Itlay Greece tour Part III: Verona and Venice
My Journey: Verona and Dinner in Venice
3/31/2023 On road to Verona then on to Venice for dinner. More Italian Country side from the bus in the morning, including the crossing of the Po River.
We arrive at Verona in the morning and met up with the local guide. The bus dropped us of next along the river and across from some older roman ruins.
Verona and the Adige River
Verona has many magnificent bridges and a long history of them being tested by flooding. And Like so much of Italy a history dating back to antiquity. Unlike any other place we visited the grounds were much more dispersed.
Walking the Streets we crossed the Ponte Pietra which dates 100 BCE headed to the city center. On the day we were there the city was pre paring fo a wine festaval so there was lots of staging being assembled. As we walked we could enjoy both the ancient streets with even more anchient focal visible like those of ammonoids and the large number of covered walkways.
If one keeps an eye out you will find the Venician Lion in Verona a remnant of there previous dominion over the city state. There are also many references to Dante in the city. Among the highlights of the tour was the 14th Centry Scaliger Tombs. The elaborate tombs referred to by locals as the big dogs feature the heads of the family riding on there horses above the sacarpagas.
One of the things that apparently you must do is visit Juliets house. This was the only place there was a real crowd. This sight is also the apple center of the Verona Lover related Graffettie and just one more place the the ubequidice Love Locks. In some places the Locks have become problematic and damaging to the arcitature of the city. Emparisinly one is expected to touch the statue of Juliet in inappropriate ways. So when in Rome.
As with many of the walking tours the guide takes grate care in approaching monumental arcitature in ways the give you a great revile. We Finlay made that last turn to revile the Arena.
Verona Arena
Not as big as the colosseum put just as impressive and unlike the colosseum the arena in Verona it a living building as it stile serves as a working venue. Out side the Arena were a few costumed roman soldiers passing for pictures. These characters where in disapointilnly poor quality costumes.
Having made it to the arena we were released for lunch. We walked back to Piazza delle Erbe to find a restraunt after making sure the matrade understood we were in a rush and we were assured the food would be out quickly we set to eat. I ordered a Lasagna that ended up being ok; however, Dez was very disappointed in his food. Then as we rushed to check out the weighted caught an attitude with us he was very rude and caused us of treating his restraunt as fast food.
The problem with the tourist area restraints is that they are all geared to sitting. It very difficult to find grab and go food in many of these towns if you do not know were to go ahead of time. After eating ad stoping at the Swath store, were I forgot to weight for my tax paper work, we were back to the arena area to meat the tour guide.
Verona Arena
Now back with the local guide we walked to the Castelvecchio and crossed the Ponte Scaligero. There we raundxvued with the Bus. unfortunately we did not get to spend time in the Castelvecchio Museum.
Castelvecchio and the Ponte Scaligero
Back on the bus and on to Venice well actuality the hotel was out side of Vince in the city of Mestre which is basically mainland part of Vince. The Hotel Poppi were we stayed for the next two nights was out side of Mestre.
Mistro to Vencie
Once we settaleinto the Hotel Poppi which was a very nice hotel uknfrotunalty though it not easy to get to Vince from it as the transit stop is blocks away on a busy county high way. Those of us who were on the optional dinner excursion to Venice to the tour bus across the bring to the Venice port, the others were on there on at the hotel. The Via delia Libeta bridge has many lans for car, buses, and trains it leads to Piazzale Roma.
Venice
From Piazzale Roma we took a private boat too Piazza San Marco.
We walked along the canal walking over 5 bridges till on our way to St. Mark’s. It was hard to not take pictures of every thing.
Dez and Me
We Had just moments to walk though St. Marks and enjoy the Architatucre. As with Verona one should keep an eye out for those Venician Lions.
One of the things you will see is the four bronze horses above St. Marks that came from the Hippodrome of Constantinople. The ones now there are replicas. These have a long history of being stolen in conquest and are still far from their home.
Copies Triumphal Quadriga or Horses of the Hippodrome of Constantinople
On the way to the restaurant we passed lots of glass shops. Note: if it not made in Murano it not Murano glass and just because it being sold in Venice, Murano, or Burano does not mean it made in Murano. For every glass store with unique creations there were five with mass produced items.
Dinner was at Rossopomodoro, I had high hopes for this meal and they were dashed when it began with a burnt smelling egg plant lasagna or somthing. By the time the sea bass came I was already turned off to the food. The bass was good once you removed the green unappetizing sauce.
The aggravating thing is that the go to Venice that night you had to buy the food excursion other wise you were stuck at the hotel way out side of town. Once dinner ended we took the a walk back to the boat thought the streets of Venice with its excellent bridges over looking the canals.
Night time boat ride then bus ride back to the hotel.
Church of the Pietà
Tipps and Lessons Learned:
Look down particularly in Veron.
Excursions that include a dinner are not likely to give you any free time.
Get those VAT tax forms.