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The streets were wet after light overnight rain, but the clouds were breaking. Packed quickly. One last breakfast in the hotel. One final walk to S.Maria Della Salute.

A pleasant walk to the train station via Campo S.Margarita. Passed produce-laden boats and carts with fresh seafood. Naturally, the sun came out to warm…downright sweaty as we reached the station.

Boarded the 10:43 Eurostar train bound for Florence. Binaro 3. Carrozza 6. Posti 55/56. Waved Arrivederci to Venice as the train slipped across the lagoon.

In Mestre, a mother and child boarded and sat next to us for the duration of our trip. I'd say it took us about 5-minutes to name this hyperactive child…Luigi il Menace…or Devil Child…you choose.

Bright red poppies lined the tracks as we passed through Padua. Puffy clouds and filtered sun set off brilliant green fields of grapevines. Lush valleys between Bologna and Florence…like scenes divided by blacked-out tunnels. Hillside groves of olive trees. Secluded towns with signature church towers.

Arrived into Firenze Santa Maria Novella. A short 15-minute walk to our B&B via the sunny Piazza del Duomo.

We're staying at our old favorite B&B…the Dei Mori…and its downstairs neighbor, the Badia Guest House where our room is actually located. The Dei Mori hostess, Suzzanne, is the quintessential B&B greeter. She is an American married to an Italian, and takes great pride in her adopted home. She oriented us to new or lesser known highlights, since we have been to Florence before. She also pointed us to four of her favorite local restaurants.

Grabbed a quick pair of wonderful, warmed sandwiches at nearby Cucciolo Pasticceria. Took a long re-orientation walk past a few of our favorites…Piazza della Signoria and the Uffiza Gallery. Walked along the Arno River to grab some warm afternoon sun photo of the Ponte Vecchio. Had a quick gellato stop at an amazing artisan spot, Gelateria Santa Trinita…Jeff declared this his favorite gelato in Italy! Passed the Pitti Palace. Turned around at the Porta Romana and the edge of the old city. Returned via the Ponte Vecchio…sadly where locks have aparrently been banned since none were insight.

Ventured into the Baptistry of San Giovanni…the jewel box in front of the Duomo. The golden mosaic ceiling was breathtaking.

Dinner at one of Suzzane's recommendations: Trattoria Baldovino, behing the Basilica di Santa Croce. The food was wonderful, creative Tuscan flavors. The colorful bruschetta. Jeff's amazing tortallacci di patate–oversized tortallinis with a hearty meat sauce–and his petto di pollo–juicy chicken witha rich sauce of tomato and olive. My filetto di manzo all' aceto–a marbled beef filet in a dark, sweet basalmic reduction. Etc. Etc. All the dishes were mouth-watering. (Did I mention our dessert? Crostata con creme arance.)

Wandered back through Piazza Santa Croce and Piazza della Signora to finally shower and sleep :). What a VERY long day!

A light, but persistent rain joined us for the walk to the train station this morning. Bought tickets for a day trip to historic Verona. Also made reservations for our trip to Florence tomorrow. Unlike our frustrating train experience on our last European vacation, these purchases were simple and clear and involved no lines or humans. (Fingers crossed.)

The 10:04 Trenitalia service departed promptly at 10:24 from Bin 10. Rain? Cappuccino break? The slow regional train took about 2 hours till we arrived at the Verona Porta Nuova station. Bought a one-day Verona Pass. Grabbed a quick burger. Hopped a crowded #11 bus to the historic center of town.

Began our walk at the ancient Roman Arena…the third largest in the ancient Roman world. A simple-yet-massive structure. Best of all, you can walk up and down and all over the arena, unlike the Colliseum in Rome.

After gazing at mural-painted buildings and snapping a few people shots in the narrow Piazza Erbe, checked off another stop on the Verona Card at the towering Torre dei Lamberti. A uniqe perspective revealing tall churches and bell towers rising above the squat old city. The Dolomites stood grey and ominous in the distance.

