The hubs and I are just getting back into the swing of things after our much-needed romantic second honeymoon. We hadn’t taken any vacation longer than a weekend since our first honeymoon over 2 years ago. We wanted this trip to not only provide some R&R, but also give us a chance to rekindle the romance, which can so easily get lost in the hustle and bustle of day to day life.
On our “honeymoon,” we visited 4 cities: Venice, Rome, Santorini & Athens. This was uncharted territory for us. We truly felt like newlyweds all over again, on an exciting adventure filled with unexpected twists and turns. We found our destination choices to be a perfect coalescence of culture, history, romance and luxury. Exactly what any honeymooner could want, whether it’s your first, or 50th.
The trip also gave me the opportunity to start to learn my camera, and I was able to capture some shots even I am proud of (we are all our own worst critics, right?). Over the next couple weeks, I will share some of my favorite images from each of the cities we visited.
Honeymoon in Venice
The Sights
View of the canals in a quiet Venice neighborhood, away from the touristy hustle and bustle
A cute cafe
Loved this wine take-away cart at a little wine store
The hubs bought a local label for our hotel room. Now that’s a proper Honeymoon…Bow-chica-wow-wow!
A picturesque square and lovely depiction of the Venice architecture
Sun begins to set over the church of S. Mary di Nazareth
View from the Scalzi bridge at dusk
Our first Venice sunset
The city nightlife, just outside our little B&B
Everywhere you look, there’s a photo-op in Venice
Campanile Di San Marco at St. Mark’s Square
Intricate details of St. Mark’s Cathedral
The hubs and I at St. Mark’s Square on our 2nd day in Venice
View across the water from St. Mark’s
My Casanova took me on a romantic gondola ride. It may be touristy, but definitely a must-do in Venice.
The view from our Gondola through the canals
Venice’s most historic and well-known bridge, the Rialto, is one of only 4 that crosses the Grand Canal.
The Food
Being on my “2nd Honeymoon,” I decided to throw caution to the wind: No diets, no calorie-counting. It was bliss!
A light breakfast, almond croissants and lattes :)
Just 2€ each from the market outside our B&B
Classic Lasagne
Pasta alla Vongole
Antipasto Platter from the restaurant rumored to have catered for the Jolie-Pitt clan while Angie was shooting The Tourist in Venice
Paired perfectly with our antipasto
Getting an insider’s tour of the Rialto Fish Market from our B&B owner Anna. She is a chef and teaches Venetian cooking to her guests! Unfortunately, I ran out of time to take a class :(
An array of fresh-caught fish. This is where Venetian restaurant owners and local chefs flock to find what’s in season and the best of the best.
Octopus for sale…for a delicious seafood pasta, perhaps?
Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia: Pasta made from the ink from squid. This dish was homemade for us by Anna. She extracted the ink herself (and had the stains on her hands to prove it!) and included the squid meat as well. The BEST dish we had in Venice, by far!
Another yummy local label, perfect for an afternoon aperitif
…and I can’t forget dessert. They were too gorgeous to eat, and the ones I did try were incredible!
So what do you think of our 2nd Honeymoon so far? Where do you want to/did you go for yours? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Google
Find us on Google+
OH MY GOODNESS!!! This looks like Heaven on Earth. It not only brings back such wonderful memories of my times in Italy, but just makes me so happy that you guys had this experience.
Mark and I had big plans to do a few trips like this after we got married…then I found out I was pregnant! Obviously, a blessing, but we now are counting the YEARS until we can take a romantic trip like this…sigh!
Can’t wait to see more pictures.
Hawlie,
Love the pictures! Looks like you had a fabulous time. Wish I would have taken the time to take my own pretty pics on my most recent European vacay. Can’t wait to see more!
[...] a painting the hubs and bought from an artist along the Venice Grand Canal during our trip to Italy and Greece this past fall. Every time I see it, whether while sipping coffee, or just passing by, I [...]
Love, love the pic’s! My daughters and I are taking a girls trip to Italy next month to celebrate the youngest graduating from high school. I’m sharing your website with them to stir up their anticipation as it did mine. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks Shauntea, and I hope you and your daughters enjoy your trip! That sounds like such an amazing experience for all of you to get to have together!
[...] can read more about the hubs and my romantic 2nd honeymoon in Venice and Rome by clicking the links. Next [...]
[...] Martha Stewart to tone it down and create that gorgeous mottled white aging I saw on every patio in Venice last year. The recipe worked like a [...]
beautiful photos!