much gold. Unfortunately, they don’t allow pictures inside. Nevertheless, a quick Google search can show you all you need to know…or take a quick glance at this rebel shot that NEVER happened okay?
Man….they really knew how to make a church in Italy.
Since we had hit all the major Venice sights the day before, we had decided to take half a day sojourn to picturesque Burano, which was only a short 45 minute Vaporetto ride away. This was on Kara’s bucket list and was a good opportunity to get away from crowded Venice during the peak time when the island gets hit the hardest by daytrippers. A Google map check told us the direct line to Burano was all the way on the North-east side of the city. You know what that means….more walking. We started heading that way and to our delight, we stumbled upon ‘Liberia Acqua Alta’ self-dubbed “the most beautiful bookshop in the world”.
You know, the one that shows up in your Instagram feed as follows:
It was most certainly beautiful. Charming, whimsical, and moldy. All those books at sea level? Yeah, that’s a haven for mildew and mold. But man, what a great spot to sit for a spell
Avid book fans could easily get lost in here among the gondolas and boats brimming with stacks upon stacks.
Guard kitteh requires your head scratches and belly rubs.
After leaving this beautiful place, we snaked our way over to the north side of the island to catch the ferry.
Sidenote: we both may or may not have grabbed a quick cat-nap on the Vaporetto to Burano.
Welcome to a Burano half-day detour!
Hopping off the ferry, we were greeted with vibrant multi-colored buildings and an instant burst of positive energy.
The sky was gray this morning and threatening rain, but it never did anything more than a light drizzle. So we spent our time just wandering and admiring all the quaintness this lil’ island had to offer.
So the story goes; the houses were painted bright colors so all the fisherman could see them and find their own house in the thick fog that surrounds this area. Whatever the reason, Burano keeps it maintained and seriously bright.
Seriously, this place was so cute.
A very picture snapping, smiling Kara told me she was in her happy place. (I do love that woman so). I think she really loved this whimsical little island.
As barbaric tourists, we were already starving (I blame the time difference). Problem is that it wasn’t even noon and most restaurants won’t serve you before noon. So we decided to kill some time at the Lace Museum, a trade which made Burano famous. It’s certainly a fascinating glimpse into the incredible detail and dedication of delicate lacework. A quick walk through will take you about 30 minutes or so. Tickets were included in our Museum Pass we purchased the previous day at the train station.
After the museum, we hit up Bar Sport Spaghetti in the square. They had promising reviews, so it seemed a safe bet.
We ordered up a couple of pizzas for our FIRST true Italian pie experience. Verdict? They make pretty good pies in Burano (at least this place does).
I ordered the Freddy, which had wild mushrooms, salami, & garlic. Kara ordered the Gamberi, which had shrimp & arugula. This pizza was sort of the traditional Neapolitan style. Thinner crust, chewy dough, needs to be eaten with a fork & knife. Speaking of utensils; your pizza doesn’t come sliced. It comes whole and it’s up to you to cut it up with a fork and knife. I ordered up a glass of wine and Kara ordered herself a Bellini. We initially scoffed because it arrived in a bottle, but uh….yeah, it was really tasty.
We had also heard tell-tale of good pastries available on Burano. Turns out we were sitting right next door to a delicious bakery, Panificio Pasticceria Costantini. We absolutely waltzed in there and picked up several goodies. They struggled to converse with us and seemed a bit frustrating because it’s definitely a place for the locals, but we just knew we were in for a real treat.
We bough some good ol’ fashioned amaretti cookies, some bussolà buranello, both the traditional donut shaped and some ‘S’ shaped, which they call ‘esse’. We also picked up a hunk of lemon torrone studded with almonds. It was insanely sticky and sweet. Satisfied to say that MOST of these made it home and we got to enjoy them over the course of several weeks, though nowhere near as fresh, they were still surprisingly sweet, tempting and nostalgic of our trip. We were very sad to enjoy the last of those irresistible bussola cookies. Do yourself a favor if you are ever on Burano and visit this local gem. Get the cookies.
Skies were still gray, but we strolled around Burano some more soaking up all we could and hitting up a couple of the lace stores that still sell authentic hand-made lace. The two remaining iconic brands are Martina Vidal and Emilia Burano. A lot of the lace sold on the island is actually being shipped in from China, so shop with a cautious eye. True Burano lace crafts are costly.
Shopping tip: It’s not uncommon to be approached, and then followed around a merchant’s store while they try to give you the hard-sell. Even being polite and declining help won’t get you peace and quiet, so just deal with it. They do this in part to protect their products from being destroyed by unknowing, or clumsy tourists and also because they love their beautiful lace so they want to help you find a piece perfect for what you are shopping. Don’t fret, they will not corner you in the store and force you to buy anything.
