It's been a long time ago, but at the end of March I got the chance to visit the beautiful city of Venice again. The last time I visited was in 2005, and this time around I was still enchanted by the city built on water. It seemed like everywhere I turned there was another photo-worthy view of a bridge crossing over the narrow canals, a delicious panino in a store window, gelato piled up in small mountains encased in glass counters. Venice is such a unique place that you can't really compare it to anywhere else in the world. Sure, I've been to cities like Amsterdam, Bruges, and St. Petersburg which are full of stunning bridges and canals too, but Venice has a certain charm and buzz that can't be found anywhere else.
We visited Venice during the Easter weekend, which meant lots of tourists and "traffic" on the narrow streets and bridges all over the city. We stayed at a lovely apartment in the Cannaregio district of Venice which was a bit of a walk to St. Mark's Square. Sometimes it was difficult to navigate our way back from the square due to the winding roads and getting distracted by cute souvenir shops and tasty snacks (thank you, Google Maps for saving us), but Venice is the kind of city I didn't mind getting lost in.
During our stay in Venice we did the compulsory touristy gondola ride, but despite the 80 Euro price tag it's worth it to view the city from the water and experience floating down the Grand Canal, watching all the people indulging at the cafes and tourists clicking photos from bridges above us.
In Venice it is also essential to visit St. Mark's Square, the bustling "Piazza San Marco" in Italian, which is one of the best places for people-watching. This time around we went up St. Mark's Campanile - the huge bell tower in the middle of the square. It was well worth waiting in line, and we didn't even need to climb any stairs, as an elevator took us to the top for an amazing view over the city.
In Venice I also discovered one of my new favourite drinks, the "Aperol spritz," an orange-coloured drink usually served with an olive here, which you can find people drinking everywhere in the city. John preferred the "Campari spritz" which tasted more bitter... I wasn't a fan! I could spend hours sitting at a cafe drinking spritz and eating pizza, just watching people pass me by.
I've heard a lot of people criticize Venice, saying it smells and is a tourist trap (similar to things I've heard about my favourite city - Paris). However, tourists go here for a reason. It's not just about canals and gondola rides! This city has a quaint charm and many outlying islands to explore. I liked Venice more the second time I visited and am happy I got the chance to spend more time getting lost in this classic Italian city.
We visited Venice during the Easter weekend, which meant lots of tourists and "traffic" on the narrow streets and bridges all over the city. We stayed at a lovely apartment in the Cannaregio district of Venice which was a bit of a walk to St. Mark's Square. Sometimes it was difficult to navigate our way back from the square due to the winding roads and getting distracted by cute souvenir shops and tasty snacks (thank you, Google Maps for saving us), but Venice is the kind of city I didn't mind getting lost in.
During our stay in Venice we did the compulsory touristy gondola ride, but despite the 80 Euro price tag it's worth it to view the city from the water and experience floating down the Grand Canal, watching all the people indulging at the cafes and tourists clicking photos from bridges above us.
In Venice it is also essential to visit St. Mark's Square, the bustling "Piazza San Marco" in Italian, which is one of the best places for people-watching. This time around we went up St. Mark's Campanile - the huge bell tower in the middle of the square. It was well worth waiting in line, and we didn't even need to climb any stairs, as an elevator took us to the top for an amazing view over the city.
In Venice I also discovered one of my new favourite drinks, the "Aperol spritz," an orange-coloured drink usually served with an olive here, which you can find people drinking everywhere in the city. John preferred the "Campari spritz" which tasted more bitter... I wasn't a fan! I could spend hours sitting at a cafe drinking spritz and eating pizza, just watching people pass me by.
I've heard a lot of people criticize Venice, saying it smells and is a tourist trap (similar to things I've heard about my favourite city - Paris). However, tourists go here for a reason. It's not just about canals and gondola rides! This city has a quaint charm and many outlying islands to explore. I liked Venice more the second time I visited and am happy I got the chance to spend more time getting lost in this classic Italian city.
Angela, you never disappoint with your detailed,wonderful commentaries! I still think you should work for a travel magazine!
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