Before visiting, I had not heard good things about Venice. People told me it was smelly, dirty, and crowded. All I can say is that I disagree completely!
Arriving in Venice
Venice was the last stop on our two week trip to Italy during the early summer of 2022. We flew in and out of Milan, and after spending a couple of days in Cinque Terre, we had a whirlwind 24 hours to spend in Venice before heading back to Milan and flying home. Based on things I had seen online, I thought one day was all I would want to spend in Venice. I’d see the sights, maybe ride in a gondola, and be ready to leave. Now, I wish we would have planned for at least two days in this spectacular city, and you could easily spend more.
We took an early train from Cinque Terre to Venice and arrived around lunchtime. Since we only had one day to see Venice, we decided to stay right in the city center even though it was a little more expensive. Getting from the train station to our hotel through the crowded streets in the hot sun was not easy. Then we had very mediocre pasta for lunch. Based on my first couple hours in Venice, I was not impressed. But then something happened. Venice won me over!
I don’t know if it was the canals… Actually I do know. Yes, it was the canals. The canals won me over. This city is just pretty. There’s no other word for it. Sure, it has its drawbacks, just like any other city, but the beauty and history more than make up for the crowds and the prices. So if you are short on time in Venice, here’s how to make the most of it!
Piazza San Marco
The most famous square in Venice is the Piazza San Marco. This is a huge and historic square surrounded by beautiful buildings and dominated by St Mark’s Basilica. Most of Venice is an absolute maze of buildings and canals, and walking into this big, open square is like a breath of fresh air. Normally, a visit to the basilica or the nearby Doge’s Palace would be a must, but they were both closed at the time of our visit, which was really a bummer. Just a reason to go back to Venice someday!
The Grand Canal
Venice is primarily known for one thing: its canals. And the Grand Canal is the, well, grandest of them all. This massive canal winds its way through the middle of the city, and we had a wonderful time just strolling along the canal and admiring the views.
The Bridge of Sighs
One of the most famous sights in Venice is the Bridge of Sighs. This beautiful bridge is right next to the Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal, so you can see all three right at the same time. Once upon a time, the bridge connected the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace with the prison, and the story goes that the bridge got its name because prisoners would sigh when they crossed the bridge and took in their last view of Venice before being shut up in the prison.
Eat Cicchetti
I’d heard that the food in Venice was not great and was very expensive. I’m sure that’s true sometimes, but if you do a little research ahead of time, it’s not hard to find restaurants that serve up delicious meals at a reasonable price point. The number one thing to try in Venice is cicchetti, which are basically little pieces of bread covered in an unlimited variety of toppings.
Tons of restaurants in Venice serve cicchetti, but we highly recommend Cantine del Vino già Schiavi. It’s a bit out of the way, but that’s just an excuse to see more of beautiful Venice. The selection of cicchetti is extensive, and every one we tried was delicious. We took our cicchetti and a couple glasses of wine outside and had a picnic overlooking the canals. It was a lovely meal. (Side note, we later discovered that this place was featured on Somebody Feed Phil, so you know it must be good!)
Ride in a Gondola
The one thing everyone wants to do in Venice is ride in a gondola. Well, turns out its pretty expensive, around 80 Euros for a thirty minute ride. We still might have done it, but we ran out of time! (Again, a reason to go back to Venice.) However, while we didn’t manage to do a sightseeing gondola ride, we did get to ride in a gondola. In fact, we discovered the cheapest way to ride in a gondola in Venice. There are a couple of places along the grand canal where you can get a gondola ferry across the canal. This ferry is in an actual gondola with the guy wearing the striped shirt and everything. It costs just two Euros and lasts around two minutes. We were kind of laughing about how short the ride was. But if you just want to tick “ride in a gondola” off the bucket list, this is a cheap way to do it.
Ponte di Rialto
The Ponte di Rialto is one of the most beautiful bridges in Venice. Spanning across the Grand Canal, this covered bridge is famous for a reason. Not only is the bridge itself beautiful, but while standing on it, you get a really lovely view of the Grand Canal.
Get Lost
This, I think, is the real key to Venice. Sure, there are lots of sights that you “have” to see, but my favorite thing to do in Venice was to get lost in the quite literal maze of canals and bridges. It can get so crowded in the city center, but walk just a few minutes in any direction, and you’ll find yourself on quiet streets with equally beautiful surroundings. Getting lost in a city and walking without a particular destination in mind is one of my favorite things to do while traveling, and Venice is the perfect place to do just that.
I know that in just 24 hours, we missed a ton of the things Venice has to offer. It was a mistake for me to assume that I wouldn’t like this city, and I’m sure I will go back someday to see more of what this beautiful and historic place has to offer.
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