Venice-A dreamy, floating city

Venice or Venezia requires no introduction. For all travel lovers and romantics, this is on their must visit places. I am a hopeless romantic, so

this dreamy destination was on the very top of my Italian itinerary.

Venice is in the northeastern part of Italy's Veneto region and is made of more than a hundred small isles. 

You can reach Venice in about 4 hours train ride from Roma Termini in Rome reaching Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia. Or you can also fly to Marco Polo airport and take a train from the airport. We landed in Rome first, so we took the train. 

Boarding the Trenitalia

The train ride is amazing in itself taking you through the interior country-side of Italy. Book your tickets in advance through Trenitalia's website or Italo which is another train service. 
Trenitalia's website is quite easy to use. We had a hard time booking tickets online for Italo as they would not take our credit card information for some reason. You can also buy tickets at the railway station. 
(Tip: Always book you hotel/airbnb closer to the train station to make it accesible via foot and save time for taking a cab/public transportation). 

As soon as you step out of the train station, you will be welcomed by the beautiful and enormous Grand Canal. Normally,when you step out of a train station, you see buses, cabs. But here you see boats and gondolas. The only means of transport in Venice is through the waterways. You can either take a private water taxi to reach

Water taxi outside the station

your accommodation or the public water taxi called vaporetto.  
(Tip: Vaporettos are way cheaper than the private water taxis or the gondola. Check their schedules for exact timings. You can also buy their 1 day or multiple days pass for easy commute.)

They operate till midnight so if you are staying in the neighboring islands, you can still take their last ferry. 

There are a lot of things to do, places to visit and experiences in Venice.  We spent 3 full days in Venice and I think it was a good amount of time to spend and to experience this glorious floating city. I have listed some of the things that I loved doing. 

1. Staying in Murano

We decided to rent airbnb in Murano instead of the main island. It did make commuting a little bit tricky, but since we had the daily vaporetto schedules on hand, it was easier to plan than one would think. Murano is much less commercialized and less touristy than the main island Venezia. 

Murano

2. Glass works in Murano

While you are in Murano, go to any of the various glass factories spread all across the island. The hand blown glass is an age old art. The workers create beautiful objects from a blob of molten glass. They make vases, jewelry, idols, boxes...the list is endless. They have to be so quick as well as careful doing it, you can only imagine their precision. If you are staying on the island, you can go to these factories early before hordes of cruise-ship tourists flock the factories.

Get yourself a beautiful souvenir and support local business. Most stores also ship, so you don't have to worry about carrying a fragile item in your checked bags. We carried only two cabin bags and two personal bags, but still were able to bring back of lot of these pretty glass souvenirs. (Tip: Look for the heart shaped seal guarantee for handmade glass in Murano.)

There are numerous restaurants dotting the canal-side in Murano. Here you will find more of an authentic experience than the main island. Luscious seafood, freshly cooked delicious pasta and you have the perfect Italiano experience. 

Delicious pasta in Murano

Street in Murano

3. Burano

Burano is a floating town reached by vaporetto from all the adjoining  islands. It is characterized by fishermen's colorful houses and family owned shops making hand made lace. 
This is a beautiful place to wander in the afternoon to see the artists making the lace scarves, curtains and so many other beautiful creations. 

The work scene here is so lively with ladies sitting outside shops showing their artistic craftsmanship. 

Colorful fishermen's houses dotting the canals of Burano

Their butter cookies are also famous- have some with their local coffee!!!

Colorful houses in Burano

4. Venice

You will get a glimpse of the beautiful Venice when you first step out of the Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia. Just wander on this island. Do not have a time table when you are here to truly experience the city. Walk through the narrow alleys to find amazing houses, restaurants, art galleries... and you can stay out until late at night. 
(Tip: If you intend to stay on this island until late at night, book accommodation on the main island itself). 
 

The canals in Venice

There are a lot of sights you can visit here some of which I have recommended below. 

