We started our first full day in Venice sleeping in and having breakfast in our room. It looked wet out there, but nothing like what was to come. We decided to mostly wander on foot and to make our primary goal of the day the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.The collection is a definite must see in Venice even if you are not a fan of 20th Century art. The house, right on the Grand Canal offers the opportunity to see how someone actually
lived in Venice in the 1950s, 60s and 70s and how she incorporated the art into her home. You can also get a great look at the Grand Canal from the terrace and grab an espresso at the cafe. The collection held a personal highlight for me, Rene Magritte's Empire of Light. My self-guided art education began with this image, which I had only seen in print prior to this moment.The other major stop of the day was the Scuola Grande S Rocco. This was an amazing building, which frankly sounds like an understatement. Two "halls" one on top of the other, are covered with Tintoretto's. A moment for a beautiful indoor respite - grab a mirror, take a seat, rest your feet and feast your eyes.
For dinner that night, we tried another recommendation from the hotel for our neighborhood. Il Nuovo Galeon in Castello at Via Garibaldi 1308-1309 was really excellent especially if you like seafood. Our only disappointment came from the fact that we had asked for a place that had excellent risotto or pasta. There was one pasta dish on the menu and no risotto, that said, it's a great little place.
