Canals

Getting into Venezia Santa Lucia just as the sun was rising, we got to have Venice all for ourselves, giving the kids their promised gondola ride and Italian ice creams long before all the (other) tourists arrived. 

Around noon, the city was completely packed, prompting us to escape with the regional train up to the village of Mogliano where we are staying at a slightly brutalist Doubletree hotel. With accommodation prices in the centro storico of Venice having gone through the roof, staying a bit away from the fray seemed like the reasonable choice even if I regret not having rented a car. Tomorrow we will take the Frecciarossa south to Rome where we have booked an apartment next to the Vatican City for two nights before continuing further down to Sorrento.