Let me just start by saying…we almost skipped Venice on our Italy trip this year and I am SO grateful we decided to go!
Venice is dreamy 😍. There’s just something about arriving to your destination by boat, wind blowing through your hair and each twist and turn through the canals reveal another breathtaking architectural masterpiece.
After much research, we opted to stay at the gorgeous St. Regis Venice and used points to offset part of our stay. Check in was busy, so we grabbed a cocktail from the St. Regis bar and took in the spectacular views of the grand canal.
Tip: a nightly Champagne sabering occurs at the St. Regis just before sunset. Be sure to witness the elegant bar staff expertly pop the bubbly and toast to another amazing day spent in Venice
After a small wait, our room was ready. To our delight, we were upgraded to a suite with a partial canal view (check out the instagram reel, below, which showcases the room/view) and beautiful sitting area. The plush carpeting, textured wallpaper and luxurious bed linens were not only beautiful but it was so quiet – which was lovely after a busy travel day. The oversized steam shower made us feel downright spoiled.
Situated right on the grand canal, St. Mark’s square and the Doge palace is an easy walk as is high-end shopping and delicious restaurants. Though the St. Mark’s area is very busy and touristy, the St. Regis is tucked far enough away that it feels residential.
“Champagne: in victory, one deserves it; in defeat, one needs it.”
- Must do
- Take a Food and Wine tour with an expert! Eatint cicchetti (Venetian tapas) and enjoying a sprtiz is the delightful way of life in Venice! Let a sommelier guide you to the best stops and pours
- Two of the highlights:
- Gellateria Gallonetto – true gelato made with the best ingredients. I chose the pistachio, with nuts fresh from Sicily.
- Pro tip: seek gelaterias with muted colored gelato in deep freezers. The gelato should melt if sitting out. Stay away from shops with bright greens and fluorescent colors – these mean the gelato is heavy with preservatives
- Trattoria Ca D’Oro
- Order the meatballs and house red from the cicchetti.
- Gellateria Gallonetto – true gelato made with the best ingredients. I chose the pistachio, with nuts fresh from Sicily.
- Visit St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge Palace. We did a tour
- Eat at Michelin starred Wisteria https://www.wisteria-restaurant.com/menu/
“Our guide Loris was fantastic. From taking us to the best, local wine bars, picking a variety of fantatic proseccos, natural and red wines and teaching us all about cicchetti made our trip! We’ll definitely be utilizing Yourlocalvenice.com again!”