-Piazza di San Marco is a huge city square surrounded by long buildings on three sides, a clock tower on the other side. However, the centerpiece of the Piazza is the Basilica di San Marco or St Mark's basilica. 

Piazza di San Marco-St. Mark's square

In the evenings, there is live music in the Piazza where you can enjoy some apertivo. An apertivo is a quintessential Italian experience that you should not miss especially in Venice where you are at the very heart of Italian culture. You are surrounded by Italian art dating as far back as 8th century. So an apertivo experience should be on your list. Make sure to know if you are getting charged to be seated outside where they have the live music. Usually there is a cover charge called coperto.

Apertivo

Florian cafe-open since 1720

An apertivo is a light meal and drink that you have before dinner time to stimulate your appetite for the upcoming dinner. You have great small size options for food and beverages. They don't replace your dinner but just stimulate your appetite. Apertivo formed an important meal for us as we would jump from restaurant to restaurant to try their specialties. In this way, we could enjoy food in various restaurants than a full meal.

Live music in the Piazza while you enjoy the apertivo

There are a lot of restaurants in the more famous areas of Venice such as the Piazza, Ponte di Rialto and others. But I would strongly suggest to go interior in the alleys to find a more authentic and less commercialized place. As I said earlier, Venice restaurants can be quite touristy and expensive for what they are serving, so look out for those hole in the wall restaurants that won't break your bank and give you more of an authentic experience. You may have to go a little out of the way to find these little gems, but I promise you they are worth the experience. One that I particularly loved was the 'Enoteca al Volto'. It is usually crowded inside, so take your food and sit by the canal with your food and drink. 

Piazza di San Marco

Also, if you have a sweet tooth like me, the Tiramisu in Venice is just as beautiful as the sound of it. Tiramisu is said to have originated near Venice. So this delicacy should not be missed during your visit to Venice. Don't fall into the tourist traps with exorbitant prices for this super delicious and mouth watering delicacy. A recommended place is I Tre Mercanti with a variety of flavors such as pistachio, passion fruit in addition to the classic coffee, for this Venetian delight. 

-St Mark's basilica

In Venice, you are surrounded by massive art history. St Mark's basilica is the epitome of Venetian art history. It shines high above the Piazza di San Marco with its gilded mosaics on the facade and also inside. The intricate designing leaves you awestruck. 

It is noteworthy that a lot of the relics here have been brought from various countries such as Istanbul, Egypt amongst others. 
You are prohibited from taking pictures in the Basilica. (Note: Dress code is reinforced with clothes covering up to the knees and shoulders covered also).
 

St Mark's basilica in the background

To see beautiful views of the canals and the floating city head to the top of the Basilica. You need to buy separate tickets for that which also includes the museum located at the top of the Basilica. 

-St. Mark's bell tower

You can visit this tower for fascinating views of the lagoon. However, there are long lines here to get to the top. You can also buy their front of line tickets so you can get to the top earlier. 

Bell tower at St. Mark's

-Ponte di Rialto or Rialto bridge

This bridge is of historic significance and a beautiful spot which offers expansive views of the Grand Canal. Be wary of the hawkers trying to sell roses especially when they see couples. Don't fall for their tricks, unless you really want to buy roses for your loved one. 

View from the Rialto bridge in the evening

There are also a lot of local artists here who sell their paintings. Some of them were exceptionally beautiful. Most of them have the Rialto bridge depicted in their paintings. 

There are again several restaurants lining the canal here. We stopped here for some afternoon coffee while we explored the surrounding area. Sitting by the canal watching the gondoliers singing for the tourist couples/families/friends in their beautiful gondolas and wading the waters of the Grand canal is a great way to spend some time people watching. 

Shopping early morning at Rialto market

We also went there for their early morning Rialto market experience also called Mercati di Rialto. The stalls are located alongside the Grand canal near the Rialto bridge and you will find the freshest of seafood, vegetables and fruits being sold here at fairly low prices. If you have booked airbnb and wish to cook your own food, no better place than this to buy your supplies. 

