Padova to Venice via the Brenta Canal

Sunday 8 September

Big day. We are in Venice. Sitting up in bed after nice meal out in piazza near our locanda. Feeling very full having also topped up on a gelato after leaving restaurant. Met nice young (aged 22) English couple at adjoining table - from Bath, where we had been earlier this year.

The day started at 6.30 a.m. (although I have been awake since 3 a.m.). We departed on time at 7 a.m. and walked to Il Portello where we were to depart on Il Burchiello along the Brenta Canal. Traditionally, old wooden barges ("burchi") were used to transport people along this waterway between Padova and Venezia. Today, modern boats with engines make this trip for tourists. Along the way are many fine Venetian villas mainly of the 16th century which were used as summer residences by Venetian noblemen.

Today when we arrived, we were told there was a change in plan due to a celebration at Strà, our first stop, so we were to take a bus for this first section. When we arrived at Strà, there were many gondoli (the traditional Venetian flat-bottomed rowing boats) in the river - with people in costumes. It all looked very festive and when we arrived at Villa Pisani we were greeted by a crowd of costumed people - lots of photos!

The Venetian doge (a ‘doge’ was the chief magistrate of Venice), Alvise Pisani, started building this immense (114 rooms!) complex in 1735. The ball room was the highlight with the frescoes on its ceiling painted by Tiepolo. It also has a Versailles-like reflecting pool in the gardens. The villa was seized by Napoleon in 1807 following his conquest of Venice and later used for talks by Hitler and Mussolini in 1934.

From here we had a short bus trip to Dolo to start our boat trip. It was a very relaxing day and, although hot, the breeze on the top deck made it quite pleasant. We stopped at two more villas, Villa Barchessa Valmarana of Mira and the Villa Foscari Malcontenta. This last one is particularly lovely and was designed by the great architect Andrea Palladio.

And so, at the end of the day, we arrived into Venice. 

Such a wonderful way to enter this city - by the water - and so to be able to enjoy the magnificent buildings from this viewpoint. It was absolutely everything I had hoped for.

We disembarked and were grateful for the vaporetto tickets the cruise company had offered us to purchase on board as the crowds were immense. We struggled with our bags over 2 bridges (steps on either side) and I was pleased I had made the decision to go to our B&B by vaporetto rather than on foot as apparently we would have had to cross 15 bridges!

The crowds at the vaporetto stop were amazing but we somehow squeeeeezed on (with our bags!) and were deposited some time later at Sant Angelo from where we had only a short way to walk to our B&B which is in a small piazza. The people here have been a delight to deal with and continued to be so. They had confirmed our restaurant booking and couldn't do enough to be helpful.

The restaurant was just around the corner but dinner was not until 8.30 p.m. and it was now just 6 p.m. so we enjoyed a spritz (campari-based drink) at a nearby bar (and  we've noticed drinks are served in this part of Italy with accompaniments such as peanuts, chips, olives or other more elaborate snacks - like in Spain) and then went for a wander through the maze of alleys; on one bridge, the gondoli passed underneath with their passengers and one fellow serenaded his customers. What entertainment! It was very beautiful and all that one would desire in this lovely city, vindicating the decision to spend a night here enroute to Trieste.