Venezia

View from near Accademia

Win and Jane were kind enough to join me on a visit to one of the must-see destinations of Europe, Venice. We arrived well after midnight and as our very slow little boat eased past all the stops around the Grand Canal you could hear the water slopping up against the piers and spot the last sightseers of the day canalside and by candlelight, enjoying the only real peaceful time of day in this super busy city.

It's busy but it is a picture. The Doge's Palace does give you an insight into what life was like in the 'serene state' for hundreds of years. We ate delicious seafood, a yum tarta cocco, sipped on aperol spritz (the distinctive orange drink), paid too much for a coffee at historic Cafe Florian featuring an orchestra serenading St Mark's square, visited Peggy Guggenheim's for a modern art fix, and of course enjoyed a gondolier ride. We queued for St Mark's Basilica where the remains of Mark, author of the gospel of his name, were interred after their clandestine trip back from Constantinople and saw the golden jewelled altar that came with them.

Out on the lagoon on the ferry to Murano (glassmaking) and Burano (lace making) families sped around on speedboats enjoying the October sun and beautiful blue waters.

A drink in the historic Hotel Daniele with its handmade Murano glass chandeliers was a visual treat as was the taxiboat we sped across the lagoon to the airport in. With the wind in our hair we arrived in style, but as we had to inelegantly jump over a closed gate to complete our journey the glamour was over - as Win said 'We arrived like Angelina and left, well, not like Angelina'.

Cute Burano, home of lacemaking and just 2,700 people

A glass owl on Murano

St Mark's Basilica

Win and Jane at Cafe Florian