After months of planning, we’ve finally arrived in Venice! Our journey started with a Saturday afternoon flight out of Tallahassee at 2 pm, and after a long travel day, we landed in Venice at 11 am on Sunday—4 am back home in Eastern time! Once we collected our bags, we purchased water taxi tickets and set off to the island. Jordan was a bit concerned about me getting motion sickness on the vaporetto, but honestly, I was so tired that I was more likely to fall asleep than feel queasy!

We’re staying at the Ruzzini Palace, a beautifully renovated 16th-century palace located in Campo Santa Maria Formosa, one of the oldest and largest squares in Venice. Our room has a gorgeous view overlooking the canal—definitely worth the upgrade!

Of course, the first thing I wanted was a cappuccino and some pasta. So, we headed out to explore the winding streets in search of a place to eat. Venice is full of incredible restaurant options, and I’ll admit, it was a bit overwhelming. Eventually, we ended up in the San Marco district, where my hangry self led us to the first spot we saw—Ristorante Falciani, just steps away from the Basilica di San Marco. I ordered the ravioli with a cheese and asparagus filling, topped with pesto, while Jordan went for a four seasons pizza. It was definitely on the touristy side, but after 10 hours of traveling, everything hit the spot.

With no plans for the evening other than fighting off jet lag, we decided to stroll through the streets, window shopping and soaking in the Venetian charm. We stopped at the Church of San Salvador to admire its stunning architecture and, of course, were tempted by a window full of cannolis—so we gave in and had one!

Our final stop was Caffè Saraceno, where we found the perfect spot with a view of the Grand Canal right next to the Rialto Bridge. We sipped on wine, people-watched, and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. It was the perfect way to wind down after a long day of travel. By then, the jet lag was kicking in hard, so we made our way back to the hotel (though it was only 6:30 pm!).

On our way back, we couldn’t resist stopping at Farini for a slice of pizza (€4.50 each!), which ended up being way better than the pizza Jordan had earlier. And of course, no day in Italy is complete without gelato, so we popped into Gallonetta for scoops of hazelnut and pistachio flavored gelato. 

By the time we made it back to our hotel at 7:30 pm, we were completely exhausted but so ready for the adventures ahead. Tomorrow, we dive into exploring Venice!