-Doge's palace or Palazzo Ducale

The Doge's palace opens at 8:30 am and so I would recommend getting there early, as tourists crowd it later. If you are interested in art history, this place will truly blow you off with its elaborate designing. You can buy the tickets beforehand as well. 

Doge's palace

The Doge's palace was the centerpiece of the political and public life of Venice for a long time. When you enter the palace, you are transported to the early Eleventh century. 

One of the rooms in Doge's palace

Although a lot of renovations have been done since then, you can't help but marvel at the unmitigated beauty of this place. There are various court rooms, office of the senate, and interestingly the prisons.

Stairs at Doge's palace

A walkway to the prisons

There is a small bridge that gives you a glimpse of the Venetian lagoon. It has been named "Bridge of Sighs" as it was from here that the prisoners would pass to serve their sentence and this was their last view of the beautiful city of Venice which they would probably never see again. 

View from the Bridge of Sighs-This would be the last view of the lagoon for the prisoners

A small trivia which I found quite interesting. A local we met in Venice told us this story. 
There are two columns in the Piazza di San Marco which locals believe should not be crossed. It was a public execution spot and Venetians believe that if you cross the columns, you will end up have a similar painful death. 
Well, one thing I knew for sure, I was not going to cross those columns during my stay in Venice...;)

View of the lagoon from Doge's palace

-Gondola ride

A trip to Venice cannot be complete without a Gondola ride except if you have been to Venetian in Las Vegas and done a gondola ride there. No just kidding. 

A gondola ride can be memorable but a rather expensive one. It is about 80 Euros for 40 minutes of Gondola ride and that too at regular hours. Peak hours are in the evening just before sunset when it is anywhere from 100-150 Euros. Also, if you want your gondolier to sing for you, it can add to the cost. Whatever you choose, you should finalize the amount before stepping into the gondola as you may be susceptible to fall in a tourist trap here. 
Choose the Grand canal and the Rialto bridge as your route. Usually the smaller side canals may be not be as clean and also the buildings may be really old. But they are quieter, if that's what you prefer. 

The gondolas in the Grand canal

Venice backdrop and the love of your life with you is a perfect setting for a romantic Italian song as you cuddle with your honey in the Gondola. 

Dreamy Venice

Certain faux pas to avoid while enjoying your Venetian experience. 

1. Please do not sit on the stairs near the canal or the bridges. There have been reports that locals hate it and, it spoils the true nature of the experience. 

2. Do not feed the birds in the Piazza. It is considered a public offense now and you may be cited for the same. Plus, it is not safe for the birds to be fed food. 

3. Wear comfortable clothes. I know the sound of Italy vacation especially Venice makes you want to wear your best dresses and stilettos. However, new generation Italians are style savvy but still prefer comfortable clothes and shoes. Yes you can be stylish while wearing flat ballerinas. My favorite flats to wear in Italy were Tieks. They are super cute, come in variety of gorgeous colors and perfect for a casual to a more elegant outfit as well. 

4. Do not buy fake leather goods. You will find a lot of flagship stores for famous brands from the likes of Roberto Cavalli, Jimmy Choo amongst others that are cheaper in price than you can find in the US. However, there are many other stores that have very high quality leather bags, shoes that you can buy. These are still expensive as you have to pay for high quality leather. 
I particularly loved the brand Cromia which I stumbled upon in Venice and ended up getting a beautiful Saffiano leather satchel.


5. Carrying heavy luggage. 
I cannot stress enough how important it is to pack light for traveling in Europe in general and specifically in Venice. The entire city is made of cobbled stone and if you have heavy checked-in luggage, it will be a tiresome experience to keep pulling the bags on the uneven paths, small alleys and through the boats. 
We just had 2 carry-on luggage and a hand bag. You can also avail of the station's service to leave luggage at the station to be picked up when you are ready to leave to your next destination. 
Save your back and your vacation from getting ruined by having to carry massive luggage.

I will recommend to anyone who wants to truly experience Venice, to stay there at least for a few days, take time to assimilate its beauty, its history and its culture.