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Day 4 (September 16, 2020)   Venice

Before       We've got the hotel just in front of the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua to be sure we are going to visit it so, if it couldn't happen the previous day, it will be this morning.    After that, we have a short drive to Venice, where we would leave the car in one of the parkings and would go to Hotel Montecarlo, which has an amazing location for exploring Venice from there. That's our task for the rest of this day and tomorrow.   The spots marked at map are:  0- Hotel Montecarlo  1- Tronchetto's parking  2- S.t Mark's Square  3- Rialto area  4- Academia Bridge  5- Arsenale

After    We leave our hotel at 10 AM, just after breakfast. Checking time limit is 11 AM so we should have enough time for what we want to do here. We get into the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua which, logically, is entirely dedicated to this saint.     The Basilica is full of beautiful places inside but the tomb is the best of all them, surrounded by white marble walls with carvings.    Photos are not allowed inside but, since not always there is a priest and, where there is one he is just pointing you shouldn't take pictures, at the end, most of the visitors get the pictures that they want.    After that, we go to Prato della Valle nearby, which is a big square with a canal with lots of statues at both sides. A beautiful place that we wanted to see. With this we're done with Padua so, we complete the check out and drive to Venice, which we reach in less than one hour.    We leave the car at Tronchetto's parking, where there are only available places at the top floor, the one without ceiling. Once out of the parking we cannot find signs pointing where we should go for our transport options. We follow some people and we end in an office for private boat where we buy two tickets to Saint Mark by 7.5€ each. The only problem is we need to wait for the boat to get full and that is nearly an hour.    When we get our stop, we have to walk with the luggage over four bridges under this hot sun. At least, all these bridges have a ramp for our bags with wheels. We reach Hotel Montecarlo soon and do the check in.    We're so close of St. Mark's Square here, but the first thing is to get our lunch. We choose the first restaurant in the same street that looks good for what we want, and it couldn't be better. Pizzas are creative and delicious here. I get a pizza of pistachio and Bologna's mortadella and Eva order gnocchi. We pay 30€ in total.    We go on with the way that we already started to Rialto direction but, before reaching the place, we take the offer for a Gondola ride by 80€. We already knew that was the standard rate and were planning to do it.    It is expensive, but it is a fantastic experience, so we think it worths it for, at least, once in your live.    We finally arrive at Rialto Bridge, which is quite different from inside than the popular look it has from outside and we could enjoy in our gondola just a few minutes ago. We walk around the Rialto market and walk back to St. Mark following a different path, which is easy since there are signs at every corner. Walking through these streets is wonderful by itself, since they're full of lovely corners.    I ask at Doge's Palace about the visit and we're confirmed that we don't need to book. When we come tomorrow we will be able to visit it without a long wait.    We take our time before going back to the hotel, exploring St. Mark's Square and the great buildings here.    We'll leave the hotel again to see St. Mark's Square by night and buy some fruit that we'll eat for dinner, since our late and superb lunch is not giving us place for more than that.