<h1>Venice and the Orient Express<strong><em></em></strong></h1>
<h5>Our short trip started with three nights in Venice followed by a day/night on the Orient Express. The train journey, which can be done in reverse, ends in London, but we opted to get off in Paris and enjoy a couple of days here before then flying home. </h5>
<h3><strong>Venice - an overview</strong></h3>
<p>Getting to Venice is easy, indeed this was our third trip. Booking well in advance it is possible to get cheap flights direct to <strong>Marco Polo airport</strong>. From the airport you can arrive in Venice in style by <strong>water taxi</strong> (shared or private). Other options for transfer include the water bus, land bus or taxi.<br></p>
<p>The main issue regarding <strong>accommodation</strong> is deciding whether to stay in Venice itself or on one of the surrounding islands such as the Lido where you may be able to find cheaper accommodation, although you have to spend time and money getting from the Lido to Venice. We have always chosen Venice as the best time to be in Venice is in the early morning and evening when many of the crowds have gone. By booking well in advance there is plenty of reasonably priced accommodation, although rooms tend to be on the small side and don’t expect an ironing board, due to fire regulations these are not permitted in rooms. The hotel reception quoted me 10 euros for one shirt to be ironed – being from Yorkshire I decided a creased shirt was the better option. </p>
<p>During July and August Venice can get very hot and humid, as well as very busy, so <strong>perhaps the best months to visit are May, June and September</strong>. The crowds are much less in October and November but the temperatures are less reliable and November is the wettest month. </p>
<h3><strong>Venice – my top 10</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Get lost in Venice</strong> – simply enjoy walking through the narrow streets, stroll along and over the canals, and marvel at the window displays of Venetian masquerade masks.</p>
<p><strong>Cruise along the canals</strong> – the water boats are a fun and cheap way of getting around Venice, with a very different experience whether day or night. Of course the icing on the cake is taking a ride on a Gondola - <a href="http://www.walksofitaly.com/blog/travel-tips/venice-gondola-tradition-tips-advice-italy">read more</a> about gondola trips.</p>
<p>Visit <strong>Piazza San Marco</strong> (St Mark's Square), which is home to the Basilica and the Campanile (bell tower). If there has been rainfall during the day the square looks at its best in an evening when the beautifully lit buildings are reflected in the standing water.</p>
<p>Go up the <strong>Campanile </strong>- with its 99 metres of height the bell tower offers the best view over the city and its lagoon. The Campanile is crowned by a spire that was once a lighthouse for shipping.</p>
<p>Go to <strong>Saint Mark's Basilica</strong>, the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, the highlights of which are the golden mosaics, of which over 8000 square meters cover the walls, ceilings and domes. There is no admission fee but get there early to avoid very long queues. No short shorts, bare shoulders or bags are allowed.</p>
<p>Visit many of the <a href="https://selectitaly.com/blog/venice/where-to-find-the-best-churches-in-venice/"><strong>other beautiful churches</strong></a> in Venice.</p>
<p>Spend time in one of the world's most original bookshops, the <strong>Libreria Acqua Alta</strong>, with a huge selection of used (and new) books set out in canoes, gondolas, tanks, boats and any nook and cranny going. </p>
<p>Travel to the<strong> island of Burano</strong>, with its beautifully painted houses reflecting in the green waters the island of Burano has been voted one of the 10 most colourful locations in the world.</p>
<p><strong>Food</strong> - there's no need to spend a fortune on food. During the day there are many small shops that cook fresh pasta to take away. In an evening plan ahead by taking advice from others through the likes of TripAdvisor. </p>
<p>Three of the most visited sights in Venice are the <strong>Rialto Bridge</strong> (Ponte di Rialto), the <strong>Bridge of Sighs</strong> and the<strong> Grand Canal, </strong><strong></strong>however, none of these really inspired me. <strong><br></strong></p>
<p><strong>Clicking on any of the images</strong> below will reveal the location. </p>
<h3><strong>The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) </strong></h3>
<p>The <strong>Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE)</strong> is a privately-run train of beautifully-restored 1920s, 30s & 50s coaches, providing a 5-star luxury train experience between London-Paris-Venice running roughly once a week from March to November. The VSOE offers other routes as well. The VSOE should not be confused with the real Orient Express, the true descendant of the original 1883 Orient Express, a regular scheduled train that was finally withdrawn on 12 December 2009.</p>
<p>The most impressive aspect of journey is from <strong>Venice to Paris</strong> (the train runs in both directions). Taking lunch and dinner as the train winds through the Alps is breath-taking. We took the trip in May when the <strong>days were long enough to take in much of the Alps</strong>, there was still plenty of snow lining the mountain peaks, and with snow melt underway we were also lucky enough to see numerous waterfalls. </p>
<p>We boarded the train in Venice and departed it the following morning in Paris. The section from Paris to London is less impressive and involves getting a coach under the channel tunnel and then getting on a different train, a historic British Pullman train, which completes the journey from Folkestone to London. The cost of a day in Paris with an overnight stay in a very comfortable hotel and a flight home the following day was less than if we had remained on the train. As with most people on the train we were on this journey as part of a special occasion, the VSOE does not come cheap, although if you become a member of the <a href="http://www.luxurytrainclub.com/trains/venice-simplon-orient-express/">Luxury Train Club</a> (which is free) they will purchase your tickets for 10% less than the standard cost.<br></p>
