Venice is one the most well known cities in the world and arguably one of the most beautiful. It is somewhere I have always wanted to see however I had heard from several people that it is over- crowded, touristy and doesn't require more than a day or two. Due to our schedule we were only able to spend two days there but could have easily spent three or four.
We stayed in a beautiful Airbnb in the Dorsoduro sestiere that overlooked the canal at sea-level. Although I have listed several hotels in my travel guide that I would recommend, there are plenty of beautiful Airbnbs as well. We spent our first afternoon exploring Dorsoduro and I quickly realized that in Venice around every corner is a photo-op. After doing some shopping we headed over to Osteria al Squero for some cicchetti - a traditional venetian food. Cichetti are small snacks, similar to spanish tapas, typically accompanied by a glass of wine (my favourite was the endless variety of crostinis ). After our light dinner we walked to nearby Grom for my daily gelato fix.
I had heard that gondola rides are overpriced and somewhat cheesy but I knew it was a must while in Venice. While doing some research online I came across several sites that mentioned a gondolier by the name of Luca who was said to be the best in Venice ( His email address is luckyluca6@hotmail.com ). I contacted him and booked a ride for our second day in Venice and it turned out to be the highlight of our two days there. He began the gondola ride in the Jewish Ghetto rather than along the Grand Canal where many of the gondoliers are stationed. We spent most of the ride in the less touristy areas of Venice where we were usually the only gondola around. Rather than serenading us the whole time he explained the history of all of the buildings we passed and I was able to better understand the beautiful architecture I was photographing. Seeing the ambulance boats and water taxis along the way highlighted the uniqueness of a city built on water.
After the gondola ride we walked to T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi, a shopping mall with luxury brands, artisan products, and food gifts. Their rooftop terrace offers breathtaking panoramic views of Venice and is highly recommended. The remainder of the day was spent exploring the other 5 sestieri and historic sites like the Bridge of Sighs, St Mark's Square, and the Rialto to name a few. Although its popularity has made it somewhat of a tourist haven, there are some amazing restaurants and shops, some of which I have listed here. That being said, the simple beauty of the canals and the architecture of the buildings that line them are the main attraction and are sure to make anyone fall in love with 'the floating city'.
