Out of the countryside, into Venice

A full week has yet to go by since we landed in Milan, but it feels like I have been here for so much longer.  We are already in our third hotel (Hotel Firenze) in Venice, our third major destination, at which we arrived last night! My new roommate Jackie (we get new roommates every time we move) and I are sitting in our room, working on our winery tour reports. Well, at least she is :) Our room is small and beautiful. This building is very old, nestled in between all the other buildings, so you can't even tell it is here from the front. The sounds of Venice are coming through our window...voices, bells, clicking boots...but I am getting distracted. I will go back a little to catch everyone up.

After we finished touring Fontanaferra and eating a wonderful dinner on Monday, we woke up early on Tuesday to visit two more wineries: La Corte (which is owned by the same family that owned our hotel) and Contratto. Obviously La Corte was very close to our hotel, and afterwards we had a wine tasting of five different wines. On our way to Contratto, we stopped at a beautiful little town, Acqui Terme, to have lunch. Know for their natural hot springs, Acqui Terme is probably one of my favorite places so far. It has cute colorful shops, some cobblestone streets, and good food. A group of us ate lunch at a pizzeria and then went right down the street to the most amazing gelato place I have seen yet. The coffee gelato was delicious!! 

After lunch we headed to Contratto, in a town which I can't remember. It is an amazing winery with huge underground cellars, all dug out by hand. After the tour of the winery, the second wine tasting of the day was underway. I have never had so much wine in my entire life as I have had these past five days...and I am slowly getting used to it. 

The next day, it was time to head to Venice. I was sad to be leaving the La Corte Hotel and the Piedmont region in general. It really is one of the most beautiful areas, and it was cold and rainy the whole time we were there. I can't imagine how breathtaking that area is during the summertime. 

The three and a half hour drive to Venice wasn't bad (we stopped for lunch and a tour of ANOTHER winery..Valpolicella) but once we arrived, it got crazzzzehhh.

First of all, it was completely dark, and completely pouring. To get to Venice, you have to pull up to this docking area, and split the group up into smaller groups, and get into these covered motor-powered boats. Once nine of us were in a boat (who knew where all our luggage was at this point), we were wisked away down the main canal. We couldn't see anything because it was dark and stormy...we knew we had arrived when the boat drivers started yelling at us to get off. So we did. Fortunately, after some asking around, we found Hotel Firenze! (It is literally just a door in a narrow alley way, so I am so surprised we made it.)

After we all arrived from out boats, we headed to dinner. Walking to dinner wasn't a problem...walking BACK was. By the time we had finished dinner, the high tide had come in. I don't know why I didn't know this before, but the lovely town of Venice is submerged twice a day, and unfortunately, we didn't  ride canoes to dinner. My poor Toms are still airing out in the bathroom. 

Today consisted of a full day of touring Venice (I was in the Piazza de San Marco, mom!) We visited the Doge’s Palace, the Basilica San Marco (gorgeous!!), the Museo Marciano, the Camponile, and the Museo Correr. We have a new tour guide for Venice, named Guido (I know, Jersey Shore, anyone?) and he is PRECIOUS. He's been a tour guide for nearly 30 years, and his attitude and upbeat personality kept us going through the day. Tomorrow will be an equally busy touring day, and I can't wait to hang out with him again!

Ok, we're supposed to meet in the lobby to head to dinner soon. I probably won't be posting so often in the future, but I am taking advantage of our free working internet here in the hotel while I can. 

Much love to you all!