VENICE

One of my favourite memories of Venice is wandering by myself in the quiet back alleys, and hearing violin long before I finally came across the source; a quartet of toothless elderly men playing in an abandoned square. Venice has genuine romance like this hiding in the cracks of the too-narrow walkways, and the clothes lines hung over head of the canals. You just have to stop looking for it.

Here are some of my personal tips for Venice-

Expect Crowds.
If visiting during the summer months then don’t be surprised you’re not the only ones. Venice can feel like an amusement park with hoards of tourists creating a sea of people above the canals. I recommend early mornings to soak in the city before everyone else wakes, 8am was perfectly calm for me and feels like a different world.

Eat, eat, and drink.
I cannot believe that within this whole post is not a single photo of food! My only explanation is that I inhaled everything within sight before any photo opportunities. Italian is one of my favourite cuisines and although Venice can be quite expensive, it still boasts incredible pizza, pastas, wine, caprese…. even aloe vera gelato. Did I mention the wine?

Getting around.
Splurge on a gondola ride. They can be pretty expensive at 80euro a pop, but you don’t want to leave this city without seeing it from the water. Ask around if you are after a gondolier who sings, or want to pass under the Bridge of Sighs. For the rest of your visit I highly recommend using the Vaporetto (water bus). It is significantly cheaper than a water taxi, and is also how the locals get around.