Date: July 23, 2024
Location: Venice
Blogger: Joy McHugh ‘28
Hometown: Georgetown, Texas
On the morning of July 23, 2024, several determined students stumbled out of bed at 5:15 to view the sunrise from the Venetian beach. Heading back at around 8:00, they joined those at the hotel who had chosen to sleep in.
After grabbing a quick breakfast of a chocolate croissant and a cappuccino, we walked to the ferry at 8:30. At 8:43, the ferry on Terminal Lido S.M.E B departed for the Piazza San Marco. After arriving at 9:00, we explored St. Mark’s square and went into some shops, such as A.D. Murano glass, one of Venice’s many artisanal glassworking businesses, while others headed to the Snack Bar for an ice-cold bottle of Coca Cola. At 9:25, we met up in the Piazza’s center to meet with our tour guide, Ms. Sabrina Scaglianti, for a 2 hour long walking tour of Venice.
At 9:36 we began our tour of Venice, exploring the iconic canals and learning more about the history of Venice, from the first doge, to the role Venice played in the reunification of Italy, becoming an integral part of Italy. We then stopped and browsed in the most famous bookshop in Venice, the Libreria Acqua Alta, or High Tide Library.
After our tour ended at 12:00, we divided into groups for lunch, some grabbing pizza at a local restaurant, while others explored the other restaurants and shops Venice has to offer. After finishing our lunch at 1:30, we began our quest to find the best gelato shop in Venice, the Gelato Gallonetto. After wandering aimlessly down multiple alleys and pathways, we discovered first hand what our tour guide meant about Venice being so easy to get lost in. Nevertheless, we were eventually able to find the gelato shop, and enjoyed the best gelato I have had on this trip! Then, at 2:10 we stopped by the Hard Rock Cafe for some t-shirts, and then visited the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Giglio, a beautiful Church. At 2:40, we then stopped to take some iconic photos at a bridge used in a scene from the movie Mission impossible: Dead Reckoning. Afterwards, at around 3:00, we shopped in the Fondaco Dei Tedeschi, a luxury shopping mall.
When we were finished at 4:53 we took the ferry back to Lido, one of Venice’s adjoining islands. At 5:30, we returned to the hotel to relax, while others went to the beach before dinner. At 6:30, we had our dinner at Ai Do Mati, after which some of us returned to the hotel, while others opted to stay out and grab another gelato. By 10:30, everyone was exhausted but excited for tomorrow, our last day in Venice!