Venice in Springtime – 24-28 March, 2025

As the days become longer and the sun warms the stones of the city it’s time to think about Venice in the springtime. The perfect time to visit. The wisteria is flowering and the Rialto Market is over-flowing with fresh vegetables and delicious fish. I’ve created a wonderful 5 day trip staying at Villa Mabapa, on Venice’s glorious Lido island. Views across the lagoon to San Marco are just wonderful.

The trip will be hosted and guided by me – there’ll be walks to hidden gardens, a visit to the Giudecca. We’ll go for private boat tours in and around Venice, including very special and unique visits. We’ll head up the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore. We’ll discover the incredible artisans of Venice, paper makers, printers and jewellery makers.

It’s as close as you can get to being at home on the Venetian Lagoon. Think Katharine Hepburn in the film ‘Summertime’ and you can picture the scene. This is a small group experience with a maximum of 8-10 guests. Think private boat rides, a day visiting the islands, visits to artisan studios and discovering little known palaces. This is a neighbourhood by neighbourhood visit to Venice. It’s all about really getting to know this magical city marooned between land and sea.

_{The Lido of Venice and Briccole Wooden Markers – 1941 – Ordnance Survey map of Venezia (Venice) lagoon and hinterland – www.greyhoundtrainers.com}

24th March, Monday: Venice – Lagoon – Lido di Venezia

Arrive in Venice today and check-in to our charming ‘villa’ hotel. The Villa Mabapa is wonderfully located on Lido di Venezia, with views across the lagoon to San Marco. It really is the ideal base for a relaxing stay in Venice: www.villamabapa.com

There’s a courtyard garden with a small cocktail bar, serving Aperol Spritz. The hotel is very comfortable, with a restaurant and wonderful views across the lagoon. It’s an excellent base for a stay in Venice.

Relax with an aperitivo in the courtyard, as you absorb the sights, sounds and smells of the lagoon. This evening we will have drinks followed by a Welcome Dinner at the Villa Mabapa.

Meals included today: Dinner

_{Summertime (1955) starring Katharine Hepburn, directed by David Lean}

25th March, Tuesday: Riva Corinto Market – Vaporetto – San Marco

After breakfast at the hotel we’ll head off to Riva Corinto to see Lido’s fantastic market. In March the stalls are over-flowing with fresh vegetables, the freshest of fish from the lagoon and a wonderful array of colours, scents and character. It’s fun to make a couple of purchases at the market – perhaps some fresh fruit, herbs or even new-season artichokes from Sant’Erasmo. We’ll also pop into a wonderful pastry shop for coffee and cakes.

Later we’ll catch the vaporetto over to San Marco. We’ll stroll through the neighbourhood of Dorsoduro where our route takes us along narrow medieval alleys, through various campos (squares) and finally to Paolo Pelosin’s handmade paper shop – it’s my favourite. We’ve included a cicchetti (snack lunch) at Rialto) with great views of the Grand Canal. We’ll then meander along the Merceria to St Mark’s after lunch with a stop in Piazza San Marco at Quadri or Florian – one of the famous cafes. Napoleon declared St Mark’s Square the finest drawing room in Europe.

Meals included today: Breakfast, Lunch

_{Carciofo Violetto di Sant’Erasmo, for sale in the market at Rialto (left). Vegetables & tomatoes, on the right.}

26th March, Wednesday: Art in Venice

Today we’ll discover some of the wonderful art of Venice. First we’ll go to Peggy Guggenheim’s palazzo. Peggy lived in Venice from the 1940s until her death. She assembled one of the finest collections of modern art in Europe. A visit to her house (now an art gallery) is quite an experience. Marvel at paintings by Chagall, Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali, Magritte, Max Ernst and Leonora Carrington. Nearby is the Palazzo Cini which is also worth a visit – it houses an exquisite Botticelli painting. Well worth a visit.

This afternoon is free for you to explore and appreciate Venice. There is so much to see and do. Then at about 7 pm we’ll meet at the ‘villa’ to go out for dinner. One of my favourite restaurants awaits us.

Meals included today: Breakfast, Dinner

_{Venice at sunset – Salute and San Lazzaro degli Armeni}

27th March, Thursday: Lagoon, San Lazzaro degli Armeni, Burano

Today is a day on the water, discovering this unique natural harbour and the numerous islands that make up the Venetian Lagoon. We’ll make our way to San Lazzaro degli Armeni – the island of the Armenians. This is a truly unique experience.

Then we’ll continue to Burano for lunch at the fantastic Da Romano trattoria. Da Romano is famous for the quality of the food, especially the fish risotto (just exceptional). It’s also famous for the exceptional art collection that hangs on the walls.

After a lengthy lunch there’s time for shopping in the cute lace shops of Burano before heading back to Venice. This evening is free for you to relax, take a stroll, or perhaps join me for a sun-downer on the nearby Zattere (where the views are breath-taking at sunset).

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

_{Torcello (left) by www.nicolefriedler.com Burano (centre) colourful houses line the canals. Dorsoduro (right) towards Giudecca}

28th March, Friday: Giudecca – Departures

Today we travel across the lagoon to the Giudecca Canal. We’ll visit the small church of Sant’Eufemia, with its 12th century origins. We’ll also see an area where ordinary Venetians live, complete with their fishing boats and nets, drying in the warm sun.

Sadly, this brings our ‘Springtime in Venice’ trip to an end.

Meals included: Breakfast

_{Views from Giudecca back towards Zattere. The gardens of Sant’Eufemia, Giudecca}

This exceptional Venetian experience includes:

• 4 nights at Villa Mabapa, Lido di Venezia
• Private water taxi transfers on arrival and departure
• Breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
• A morning visit to the Lido Market and the Rialto market
• Welcome drinks on arrival day.
• Daily walking tours as outlined in the itinerary
• A full day on the lagoon in our own private boat – visiting the islands
• Several visits to artisan producers, paper-maker, printer, jewellery maker.
• Numerous surprises and added extras.
• A deliberately flexible programme to enable us to adapt/improve each day at a moment’s notice.
• A choice of room types (see below).

This is a very special trip, very close to my heart and filled with local knowledge acquired over decades. For more information please e-mail: janet@grand-tourist.com

 The cost of the trip depends on room category selected at the hotel:

• Standard Double Room (for single use): Euros 3975 per person
• Superior Double (for single use): Euros € 4500 per person
• Shared Twin Room (2 people sharing): Euros € 3275 per person
• We do not charge a single room supplement.

To book:

• A deposit of Euros 2000 is required to confirm your spot.
• The balance is then payable by 1^st January, 2025

Note – Flights are not included.

_{It’s all happening on Giudecca – The fabulous Capuchin Friars of Redentore Church – left}

NOTE – Over the last six years I’ve written hundreds of articles about Venice, Italy and ‘Life in General’. Below there is a suggested list of further reading from the pen of Janet Simmonds aka The Educated Traveller www.greyhoundtrainers.com

• Peggy Guggenheim – Modern Art in Venice
• Il Pavone – The Peacock
• Torcello – Island of legends – Cipriani, Hemingway, Venice
• Venice – Botticelli in Venice – seriously?
• Venice and Film

_{Dirk Bogarde starred in ‘Death in Venice’ 1971 film by Visconti, filmed in Venice and on the Lido}

4th October, 2024