After hopping on the vaporetto back to the main city, we found ourselves in need of gelato again (shocking, I know).
This here is a waffle cone consisting of decadently creamy fig & walnut gelato that Kara enjoyed from Gelatora di Natura. Even though we were tempted to head straight for SuSo for a third time, we opted to try something different and were not disappointed.
We also repeated our dinner plan, though we hit up different spots for Cicchetti and were rewarded with better food this time around. First stop was at Cantina Do Mori.
The food here was substantially better than what we enjoyed the previous night. AND, as a bonus they’ve got a few barrels of wine of their own making on the wall behind the counter. There’s no wrong choice. We each got a glass of their house red. The vibe is really neat with doors spilling out to both alleys, making socialization a breeze. Also, if you’re a history buff, it’s Venice’s oldest pub, founded in 1462 and frequented by Casanova himself.
THEN, we waltzed over to the northern side to try out Al Timon bar for what was probably the best Cicchetti of the trip. Situated right on a canal, there’s a few outdoor tables and they won’t charge you extra for sitting (a common thing in Italy).
Full disclosure: I really enjoyed this spot. It’s right on a fairly large canal, so there’s plenty of people watching to be had, while you sit canal-side and soak in the Venetian atmosphere. I had a glass of red wine and Kara tried a different version of the Venetian spritz with Campari. She enjoyed the drink much better this way than with Aperol as Campari is not a cloyingly liqueur, but actually has a slight bitterness.
We enjoyed a SLOW stroll back towards the city center, killing time until around sunset to take a famous Gondola ride.
Let me say this…A gondola ride is a MUST-DO in Venice……once. They are pricey, and even taking a ride through back canals (like we did) feels way too short (40 minutes) and leaves you wanting more. And while taking the back canals offer some solitude and unique views of the city you won’t get elsewhere….it stinks. The large canals don’t smell because they are surrounded by so much open air. The narrow back canals with only 30 feet between the 5 story buildings don’t offer great air circulation. So….be prepared for your romantic evening gondola ride to be occasionally interrupted with wafts of sewage. BUT, I still maintain that it is a bucket list item because it’s one of the most unique things you can do in this already unique city. Some tips for Gondola riding: Negotiate the route beforehand, if you’ve seen enough of the grand canal, make sure your route includes a lot of back alleys. Also, the prices are set and are non-negotiable. Don’t try to haggle. And there really is no need to tip your Gondolier. As of right now, a daytime gondola ride will set you back 80€ and after 7pm it’s 100€. The price is PER gondola, so if you feel like sharing or are with a group, you get the benefit of splitting the cost. Just find a gondolier who seems your speed in an area you like and hop aboard for the ride.
But allow me to SHOW you why you should take a Gondola ride…
Bucket list item: Gondola selfie
It was truly impressive to see our Gondolier carefully navigate through the alleyways. One wrong paddle stroke could send his precious gondola into a wall and do some serious damage. Our Gondolier was entertaining to us because he kept repeating the same phrases over and over again “Very peaceful, very nice, uh?” LOL. He dropped a few nuggets of knowledge throughout the ride, but mostly let us enjoy it. The personality of your Gondolier can really make a ride special, or uh not. 😉
We spent the rest of our evening packing our bags, watching Jessica Jones, and turning in early because we had an early train to catch to…Modena!
But first, here’s some knowledge…Below are some of our favorite things from Venice and Burano. Hopefully it is helpful to you in planning your own travels!
Venice
A quick tip for getting around Venice. You will spend an incredible amount of time on your feet. You WILL get lost, but enjoy that. Vaporetto (water taxis) are your main source of quickly getting around the city. As soon as we arrived in Venice, we popped into the tourist center AT the train station and picked up a two-day Vaporetto pass. This included unlimited hop ons for 48 hours. I believe you can purchase online too. We also picked up the Venice Museum Pass. Doing so beforehand allowed us to skip the ticket line(s) for certain attractions.
Accommodations (where we stayed)
Antico Mercato – Calle prima de la donzella 290 – quaint, clean, well appointed B&B with classic Venetian styling in a modern way. Wonderful hostess, very accommodating and friendly. They serve a nice spread at breakfast with delicious coffee beverages. Can be very difficult to find due to small signage on the door, but follow their directions to a tee because it is on the street they tell you. Look for a big wooden door with a small sign on it for Antico.
