September 16, 2023
Buongiorno! My day started bright and early at 6:45 AM to get ready for a jam-packed schedule filled with lots of adventure. I went down to the hotel's complimentary breakfast at 7:20 AM where I had hard boiled eggs, pancakes, a plum, and orange juice. Before 8 AM, we were on our private bus which took us to a boat that brought us into San Marco Square. We arrived and promptly started a walking tour that was about an hour and fifteen minutes long. Following our tour, we saw a glass blowing demonstration. I enjoyed the walking tour much more than I thought I would and the glass blowing demonstration left me speechless. At this point, it was not yet even noon, and we were heading to the gondolas. Our gondola ride was about 25 minutes long and it was something of a dream, a total bucket list item for me. Once we were back ashore, our tour guide gave us a cannoli, I was not fond of this particular chocolate cannoli. We were then set free for the next few hours to do as we pleased. I ventured off with Melody and Kylie and our other new solo traveling friend Kaz. During our free time, the four of us shopped and ate lunch. I bought all sorts of gifts for myself and my loved ones including leather goods, jewelry, a scarf, chocolates, and limoncello. For lunch we ate at Rossopomodoro where I had a margherita pizza for 9.50 Euro, bellini for 6.50 Euro, and an aperol spritz for 6.00 Euro. The food was divine, and they were all bucket list items for me to check off. As we made our way back to the boat, we stopped for gelato. I had the most amazing pistachio gelato and I felt peace as I walked along the water of Venice.
After a boat and bus ride back to our hotel, we had less than an hour to get ready for the second half of our day which was touring a winery, Vignaluna. This winery is family operated for three generations and they believe in preserving local culture as well as being environmentally sustainable. On our tour we learned about the techniques used to produce wine. After our tour we were seated in the showroom and were served several small homecooked courses with wine pairings. Some of the items that we enjoyed included cheese, chips, pizza, pasta, and a plum jam dessert with prosecco, rosé, pinot grigio, cabernet franc, and moscato. We were also serenaded several times throughout our courses by the founder of the winery, Luigi Lunardelli, who happened to also be a retired opera singer. Luigi was an incredible singer, and he took my breath away with every performance. Our time spent at the winery was well enjoyed by all and I am so grateful for this intimate experience.
Once we were back at our hotel, my roommate and I got ready for bed, checked the tour's group chat, saw that others were keeping the party going, got unready for bed, and we headed to meet up with those in the group who wanted to keep the night alive. We went to Soul Kitchen Cafe which was a short walking distance from our hotel. We sat and had a drink together before heading to Anda Venice Hostel. This was also walking distance from our hotel, and I checked it out with a few girls from my group. There was a 10 Euro cover fee to get into the nightclub, but this fee also came with a drink voucher in which I got a vodka soda. We only stayed for one drink, partly because the drink line was long and partly because we were exhausted. We enjoyed our short stay and danced to older American pop music (think Lady Gaga and Ke$ha's first albums). All in all, this was a wonderful first full day in Europe, and I was excited to continue on with all of the rest that the trip had planned for us as in the morning we would be traveling to Austria!
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