A Tour of Italy Installment 2 Lake Garda to Venice

On the way from Milan to Venice we stopped at the resort Simione on Lake Garda.

It was picture perfect! 

Full of tourists but beautiful all the same.

It's on a peninsula with a castle and Roman ruins.

They say it has been populated since the stone age and Romans built holiday villas there, one of which still exists.

As you walk in you pass the castle, Rocca Scaligera, that was built at the end of the 12th century.

Of course what I loved the most was the windows and flowers.

Back on the bus for a short trip to Venice.

We arrived by boat at the patio of our hotel - The Monaco and Grando Canal. While my room did not have a view it was beautifully decorated. 

The Monaco & Grand Canal is a former 17th century palazzo that has been converted into a classic hotel. Overlooking the Grand Canal, the hotel is close to Piazza San Marco. It offers stunning views of the Grand Canal, the church of Santa Maria della Salute and the island of San Giorgio.

There is an outside terrace with a very nice restaurant. It was restored in the early 2000’s. Outside, the terrace is a special feature of the hotel and, weather permitting, is a great place to eat while taking in the atmosphere of the Grand Canal and they serve traditional Venetian cuisine.

This is the terrace with fabulous views.

Just steps from our door was Channel, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany. And across the street was Harry’s Bar.

Now i’ll have to admit I’d never heard of Harry’s Bar but they are all pretty famous - and famous for the fact you stumble upon them because there are no big signs, at least at the one in Venice. It was established in 1931 and there are now Harry's Bars all over the world. This one was frequented by a lot of famous people like Earnest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, Aristotle Onassis and others.

Next post - Touring Venice!