Thursday, April 19, 2026
At 09:30, after checking out of Hotel Mioni Pezzato in Abano Terme, we began our drive to Venice Marco Polo Airport to drop off our Opel Corsa at the Hertz Car Rental return center.
The drive to Venice was fairly smooth. When I reached the airport, I stopped to refill the Opel Corsa's gas tank (it was close to 1/4 full). I filled it with E10 gasoline for 66 euros (at 2.00 euros/liter, this equals 33 liters). The Opel Corsa worked very well, and my only real complaint was the lack of a rear-view camera.
The Hertz return was on the 3rd floor of the large parking garage, and I had to navigate some narrow climbs to reach it. Once there, I parked the Opel in a Hertz return spot and dropped off the keys. Since I had prepaid for insurance, the agent didn't even bother to inspect the car.
We had two alternatives to reach the Baglioni Hotel Luna at San Marcos Square in Venice:
- private water taxi (25-minutes, for 150 euros one-way)
- Alilaguna airport boat (120 minutes, for 15 euros/person)
Since we only had one day in Venice and time was precious, we decided to splurge on the private water taxi, arriving at our hotel at 11:30. The water taxi felt like a private boat tour, and we took lots of photos.
We checked into our Baglioni Hotel Luna, but our room was not ready (though room upgrades to a larger suite were being planned). We put our bags into storage and decided to visit Piazzo San Marco and see if we could purchase tickets for the Basilica di San Marco. Luckily, online tickets were available for the Basilica for the 12:00 - 12:30 entry to the Basilica and the Pala d'Oro.
St. Mark's Basilica was amazing, and I was amazed yet again by the amount of gold leaf throughout the cathedral. The Pala d'Oro was also an amazing item. The view from the top of the cathedral was also quite stunning. We could have spent many hours admiring the beautiful cathedral.
⛪ St. Mark’s Basilica
Right in the heart of Venice, next to Piazza San Marco, this is one of the most extraordinary churches in the world—less like a typical Italian cathedral and more like a shimmering jewel box of East-meets-West art.
✨ What makes it special
🟡 The “Church of Gold”
Nicknamed Chiesa d’Oro (Church of Gold)
Covered in over 8,000 square meters of gold mosaics
Inside glows with a dim, golden light—very different from bright Renaissance churches
🏛️ Byzantine, not Italian style
Unlike most churches you’ve seen in places like Padua or Verona:
Influenced by the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire
Inspired by Hagia Sophia
Features:
5 domes
Rounded arches
Rich mosaics instead of frescoes
This reflects Venice’s history as a trading power deeply connected to the East.
🦁 The symbol of Venice
You’ll see the winged lion everywhere:
Symbol of Saint Mark the Evangelist
Patron saint of Venice
Legend says Venetian merchants stole his relics from Alexandria and brought them here in 828.
💎 Must-see highlights inside
🔶 The golden mosaics
Cover ceilings and domes
Depict biblical scenes in glowing gold backgrounds
Meant to feel heavenly and timeless
💠 The Pala d’Oro (main altar)
A masterpiece of gold, enamel, and gems
Created over centuries
One of the most valuable altarpieces in Europe
🐎 The Horses of St. Mark
Ancient bronze horses displayed inside (originals)
Taken from Constantinople after the Fourth Crusade
Symbol of Venice’s power (and controversial history)
🪞 The floor
Intricate marble mosaics
Slightly uneven and wavy from centuries of lagoon flooding
🏛️ Not technically a cathedral (originally)
Even though it feels like one:
It was originally the private chapel of the Doge (Venice’s ruler)
Only became the official cathedral later
🧭 What to notice when you visit
The mix of cultures: Italian + Byzantine + Islamic influences
Dim lighting → creates a mystical, almost otherworldly feel
Exterior domes and arches → almost look like something from the Middle East
After visiting the Basilica, we decided to stop for lunch at a nearby restaurant, Ristorante "Dallo Zio" San Marco. After sitting down indoors, we ordered the following items:
- Drinks: Glass Grigio, Glass Merlot
- Appetizer: Caprese con Bufala (Caprese Salad with Bufala)
- First plate: Linguine alle Meraviglie (Linguini with Seafood Marvells)
- Second plate: Filletto di Branzino (European Seabass)
The Caprese Salad was excellent. The Lignuini was delicious, but we had to crack some of the lobster and crab legs ourselves. The Branzino was light and excellent.
