Not Your Grandma’s Bus Tour of Italy, Day VII

Cynthia Cunniff’s writing background spans magazine editorial, travel blogging, marketing and PR. She’s a graduate of the creative writing program at CSU Long Beach and went on to UCLA to further her writing skills. Growing up as a military dependent, she lived in several foreign countries and areas of the US. Post college she returned to international living and resided in London for close to a decade, where she took advantage of proximity to the rest of Europe and traveled extensively. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram @localpathworld.

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Flooded St. Mark's Square — Flooded St. Mark’s Square

This is the seventh and final installment in a seven-part series following JohnnyJet.com writer Cynthia Cunniff through her experience of touring Italy with Insight Vacations. Head back to the series home page for the full Italy experience—or jump straight over to Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5 or Day 6 of the tour.

DAY 7

More Venice (we arrived on Day 6)
The Rialto market in Venice has been a city hub for centuries, and cruising through the colorful produce-laden stalls, it’s not hard to feel like you’re walking back in time. The beautiful array of foods made me long for a kitchen in which to cook for the many new friends I’d made on the trip. The seafood is so fresh, it’s still moving. Take some time to also explore the stores that line the sides of the market—you’ll discover unique artisanal treasures that have been perfected literally over the course of history.

Fresh fish - The Rialto — Fresh fish at the Rialto

Tip: Pack light and consider the items you’ll want to purchase to bring home. The Italian postal service isn’t consistently reliable or expedient. You should opt to have room in your luggage instead.

A 20-minute boat ride from our hotel took us to the world-renowned Murano glass factory. It was fascinating watching the craftsman create beautiful pieces of art from a melty glass blob, and walking into the showroom feels like you’ve stepped into Disney’s “Fantasia.” If you’re the bull-in-a-china-shop type of person, this is a precarious tour for you. It’s all very expensive and there are vibrant layers of glass creations everywhere you turn. The downside is a quick, but very salesy presentation

We had the afternoon to either to go to nearby colorful Burano Island, then take a gondola ride; my fellow travelers who opted for these choices were glad they did. My choice was to dig deep into Venice and get lost in the labrynth of side streets and hidden treasures. It just so happened we were there during a city-wide art festival and I stumbled upon a mind blowing exhibit by Ana Tsarev at the Museo diocesano d’arte sacra Sant’Apollonia called Love & Peace. This exhibit featured a massive sculpture of a stunningly crafted red flower. I was very grateful that though we had the option to be guided, we also had the opportunity to break away and make discoveries of our own.

The Venician streets, below the water line

The next morning I was up before the crack of dawn—and sad to be leaving Italy, my new friends and the experiences I will never forget. Just as poignantly as we entered the city via boat, we left it in our wake. Those of us leaving early were dropped off at the docks conveniently right at the Vincenza airport. It’s a bit of a trek to the airport entryway from the dock, but I was grateful we didn’t have to hop in land cabs to get there.