Arriving in Venice and Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal
Arriving in Venice and Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal
Arriving in Venice and Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal
WJ Tested: Insight Vacations Italian Escapade Tour – Day 7: Arriving in Venice we took a boat to Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal
Scenic Drive Between Verona and Venice
A full day of travel and sightseeing on our Insight Vacations Italian Escapade tour was rewarded by spending two nights at the 4-star Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice. As it is impossible to drive even a small vehicle (let alone a huge coach) anywhere in Venice, we were dropped off at a pier near the main cruise terminal. From there we took a boat along the canals and were delivered to the front door of the hotel at 5 pm.
Taking a boat to our Venice hotel
The Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal is a 4-star property that was recently refurbished. It is located in the remains of a 14th century palace and is situated right across the Grand Canal from Venezia Santa Lucia train station.
Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
Due to the construction of the ancient historic buildings in Venice, all hotel rooms are compact. But as they are rarely used outside of sleeping and showering, it’s not much of a concern to visitors. We had a pleasant ground floor room (502) that faced into a quiet courtyard with an outdoor seating area.
Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
Courtyard at Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
Luggage arrived at our room by 5:25 pm – not bad considering they had to be unloaded from the coach, transported by a luggage barge and delivered by the hotel porters.
Magical Venice Water Taxi Ride
Our included excursions for the day were over and so the evening provided plenty of free time to explore Venice. As Tour Director Mark had arranged an optional excursion – Magical Venice – everyone in our group joined the outing and met in the lobby at 6:15 pm.
The excursion started with a private water taxi ride along the Grand Canal (for 30 minutes) that dropped us off near St. Mark’s Basilica.
Jill Takes a Water Taxi Ride on the Grand Canal
Then we had time to go for dinner on our own (Mark offered many suggestions of his favorite local restaurants and cafes) before meeting the group again at 8:30 pm.
Caffe Lavena on St. Mark’s Square in Venice
We rejoined Mark and our group at Caffe Lavena, where we enjoyed an included glass of prosecco and listened to the orchestra play as we watched the sun set over St. Mark’s Square. A shorter water taxi ride back along the Grand Canal had us at our hotel by 10 pm – a fabulous end to an exciting day!
Optional Excursion: Magical Venice
Next… Murano Glass Demonstration and Venice Gondola Ride
Previous: Insight Vacations Italian Escapade – | Tour Overview | Meet and Greet in Rome! | Rome with Local Historian | Skip the Lines – Vatican Museums | Siena | Florence & Michelangelo’s David | Florence to Pisa | Exploring Baveno and Stresa on Lake Maggiore | Prosecco at Fratelli Berlucchi Vineyard | Visiting the Medieval City of Verona |
If You Go:
Note: WAVEJourney were guests of Insight Vacations for their April 30 – May 12, 2013 Italian Escapade tour. Read our full disclosure statement to see that this has no effect on our reviews.
