Venice in summer, looking for options.

Many of us visit Venice in summer and most come back with a similar story - a unique city, beautiful, intriguing, overcrowded, humid, sometimes smelly and very hot!  I have been there done that, got the t-shirt AND I still go back from time to time in summer ...... writing this also made me realize I have only ever been to Venice in mid-summer and mid-winter! Surely my planning could be a little better.

Venice

 

 

 

Two weeks ago I went back to Venice in mid-summer and boy was it hot and humid!!! But wait this time we did do some things differently. We were only there for 2 nights (Saturday and Sunday) but we did not stay in Venice itself and that made all the difference! If one goes to Venice one wants to stay on the islands and there are the usual culprits: Venice, Murano and Burano. However, this time we learnt of an island in similar size to the main Venetian island but it is essentially the garden for Venice i.e. it is completely agricultural. This means almost no people (compared to Venice), plenty of space, nature and a breeze in the evening at least. After being in Venice all day = paradise!!

The island is called Sant'Erasmo - and that is the subject of one of the next postings. It is quaint, cooler and relaxing. There is a small hotel, a supermarket, a church, a couple of restaurants and not a lot more! But wait, first we have to visit Murano and Burano islands.

Autumn in Italy.

There is never be a dull moment or season in Italy, but if one sits at home then one misses so much. Last weekend I returned to the Subiaco / Jenne area - I drove through the area a few years ago and made a note to return soon. I have no idea why it took so long, particularly given its proximity to Rome!! And autumn it is ...

   

... breathtaking in places. If only the sun had been shining, the colours would have exploded. It is such a beautiful time of the year before the cold weather arrives and all the colour drains from the landscape.

Naturally in the Italian countryside one can always find a cute village or two, and in this area a few St. Benedictine & St. Scolastica monasteries. This is then painted with special autumn colours and one has a special day of exploring.

 

Please do not forget the traditional Italian Sunday lunch in a quaint traditional village - it is as close to home cooking one can get! A perfect Sunday outing.

Oh, did I mention the St. Benedictine monastery?

Isola de Ventotene Part II

Well, about the same time as coming back from Ventotene I managed to "loose" my internet connection at home ...... 3.5 months later, it is working again!!! I am not going to talk much about that other than to say it was on the frustrating side!

My trip to Ventotene this year lived up to the really high expectations and I always wonder why I go back so seldom during migration. I think I need to get my priorities right!! Before we had even got onto the island we had great views of Cory's shearwater playing in the wake behind the ferry.

Once on the island there were birds everywhere and waves of migrants would come in all the time and those that had rested would leave for the mainland (14km). The European bee-eaters seem to be particularly plentiful and hundreds went over each day. Rather than me explain what we saw, just enjoy some of the images from that trip....

We are planning next years trip already and I hope the weather was as good as this year.