For this trip, myself and Bhavani took Malaysia Airlines from Penang - Kuala Lumpur and Turkish Airlines Inc. from Kuala Lumpur - Instanbul (Ataturk) - Venice (Marco Polo). We both did extensive research before our trip, and here’s what we did for our entire 15-days journey (27 April - 11 May 2013) in Italy (Italia):
<Venice (Venezia) - Florence (Firenze) - PISA - Rome
(Roma) - Florence (Firenze) - Trieste - Venice (Venezia)>
27 Apr:
PENANG / KUALA LUMPUR
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
KUALA LUMPUR / INSTANBUL
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Ataturk Airport, Instanbul via Turkish
Airlines Inc.
28
Apr:
INSTANBUL /
VENICE (VENEZIA) - Ataturk Airport, Instanbul to Marco Polo Airport,
Venice via Turkish Airlines Inc. Upon arrival at the Marco Polo Airport, we
took the ACTV bus (Linea 5 Aerobus) to Piazzale Roma (approx 20-30minutes)
– Check-in Hotel Minerva & Nettuno, Venice
29 Apr:
VENICE
(VENEZIA) – Piazza San Marco / St Mark Square - St Mark Basilica - Doge’s
Palace Palazzo Ducale) - Museo Correr - Museo Archeologico - Monumental
Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana - Gondola Ride at Canal
Grande - Ponte di Rialto
30
Apr:
VENICE (VENEZIA) / FLORENCE
(FIRENZE) - Depart from Venezia S.
Lucia (Venice) to Firenze S.M. Novella (Florence) - Galleria dell' Accademia
- Monuments of Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore (The Dome of Brunelleschi -
Baptistery of San Giovanni ) - Museo dell’
Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore - Giotto’s
Bell Tower - Archaeological site of the crypt of Santa
Reparata - Cathedral of S. Maria
del Fiore - Basilica of San Lorenzo - Gallerie degli Uffizi - Piazza della
Liberta
1
May:
FLORENCE
(FIRENZE) - Firenze Central Market (Mercato) Basilica of Santa Croce - Piazza
della Signoria & Palazzo Vecchio/ Neptune Fountain/ Loggia dei Lanzi - Ponte
Vecchio (Old Bridge) - Piazzale Michelangelo & San Miniato al Monte Church -
San Lorenzo’s Market
2
May:
PISA
- Depart from Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence) to Pisa Centrale - The Piazza del Duomo or Campo dei
Miracoli - The Leaning Tower (La Torre di Pisa)
- Cathedral of Pisa (Duomo di Pisa) - The Baptistery of St. John - Depart from PISA to Florence
3 May:
ROME (ROMA) - Depart from Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence)
to Rome Termini Central Station - The
Colosseum + Roman Forum (at (Piazza Santa Maria Nova 53) + Palatine Hill (at
Via San Gregorio No. 30) - Roman Forum - Palentine Hill - Arch of Constantine -
Temple of Venus & Roma - Trevi Fountain at Trevi Square (Piazza di Trevi) -
Piazza Navona - Pantheon @ Piazza della Rotonda - Piazza Navona - Monument to
Vittorio Emanuele II – Depart from Rome to Florence
4 May:
FLORENCE (FIRENZE) / TRIESTE - Walk around Florence
town – Depart from Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence) - Trieste Centrale (approx
4.45 hr by train)
5 May:
TRIESTE - Piazza Unità d'Italia (Town Hall) - Municipio di Trieste - Saint
Anthon and the Canal Grande + James Joyce Statue - The Old Roman Theater - San
Silvestro - Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore - Via del Trionfo to see Arch of
Riccardo – The Roman Gateway (33 BC) - Miramare Castle/ Castello di Miramare
6 May:
TRIESTE - FREE & EASY - Stock
Exchange Square - Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary - San Giusto Castle/
Church - Serbian Orthodox Church - Piazza
Unità d'Italia
7 May:
TRIESTE – FREE & EASY - Grotta
Gigante - Museo Revoltella - Civico
Museo di Storia e Arte e Orto Lapidario
8 May:
TRIESTE - FREE & EASY - Tour around Piazza Unità d'Italia (Town Hall)
9 May:
TRIESTE / VENICE –Check-out
from Hotel Tritone, Trieste – Depart from
Trieste Centrale – St. Lucia (Venice) – Murano Glass Making – Explore Venice by
Water Bus – Check-in
San Geremia Rooms, Venice
10 May:
VENICE / INSTABUL / KUALA LUMPUR - FREE & EASY - Depart from Venice (Marco
Polo Airport) – Instanbul (Ataturk
Airport) and Instanbul (Ataturk Airport)
– Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) via Turkish Airlines Inc.
11 May:
KUALA LUMPUR / PENANG - Depart from Kuala Lumpur
(Kuala Lumpur International Airport) – Penang via Malaysia Airlines (MH)
Ciao!
We started exploring our 2-weeks trip from Venice, one of Europe's most
romantic cities. We arrived Venice (Marco Polo Airport) on 28 April 2013 and the
weather was absolutely perfect - neither cold nor hot! From there, we took
the ACTV bus (Linea 5 Aerobus) to Piazzale Roma, the car terminal of the
city (approx 20-30minutes). Upon arrival, we checked-in Hotel Minerva &
Nettuno conveniently located near Santa Lucia main train station (approx.