Returned to earth. Walked to the impressive Chiesa di Santa Anastasia. Started in the late 13th century…continued through the 14th and 15th centuries…and completed in the early 16th century. This church has everything…everywhere. Beautiful painted ceilings. Ornate chapels and altars. Vibrant frescoes in every nook. Stone sculptures, terra cotta reliefs, and lofty stained glass. Something to see in every direction.

The distinctive Duomo was next on the list, and far more restrained than the previous S.Anastasia church. The current cathedral building dates to the 8th and 9th centuries, with the current interior dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. Many impressive chapels and amazing paintings. The architectural remains (e.g., mosaics, columns) of two previous basillica (early 1st century, and pre-7th century) are visible under the floors of adjacent cloister buildings.

Crossed the water-logged Adige River via the Ponte Pietra…an ancient Roman bridge. Climbed and explored the Roman Theatre, its multiple terraced vistas of the city, and its architectural museum.

Re-crossed the Adige. Wound through narrow, shop-lined streets. Wandered into the courtyard with the "famous" House of Juliet…of Romeo and Juliet fame. Tons of people rubbing the right breast of Juliet's statue…for true love? Intricate graffitti on most surfaces of the narrow entryway. .

Bought an umbrella. The rain stopped. Returned to the Arena. Caught the #11 bus back to the train station. Bin 4. The 7:15 intercity train back to Venizia Santa Lucia…arrived about 8:45.

Oh look. Rain. Well…just a drizzle. Broke in my umbrella…its orange. Warded off the cool rain with food and drink. Two more fantastic pizzas from the Trattoria Da Silvio…Jeff tried the "Capricciosa" with ham, artichoke, and mushrooms. My Divola was top-notch. Two more cool refreshing beers.

In spite of travel-weary feet, we headed back out to wander the peaceful evening streets. As we hit Piazza San Marco we were immediately reminded of its late night beauty. Large puddles doubled the points of light. A quartet entertained a dessert audience and sent chords echoing across the Piazza. At midnight, the bell tower signalled the end of the day. And an unexpected surprise: the newly refurbished clock tower quietly added its chimes to the chorus above. And then the sounds stopped and the Piazza was silent.

Our last night in Venice, and we can't seem to say goodbye.

A convenient way to chart a day in Venice is to pick a church in the distance and wind your way towards it. today, we visited eight. A historical game of connect the dots.

Set off after breakfast under a blue sky. First stop was the nearby Santa Maria del Rosario…"a Rennaisance masterpiece"…on the Giudecca Canal. We had passed this collumned facade many times in previous visits, but never ventured inside. A pleasant stroll down the canal fondamente and a quick jog to the right brought us to the church of San Sebastian..

Two off-the-map churches on the way to our next stop: Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione (from the 15th century) and Chiesa di San Raffele Arcangelo (from the 12th century). One of the nice things of these hidden spots is that they allow photographs.

Lunch of hearty pastas at the Impronto Cafe. My tagliatele with mushrooms was wonderful.

Window-shopped to our next destination: San Polo, an ancient church from the 9th century. Another 9th century church followed…the beautiful San Giacomo dall'Orio. The non-descript San Stae was next…our least favorite of the trip.

Our last stop was the hidden gem, San Giovanni Elemosinario. Tucked away in the market approaching the Rialto Bridge. The church was built to blend in with the neighboring merchant buildings, and yet the interior was elaborate and peaceful. A highlight of the church was the faded frescos in a tomb beneath the floor.

Finished the day looking at paper mache masks, handmade marionnetes, and Murano glass. Jeff found a magnificent oil painting from a favorite shop…Scriba, along the walls of the Friari. We have stopped into this shop on every visit.

Relaxed with a beer before dinner. Watched dozens of swallows flitting back and forth above the courtyard gathering THEIR evening meal.

