Itay Day 11--Venetian luxury

We had free breakfast this morning in our Florence hotel before heading to the train station to catch our 10:30 train (we had reserved seats we had already purchased).  The train was delayed, so we didn't get to the Venice train station until 2 and a half hours later.  We then had to catch a boat to "downtown" Venice.  The boat took probably a bit over a half an hour, so by the time we had arrived at the hotel and checked in, it was already 2:30. 

Now our hotel--we stayed at the Hotel Danieli, which was formerly the Palazzo Dandolo, built at the end of the 14th century.

We were escorted to our room, which was big!

(huge bathroom with double sinks, shower, and separate soaking tub) 

(separate dressing room for our suitcases)

(fancy venetian glass chandelier)

We saw a sign at check in that the happy hour at the terrace bar that we had been interested in going to started at 3, so we decided to splurge (since this was our splurge day) and just get a drink and food up there for lunch. 

The views were gorgeous as our hotel is in a prime location just down from the Doge's Palace right along the Sea.  We sat right on the edge of the terrace and looked over the sea and I ate a ham and cheese panini (which I was really excited about as I have been wanting a sandwich) and a peach bellini.  Expensive but so worth it. 

There was then a slight snag, however--let's just say there was a pigeon and a fly by.  Thank goodness we were still in the hotel!

After I, ah, freshened up, we headed out to do a little bit of sightseeing.

(View as we crossed from our annex building to the main palace building--because of course we weren't in the main building)

 We went down a couple of buildings, passing the Bridge of Sighs,

 to the Doges Palace and toured it. 

Once in the main courtyard,

then up the stairs into the palace itself, crossing under the lion of St. Mark.

It was very pretty, but empty of furniture (the doge--the sort of elected leader of Venice) would have brought their own furniture, but the paintings and frescoed walls were lovely.

(Doge in all his finery being blessed)

(Armory)

(Doge making sure he gets his blessing)

(St. Mark's lion)

Then it was time to cross the bridge of sighs to see the prison.  This bridge was given its name as the prisons had one last time to see the beauty of Venice (and sigh) before a cold prison cell.

We then wandered up to St. Mark's Piazza, the main square in town.

(looking back towards the lagoon)

We walked around the buildings, passing some of the tea salons famous in this square, 

as well as some of the stores, selling venetian glass as well as carnival masks.

After a sit to take in the square,

(another lion of St. Mark)

(another St. Mark's lion)

we wandered back to the water to head to the hotel.

 back to the hotel to change into something pretty for our first night in Venice. 

(beautiful venetian glass chandelier's in the lobby) 

(a goodnight box of chocolates was waiting on our bed!)

We stopped at this restaurant with a cool glass motif in its ceiling..

I had spaghetti with scallops. 

We then wandered around the back alleys a little bit

before heading back towards the water and wandering along that. 

We ended up back in St. Mark`s Square and got some gelato and watched the live music (a thing here on that piazza).