August 24 Today's ultimate destination was Venice, but we decided to take the "scenic route" to get there. We were close to one of the big inland lakes of Italy – Lago di Garda. Driving south from Calliano, we drove through Roverto, then west through Torbole and on to Riva del Garda. We followed the western and then the southern shore of the lake on a decent, but narrow road. |
| A 4-kilometer peninsula juts out from the south shore of the lake. The north end of the peninsula contains a small town, the entrance to which is guarded by Sirmione castle. This castle was profiled in our guide book as a "complete" castle. It has a moat, two drawbridges, and even a fortified marina! We walked around the grounds and climbed the ramparts, took a few pictures, and then descended to town for lunch and more sightseeing. |
| After lunch we struck out for Venice. We hopped on the A4/E70 Autostrade and zipped by Verona, Vicenza, and Padova. We weren't exactly sure of what we were doing, but found a very helpful person in a kiosk at a reststop. She told us how to get on the causeway to Venezia, where to park, and how to get to our hotel. |
Although Venice is a series of islands intersected by canals, it is possible to drive onto one of the islands. Once there, you have your choice of two parking garages (parcheggi), then you're on foot. Public transportation in Venice consists of water taxis (privately run, fairly expensive) and steam ferries which are like floating city busses. We walked from the garage to the landing stage, purchased our ticket, and had a leisurely ride to San Marco Square, where we debarked and walked to our lodging: Hotel La Fenice et Des Artistes. Navigating the narrow walkways of Venice is an experience like no other. Most "streets" are about 2 meters wide and are seldom more than 100 meters long. The first essential is a very detailed map, then a good set of eyes to spot the occasional sign and a sense of direction when the signs are absent. |
| Our hotel was adjacent to the Teatro La Fenice and was decorated with autographed pictures of "artistes." We walked to a nearby plaza and dined al fresco, then retired for the night. Tomorrow would be a busy day.
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