The Basilica San Marco is exquisite! That ceiling!! I have never been to Venice and never will, sadly, but it is one of my favourite places in the world. I watch and read everything I can about it. Thank you for sharing its beauty with us.
Here is my question: we are coming to visit with friends for a major milestone birthday. We want to treat for an amazing and memorable meal. What do you suggest?
(If by chance you have recommended this before, can you point me to that list?)
My perennial answer to the milestone birthday meal question is to go to Ristorante Al Covo. For me it hits the all the marks of being fancy & special without feeling stiff or showy. It is best if you love fish & seafood & natural wines & chocolate cake!
"I have been thinking about this question for weeks. It has proved impossible for me to answer. I have had bad trips and unmemorable trips but I honestly can not think of a place I would NEVER go back to. Instead there are places I am not able to return to. I lived and worked in Niger for a long time in the early 1990s. Places l visited like Diffa near Lake Chad and Agadez on the edge of the Sahara and Gao on the Malian border are completely off limits today. Because of complicated geopolitics there are no more road trips in battered Toyota Hilux pickups or much more comfortable Land Cruisers, to the Cure Sale with Tuareg and Wodaabe nomads, or through Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso on the way to the Dogon cliffs and Mopti in Mali."
Thank you very much. Your answer is great and very well thought out. For me it would be Naples. My teenage daughter and I were made to feel very unsafe and very uncomfortable on multiple occasions when we visited years ago. It is officially my least favourite place in Italy and Europe to visit. Since that time we’ve only transited through the train station. Similarly last January I visited Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and have vowed never to return. Again it felt unsafe and was out of my comfort zone. Now with the situation in the US, I’m not sure I will be returning to the states anytime soon. I’m Canadian and, as I’m sure you are aware, Trump wants to make us the 51st state. FYI - the news headline today said the fastest selling product in Canada at the moment are ball caps with the words Canada is not for sale. Thank you again for reply. Just so you know Venice is near and dear to my heart and I have visited many times. You are blessed to live in such an amazing city.
ciao my friend - I agree with you - January has been 3 months...at least. Or maybe that is just this week feels like a decade already with the happenings in the US...
I would love to learn what wines you are loving! Thanks for all the great links.
Could you please give me your advice. My husband and I (an older couple) frequently travel to Venice, we typically stay up to two weeks, and trying to be 'good' travelers' we always book an apartment in the Dorsoduro through VRBO. Now I hear and fear that we are harming the locals by staying in an apartment. We cannot afford the price of hotels for that length of time.We are lured to come to Venice (via your beautiful posts!) but feel guilty. What is your advice? Thank you.
I always tell people if they are worried about being a bad visitor, they are probably not a bad visitor.
The housing problem in Venice is a difficult one and my feeling is that placing all of the blame and burden on the visitor is unfair. Local governments also need to have policies that protect residents. We currently do not have that. What you can do is make sure your host has a registered tourism rental number and meets you to check in.
A two week return stay is not a brief weekend visit on a discount airline. A two week return stay probably means you are shopping in local markets and eating in favorite restaurants. You have to deal with taking out the trash (as you know, no small feat in Venice!)
Come visit us and live like a Venetian for a few weeks. Thank you so much for subscribing and reading and following along.
That San Marco visit sounds astounding. What an experience! And I really like the Sampling the World piece. Great idea, very well-executed and a beautiful video to match. Thanks for sharing that!
So delighted you rewatched Moonstruck! It was a joy, no? For more stories about family and love, have you watched “My Old Ass”? Such a delight! And Aubrey Plaza is fantastic.
I've watched it twice! I just cannot stop thinking about the idea... knowing the pain we will endure... is love worth the price? The answer always has to be yes. But oh, my heart! It's the same theme in "Arrival." Which I suppose should also be a regular rewatch.
I would have loved to do that after hours tour! Don’t k so when I will be back to Venice though. 🥺
The Basilica San Marco is exquisite! That ceiling!! I have never been to Venice and never will, sadly, but it is one of my favourite places in the world. I watch and read everything I can about it. Thank you for sharing its beauty with us.
Thank you so much for subscribing & following along with me!
Hello there! Yes, January is lasting forever...
Here is my question: we are coming to visit with friends for a major milestone birthday. We want to treat for an amazing and memorable meal. What do you suggest?