After lunch, we decided to see the Galleria dell'Accademia Museum. On the way there, we stopped at another exhibition of a lesser-known French painter, Jaques Cordier.
🎨 Jacques Cordier – Venise
This is a small but very atmospheric exhibition currently on in Venice, and it’s quite different from the big Renaissance museums like the Accademia. It’s more intimate, modern, and poetic.
📍 Where & when
📍 Palazzo Franchetti (near the Accademia Bridge)
🗓️ Feb 6 – April 10, 2026
🎟️ Free entry
🕒 Typically open 10:00–18:00 (closed Tuesdays)
👨🎨 Who was Jacques Cordier?
Jacques Cordier
A French painter who died young (late 30s)
Influenced by landscape painters and especially light-focused art
His style evolved toward soft, luminous, almost dissolving forms
🌫️ What the exhibition is about
This show focuses on the final years of his life, when Venice became his main inspiration.
👉 The key idea:
He wasn’t trying to paint Venice accurately—he was trying to paint how Venice feels.
Inspired by J. M. W. Turner after seeing his work in London
Paintings become:
More fluid
Less defined
Almost dissolving into light
We stopped by Moro Cafe for a quick drink and a light pastry. The Cafe has exceptional desserts, and Inna and I were impressed by the quality of the pastries. Plus, the view of the nearby Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti was amazing.
At the Galleria dell'Accademia Museum, we put our coats into storage and walked around for about 90 minutes. Inna was hoping to see fewer religious paintings, but we saw mostly religious art.
🎨 Gallerie dell'Accademia
This is Venice’s most important art museum—the place to understand how the city saw itself, its power, and its beauty over centuries. If St. Mark’s Basilica is about religion and splendor, the Accademia is about painting, storytelling, and Venetian identity.
🏛️ What it is
A collection of Venetian painting from ~1300 to 1700
Housed in former religious buildings (a monastery and school)
Located right by the Grand Canal
🎯 Why it’s special
Venetian art is different from Florence or Rome:
Focus on color, light, and atmosphere
Less about perfect anatomy, more about mood and richness
Think glowing skin, dramatic skies, sensual textures
🌟 Must-see masterpieces
🖌️ The Tempest – by Giorgione
One of the most mysterious paintings in Western art
A stormy landscape with unclear meaning
Nobody fully agrees what it represents
👉 This is a “slow looking” painting—stand with it for a minute.
🔥 Feast in the House of Levi – by Paolo Veronese
Huge, theatrical banquet scene
Originally painted as the Last Supper—but got the artist in trouble with the Inquisition for being too wild
Full of characters, humor, and drama
⚡ Works by Tintoretto
Known for energy and movement
Dramatic lighting—almost cinematic
Look for bold compositions and action
💫 Works by Titian
The master of Venetian color
Rich reds, glowing skin tones
Emotional and powerful religious scenes
👑 Coronation of the Virgin
Earlier (medieval-style) Venetian art
Gold backgrounds like Byzantine icons
Shows where Venetian painting began
For dinner, we decided to dine inside our Baglioni Hotel Luna (as we had an 85 euro credit) at 19:45. We sat down at a corner table and ordered the following items:
- Drinks: Sparkling water
- First plate: Tartar di spigola (Seabass Tartar)
- Second plate: Zuppa di Fragolino
- Dessert: Lemoncello (free)
Links
- Hertz Car Rental
- Baglioni Hotel Luna
- Basilica di San Marco
- Moro Cafe
- Gallerie dell'Accademia
- Ristorante "Dallo Zio" San Marco
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