Food (where we ate)
Taverna al Remer – Sestiere Cannaregio, 5701 – nice lunch or dinner spot hidden away from the crowds worth the search, but can be difficult to find. Get the mixed seafood appetizer and any of the pastas.
SuSo Gelatoteca – Calle della Bissa, 5453 – rivals Gelateria Dondoli in Tuscany as a close second for my favorite gelato from our entire trip. Try anything, it’s all amazing.
Gelateria di Natura – Campo San Giacomo dall’Orio, San Croce, 1628 – nice flavors using fresh, natural ingredients. Try the fig and walnut.
Cantina do Spade – Calle del Scaleter, 859 – cicchetti bar and restaurant. We went for aperitif, but hear the restautant churns out excellent food as well. As with any cicchetti bar, you must arrive early in the evening to enjoy a decent selection.
Cantina do Mori – Sestiere San Polo, 429 – the oldest bar in Venice with outstanding housemade wines and delicious cicchetti options.
Al Timon – Fondamenta dei Ormesini, 2754 – another cicchetti wine bar on the canal in Canneregio. They apparently also make a mean steak for dinner.
Goppion Caffe’ – Ruga Vecchia S. Giovanni, 644R, 30125 – perfect spot to pop in for a fresh cornetto and espresso.
Attractions: (what we saw)
Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) – Basilica & Campanile – this is the happening place as the main square in Venice and it can get extremely crowded. Arrive very early and still be prepared to wait in line to see both main sights, but they are definitely worth the wait. The Basilica is one of the oldest and most unique in Italy and the view from the tower cannot be beat. There are passes to skip the line for the Basilica, and you can purchase them in advance for the Campanile too if you want to splurge, but the Basilica is FREE if you are willing to stand in line or you use our “cheater” method. We waited about an hour just to get to the head of the line to purchase tickets for the tower and learned that it takes so long because there is only one small elevator carrying visitors up to the top.
Doge’s Palace – This building is pretty spectacular, and we appreciated learning a bit more about Venice’s “torturous” history. We definitely recommend getting advanced tickets (which can be done with the Museum pass we recommend) or getting there right when it opens to avoid lines.
Bridge of Sighs – many prisoner’s of Doge’s Palace’s last view of Venice as they were led to their death, you can get a sense of this view during your Doge’s Palace tour, but the bridge is magnificent from the outside. Worth elbowing your way through the crowd for a photo or come early in the morning or later in the evening when no elbowing is required.
Rialto Bridge – you won’t have to search hard for Venice’s most famous bridge. If you do any amount of walking you have no choice but to cross it several times a day. Despite the crowds, it does offer a pretty great view of the Grand Canal at any time of day, but you can be assured a prime spot early morning when Venice is still asleep.
Rialto Market – steps down the alley from our B&B, but also right off the Rialto Mercato Vapporetto stop. A small market worth moseying through to check out what is in season and pick up dried fruit or spices to take home.
Libreria Acqua Alta – self dubbed “the world’s most beautiful bookstore” isn’t just a marketing ploy. This store is filled with gondolas full of used books, albeit stinky molding books! Check out back for a staircase made of books leading to a lovely view of the canals and don’t forget to snap the iconic photo at their side entrance.
T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi rooftop – this is a shopping mall near the Rialto bridge that has an amazing rooftop (you can view it online in real time too!), but you have to plan ahead and make a reservation. You can make a reservation at one of the kiosk’s in the store or online. We knew this existed, but didn’t have the full details before our trip. This would be worth it for the aerial 360 degree views of the canal alone.
Burano
Official Website of Burano – A good source for eats, & things to do.
Vaporetto Line 12 – Fondamente Nove – this is the only water bus line that goes to Burano and back making stops at Murano, Mazzorba, and Torcello along the way. It is a 40 minute ride, so grab a cat nap.
Lunch: Bar Sport Pizzeria Spaghetti – Calle del Pizzo, 30142 – perfect little spot with good service and outdoor seating serving up pizza, pasta, frito misto, and other typical Venetian dishes. You can grab a coffee at the bar inside too.
Pastries: Panificio Costantini – 282 Sestiere S. Martino Sinistra – get the classic Burano ‘bussola’ or ‘essi’ cookies.
Lace Museum – Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi, 187, 30142 – only takes half an hour to walk through, but nice stop to learn more about Burano’s ancient handicraft, get some AC, and a clean bathroom.
Martina Vidal Venezia – Via San Mauro 309 Isola di Burano Flagship, Store, 30142 – where we bought a lace scarf as a gift for my mother-in-law and one of the last standing authentic lace shops. They do lacework demonstrations in their two shops as well so you can witness artisans at work.
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