(If by chance you have recommended this before, can you point me to that list?)
Can't wait to visit Venice.
My perennial answer to the milestone birthday meal question is to go to Ristorante Al Covo. For me it hits the all the marks of being fancy & special without feeling stiff or showy. It is best if you love fish & seafood & natural wines & chocolate cake!
Looks amazing! Thank you!
I would love to know your answer to the question you were asked…..where would you not go back to and why? Thank you
"I have been thinking about this question for weeks. It has proved impossible for me to answer. I have had bad trips and unmemorable trips but I honestly can not think of a place I would NEVER go back to. Instead there are places I am not able to return to. I lived and worked in Niger for a long time in the early 1990s. Places l visited like Diffa near Lake Chad and Agadez on the edge of the Sahara and Gao on the Malian border are completely off limits today. Because of complicated geopolitics there are no more road trips in battered Toyota Hilux pickups or much more comfortable Land Cruisers, to the Cure Sale with Tuareg and Wodaabe nomads, or through Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso on the way to the Dogon cliffs and Mopti in Mali."
Thank you very much. Your answer is great and very well thought out. For me it would be Naples. My teenage daughter and I were made to feel very unsafe and very uncomfortable on multiple occasions when we visited years ago. It is officially my least favourite place in Italy and Europe to visit. Since that time we’ve only transited through the train station. Similarly last January I visited Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and have vowed never to return. Again it felt unsafe and was out of my comfort zone. Now with the situation in the US, I’m not sure I will be returning to the states anytime soon. I’m Canadian and, as I’m sure you are aware, Trump wants to make us the 51st state. FYI - the news headline today said the fastest selling product in Canada at the moment are ball caps with the words Canada is not for sale. Thank you again for reply. Just so you know Venice is near and dear to my heart and I have visited many times. You are blessed to live in such an amazing city.
ciao my friend - I agree with you - January has been 3 months...at least. Or maybe that is just this week feels like a decade already with the happenings in the US...
I would love to learn what wines you are loving! Thanks for all the great links.
How is there still One.More. Week?!
I have started a little list of wines I love. 🍷
Hello Gillian,
Could you please give me your advice. My husband and I (an older couple) frequently travel to Venice, we typically stay up to two weeks, and trying to be 'good' travelers' we always book an apartment in the Dorsoduro through VRBO. Now I hear and fear that we are harming the locals by staying in an apartment. We cannot afford the price of hotels for that length of time.We are lured to come to Venice (via your beautiful posts!) but feel guilty. What is your advice? Thank you.
I always tell people if they are worried about being a bad visitor, they are probably not a bad visitor.
The housing problem in Venice is a difficult one and my feeling is that placing all of the blame and burden on the visitor is unfair. Local governments also need to have policies that protect residents. We currently do not have that. What you can do is make sure your host has a registered tourism rental number and meets you to check in.
A two week return stay is not a brief weekend visit on a discount airline. A two week return stay probably means you are shopping in local markets and eating in favorite restaurants. You have to deal with taking out the trash (as you know, no small feat in Venice!)
Come visit us and live like a Venetian for a few weeks. Thank you so much for subscribing and reading and following along.
That San Marco visit sounds astounding. What an experience! And I really like the Sampling the World piece. Great idea, very well-executed and a beautiful video to match. Thanks for sharing that!
It was extraordinary! I am so glad that you enjoyed the video too.
Hi Gillian
I enjoy hearing about your adventures. Where do you live i Venice (what sestiere)? Curious. Lucky you. Thx. Michele x
Thank you for reading, I live in Castello
Castello is the absolute best. How great. I think you have won the life lottery to live there. Love mooching around Castello. Grazie.
Michele xx
We certainly feel lucky! It is so special down here.
Preferred books about Venice, both fiction and non fiction? ☺️
That is a great idea!
So delighted you rewatched Moonstruck! It was a joy, no? For more stories about family and love, have you watched “My Old Ass”? Such a delight! And Aubrey Plaza is fantastic.
Oh my, what a movie My Old Ass is! love, love, love.
I've watched it twice! I just cannot stop thinking about the idea... knowing the pain we will endure... is love worth the price? The answer always has to be yes. But oh, my heart! It's the same theme in "Arrival." Which I suppose should also be a regular rewatch.