Took a recommendation from a local shopkeeper and ate at the tucked-away, bustling Ristorante San Trovasco, owned by four brothers. My penne alla putanesca was divine. After-dinner drinks (mojitos and bellinis) and tirimisu at Impronto Cafe.

Serene, late night photos of the desolate Monday night city. The Grand Canal was silent except the occasional vaporetto.

There is probably an old Venetian saying that goes something like: "On a rainy day in Venice, at least I'm in Venice." (They probably accompany that with a bottle of red wine 🙂

Awoke this morning to loud, rolling thunder followed by a soothing, steady rain. The rain never really let up all day, except to pause long enough to build up strength for a downpour.

Undaunted, clad in raingear and armed with an umbrella, we headed out to our first indoor stop: the Palazzo Grassi museum. A large single exhibit–Roma e i Barbari–exploring the relationship of the Romans and the barbarians at the edges of the Empire. Ultimately, these barbarians would weaken and undermine the Empire.

Grabbed a quick bite at a tiny cafe in the Dorsoduro. Simple-but-filling sandwiches chased by Coke Lite and a cappuccino.

Fittingly, sought shelter from the increasing showers in one of the grandest of Venetian basilica–Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari–built by followers of Francis of Assisi–the Franciscan order. Left the Frari as the skies continued to unload. Made our way to two other churches–San Polo and San Stae–but both were closed contrary to our guide map. Back into the rain.

The umbrella and coats became useless at this point as we trudged back across three sestieri to return to our hotel. An evening drink–Nastro Azzurro…birra Italiana–on the hotel loggia as the rain broke, the late sun shone warmly, and a rainbow appeared. Rainbows can't dry our shoes…but this one did make us smile. The air cooled noticeably. The bells of nearby Santa Maria del Rosario heralded the end of the day.

Dinner at a promising new find–Da Silvio–which had a warm glow, a chatty clientelle, and a creative menu. Finding a dinner spot is tricky for us. Once a trust is formed either through a past experience or a referral, then we are more adventurous in ordering. But tonight, for example, with no prior knowledge, we stuck to a pizza and a calzone to test the flavors. Fantastic! My pizze carbonara was rich and flavorful all the way to the crispy crust. Jeff's calzone had layers of mushrooms and ham. Yumminess :). We will definitely return to sample their pastas!

Walked off dinner by taking side routes…popping out at random points on the Grand Canal, which glistened in a near-full moon. Along the way, puddles in the uneven Venetian streets played tricks on our eyes. A quiet end to a moist day.

Our first full day in Venice was like getting reacquainted with an old friend.

After a light breakfast in the hotel, began the day with a slow stroll through the Dorsoduro. Window browsed tiny shops full of local treasure…glass, paper, fine prints…all too tempting. Visited our favorite church…Santa Maria della Salute…her dome clad in scaffolding…her interior always grand. A familiar waterfront return route…the Guidecca looking picturesqe across a choppy channel. A Greek cruise ship passed…reminding us to stick to paths less traveled today.

Lunch at an outdoor cafe at the foot of the Accademia bridge. The sights and sounds of the Grand Canal accompanied our simple meal.

Spent the afternoon winding through the sestieri of Cannaregio, Castello, and San Marco. Light drizzle sent us into tiny shops. Visited several churches spanning the centuries. Standouts included the Gothic church of Santo Stefano and the marble-clad jewel box Santa Maria dei Miracoli (home to a bona fide miracle painting). Our favorite new site: the church of San Zaccaria…a 14th or 15th-century church with a fantastic 10th-century crypt beneath glimpses of a former 9th-century church. Layers and layers of history…such is Venice.

Returned to the hotel past dozens of wiley fake handbag scalpers. A quiet drink on the loggia before dinner.

Caprese di Bufula and simple pastas for dinner at a popular spot in the Campo de Santa Margarita. After dinner gelatos from Il Doge…still our favorite gelato in Italy. Late night mojitos and a fantastic tiramisu from Impronta Cafe.

A pleasant drizzly walk back to the hotel. Sleepy.