The next day, we took in the breakfast buffet in the restaurant. I ended up taking free breakfast as the SPG Platinum benefit and it was a wise decision as the buffet was priced at 38€ a person.

The buffet seating was inside or outside right on the patio and there were terrific views of the grand canale. Dependent on the traffic, you could hear the gondoliers signing and serenading their passengers.







Breakfast with a view… I won't forget this one for a while. . . We enjoyed the view as the day got going.



The buffet had hot and cold items. The food was of very good to excellent quality. Interestingly, the food quality was better here than it was at the Westin in Malta. The scrambled eggs were tasty and there was high quality bacon. There were also Westin fruit smoothies to drink and free flow prosecco. This made MrsWT73's stay.











What a great way to start the day and an excellent use of the SPG Platinum breakfast benefit as the setting was simply beyond compare. The breakfast was almost a reason to stay at the property alone; fantastic views and a beautiful unique setting.



We started the day with a quick look at the Piazza San Marco. It’s practically right outside of the front door of the Westin and is a 5 minute walk away.





Although a cloudy start at breakfast, it was gorgeous weather by the time we headed out the door. We had a look at the usual favorites and the must see attractions in Venice including the bridge of sighs.





















We left San Marco's square and went walking and exploring today with no set agenda. I've found this to be one of the best ways to discover Venice as there is always a surprise around every corner.

We walked through the Dorsoduro area (SW corner of Venice) over the Ponte Accademina bridge. I had not previously been to this neighborhood before and it was a pleasant calm compared to the frantic crowds massing around the San Marco district.













The views of the Grande Canale from the Ponte Accademia bridge were simply gorgeous. It’s a wooden structure that was initially intended to be temporary but has become a permanent feature. It was a highlight of our visit.













We headed over to the Bascilia Santa Maria, taking in a view of the Westin Europa Venice from the opposite site of the Grand Canal. The bascilia was surprisingly bland inside, compared to it’s magnificent stature outside that can be seen from the Westin across the way.













We walked thorugh Dorosondo and stopped at a chicetti bar for snacks at the bottom of the bridge stairs. We had a small glass of Pinot Grigio de la casa for 1€. What an awesome and wonderful way to break up the day with some tasty snacks in an authentic local environment.













We then headed up to Piazza San Margerita for a pizza snack from Pizza Al Volo and then over to the Rialto Bridge. It was a great leisurely walk through some of the heartlands of Venice.







We continued our walk through the San Polo and Santa Croc district. There were lots of canal and alleys to keep things interesting and much less crowds than the San Marco area. We ended up on the Grand Canale just short of the Rialto bridge.









As it was getting late in the day, we wandered back toward the hotel via the San Marco square in order to get ready for dinner.

All in all a great day filled with lots of walking. It was really nice to see the quieter side of Venice and I can highly recommend getting off the beaten path if you have time do so in your next visit.