We left Verona and arrived at our accommodation for the next two nights; the Camping Village Jolly just outside Venice.
Like the Swiss Alps, we stayed in cabins but this time we got our own keys and had our own en-suites! Our first night was spent doing our laundry – living the dream I know! The next day we had breakfast and headed into Venice to see those famous gondolas and do some exploring!
Our tour leader Marshall took us on a little walking tour where we came across the Daniele Manin statue (below) in Campo Manin. Created by Luigi Borro in 1875, the statue is in honour of Daniele Manin – a great patriot and politician. After taking photos we were then led to the famous St Mark’s Basilica (above). Despite being under renovation, it was one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, and was a definite highlight of the trip.
We couldn’t come to Venice without going on a gondola ride! Marshall got us a cheap deal for around €20 each (some of us asked for another go around and they were gonna charge us €80!) As nice as it was exploring the canals and the little islands, the gondola ride highlighted just how not very clean the city is. There were dead rats in the water and there was a pungent aroma in the air.
After the gondola ride we all split off into little groups. We were told that we were gonna have a masquerade party at the Camping Village that night so me and a few others went in search for our masks. On our search we came across Rialto Bridge – one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. It’s famous for its many shops as well as being a landmark, and it was nice to see a more modern side of Venice.
Once we were done exploring Rialto Bridge, we came across La Maschera Del Galeone, a quaint little mask shop. I chose this pretty lace detailed mask above for €12. It was 100% made in Italy so that added an extra authentic touch. We also attended a glass making demonstration, which was pretty amazing, before heading back to the Camping Village. That night we all dressed up and played drinking games. It felt so nice to let our hair down, although some of us were feeling a little worse for wear the next morning!
But there was no time to dwell as we were back on the coach and heading to our next destination: Dachau in Germany!
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