lay ahead. The first thing that struck me was how much smaller river boats are compared to ocean cruise ships. I know it sounds obvious but the River Countess was only three decks high, with a massive sun deck on top. The suites (as they like to call them), no matter which deck, are all the same size, with ample storage space and very comfy beds. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served in the beautiful ‘Savoy Restaurant’. Lunch and breakfast were buffet, but dinner was a five course a la carte menu with a sumptuous choice of meals that could cater for any diet. If you preferred lunch or dinner in a more relaxed manner the ‘Osteria Siena’ restaurant offered you pizzas and salad on the sun deck. Uniworld cruises are all inclusive, and when I say all inclusive, it really is. All drinks, food, tips, and guided tours are included in the price. The quality of the wines, beers and spirits were all top brands, plus they encourage you to taste local wines from the area you’re in. A nice touch. I spoke to an American gentleman on board one evening and he said he preferred to cruise with Uniworld as, although the initial cost was more, he didn’t have to keep putting his hand in his pocket for extras such as tips, excursions and transfers. The other major plus for me is that the dress code was casual. Polo shirt and trousers for men and summer dress or blouse for ladies was perfectly acceptable, meaning there was no need to pack heavy DJ’s and dresses. One of the main highlights of our cruise was an exclusive after-hours visit of St Mark’s Basilica with a famous art historian called Susan Steer. We were treated like royalty as we sat in the darkened cathedral. Lights were gradually switched on to display the most dazzling array of gold ground mosaics on the ceilings. I can see why this is a must for all visitors to Venice, and greatly appreciated the after hours visit, as during the day the queues to get in were extremely long. I would definitely put Venice on your list of cities to visit. The whole city is like a film set with the ‘Grand Canal’ Venice’s equivalent to the M25 on water. The Rialto Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs and St Mark’s Square are all landmarks that are totally unique to Venice. If you don’t want to be with the crowds it was easy to just explore, and get lost walking around the hundreds of narrow streets, finding little restaurants and bars much cheaper than those in the centre. We left Venice to cruise to Chiogga, a coastal town, with a cycle ride around the town and its beautiful beaches. We returned to Chiogga later in the week for its famous Thursday market and a boat trip to see the farming of their ‘black gold’ mussels. The following day we entered the River Po and cruised to a point where we could all spend a memorable day in Bologna, famous as the hometown of tortellini, mortadella, tagliatelle and ragu. We were treated to a pasta making demonstration followed by a superb pasta lunch, of course all included. We headed back to Venice with a full day excursion to its magic islands of Torcello, Mazzorbo and Burano, all full of history, ancient mosaics and demonstrations of lace making. For the final part of our trip we docked in Venice again and had plenty of time to explore this beautiful city. We were taken by water taxi to the Rialto Bridge to explore more of the city, and nd our last excursion was to see the making of ‘Murano Glass’, where the workmanship was just out of this world. Although we were docked in Venice for four nights in total, this cruise was perfect for exploring the city. Staying on a luxury ‘boutique style’ floating hotel, with everything included, plus a cruise exploring parts of Italy many would never see, was the perfect combination. The staff on board were very attentive. When our memorable cruise was over we flew directly from Venice to Bristol with fantastic memories of wonderful food, service and experiences. I for one will return to Venice and Italy many times in the future: I think you should too! Happy holidays! www.cornerstonevision.com
@PlymMag
@PlymMag
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www.gilead.org.uk
Fax: 01837 851520 carole.harris@gilead.org.uk
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The Plymouth Magazine August 2017
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