Having visited in 2001 we returned in 2005 but brought our mums with us as an Xmas present - but waited until May to get the better weather! We were lucky enough to catch the annual Vogalonga boat race which sees hundreds of small boats traverse the main canal through the centre of Venice. As before we stayed on the Lido di Venezia, a much cheaper and more relaxed place to stay compared to central Venice. We stayed at the Hotel Atlanta Augustus on via Lepanto. Good service, smart clean rooms, and very reasonably priced. Recommended. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Salute is almost as familiar as St Mark's Square, with it's ornate statues and white frontage onto the Grand Canal.