5-10minutes walk) and right before Square Santi Geremia e Lucia which we booked
earlier via the hostel booking website. We both were exhausted, and took a
short nap for a couple of hours due to the effects of jet lag. We started
exploring Venice late afternoon after our nap, hangin’ around San Geremia Square
and the back street followed by sunset viewing at Rialto Bridge.
 |
The beauty of Venice  |
 |
| It's selling everywhere in Venice |
 |
| Best view of Venice from Rialto Bridge |
 | |
| It's difficult not to snap a photo in Venice! |
 |
| The Gondola traffic jam |
 |
| To Gondola or Not to Gondola? |
 |
| "One of Europe's most romantic cities" - New York Times Online |
 | |
| A city with water |
We walked almost everywhere, busy
capturing every little detail in the lens of our cameras with no destination or
map, as you’ll get lost even with your map. The only form of transport in
Venice is either on water or by foot. The buildings are beautifully painted
and well-decorated with flowery balconies. The influence of Venice on the development of architecture and arts is definitely undeniable. Most of the time, you’ll see a lot of people in the main
squares and around the famous sites, like St. Marks Square and the Rialto
Bridge. There are no supermarkets there,
so we went to Coop and Billa Convenience Store to buy our daily essentials.
 |
| The Rialto Bridge always packed with tourist |
 |
| The gondola ride |
 |
| Is Venice most romantic place on earth? |
The
gondola rides are quite expensive (which we paid Euro 80 per gondola for a 30-40minutes
ride through quiet back canals, and across the Grand Canal) but as a tourist you kind of have to do it for
once in a life time experience, after all its still a gondola ride and we had
fun J. Yes, we enjoyed
walking around St. Mark Square and watching people feeding the pigeons. The water “bus” system was easy and fun to
use, letting us get from anywhere to almost anywhere else in Venice in the most
economical way. On our last day in Venice, we managed to take the water bus to Murano, a place famous for
blown glass and it was just 15 minutes boat ride away from Venice.
 |
| One for the album: No reason not to take a photo in Venice |
 |
| The beautiful landmark of Venice : Bell Tower that stands 324 feet tall |
 |
| The bell tower in Piazza San Marco |
 |
| St. Mark Square, the meeting place and center of Venezia for tourists |
 |
| Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) in classic Venetian version of Gothic |
 | |||
| This reflects a remarkable tranquillity of Venice in history and style |
 |
| One for the album! :) |
 |
| Symbol of Venice - Bridge of Sighs. The infamous Latin lover Casanova walked the bridge in 1755 |
 |
| The breathtaking architecture |
 |
This is where you'll feel the magic of Venice  |
 |
| Houses in Murano, where you see locals living everyday life |
Overall, the trip was an absolute blast! And yes, I must admit that I’m lucky! Lucky enough to witness the beauty of Venice, the
REAL VENICE! I hope one day I can return
and travel in style with Camel, staying in hotels, taking gorgeous photos and eating in
restaurants along the Grand Canal again. I’ll be back, Venezia!
Thank
you so much Bhavani for inspiring me, I am so glad we did!
 |
| Our first Gelato. Taste as good as it is |
 |
| Venice - Pizzas, Pizzas Everywhere! |
Penang - Kuala Lumpur
(via Malaysia Airlines MH) and Kuala Lumpur - Instanbul (Ataturk) - Venice
(Marco Polo) via Turkish Airlines Inc. / Venice (Marco Polo) – Instanbul (Ataturk)
- Kuala Lumpur via Turkish Airlines Inc. - Kuala Lumpur – Penang (via Malaysia
Airlines MH)
Local
Transportation:
Marco Polo Airport
(Venezia) - Piazzale Roma via ACTV Aerobus
Fare Type: 9,00
Euro/pax (for 2 way)
Accommodation:
Venice (Venezia) -
Hotel Minerva & Nettuno (€60,00 + city tax 2,00€/person/ night)
Florence (Firenze) - Hotel Stella Mary (€81,50 + city tax 2,00€/person/ night)
PISA – N/A (1- day-trip from Florence)
Florence (Firenze) - Hotel Stella Mary (€81,50 + city tax 2,00€/person/ night)
PISA – N/A (1- day-trip from Florence)
Rome (Roma) – N/A (1-
day-trip from Florence)
Trieste - ICTP
Galileo Guesthouse and Hotel Tritone (46,00€/ night)
Venice (Venezia) -
San Geremia Rooms (80,00€ + city tax 2,00€/person/ night)
Entrance
Tickets:
- Bell Tower - Euro 8.0/pax
- Venezia
Grand Canal Gondola Ride - Euro 80/ gondola
- St
Mark Basilica - Euro1.5 /pax
Read more about our travel experiences @ Italy (Italia):
Italy Part 2: Land of Leonardo Da Vinci (Florence)
Italy Part 3: More than just a Leaning Tower (Pisa)
Italy Part 4: Rome wasn't built in a day! (Roma)
Italy Part 5: Unlike any other Italian cities! (Trieste)
"A
journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step"
Welcome
to Small World! This blog allows me to share my travel experiences with
others in a straightforward and far-reaching way. I often made great
use of other peoples travel blogs and websites every time I plan for my
travel trips as they often contained most updated information and
invaluable resources from their past travel experiences. I really hope that you will find every piece of information contained within my blog
handy and useful for your upcoming trip. Thank you very much for reading my post(s) and feel free to leave a comment/testimonial. The
writer is a passionate traveler who enjoys speaking to young keen
travelers about the freedom to get cultured and to taste the fullness of
life. Feel free to contact the writer if you need any travel guidance or tips or if you have any burning questions with regards to your upcoming trip/ journey
- Be inspired but more importantly be inspiring -
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