From what I had heard from fellow travellers, I was either going to love or hate Venice. Arriving there, its very easy to see why people had said this. The hype and expectation of the city can sometimes overtake the reality of what you see and experience. For me, it was love at first sight…or first water taxi. I had a vague idea of what to expect on arrival into Venice, but only from friends travel stories and what I’ve seen on pinterest.
Silia and I arrived into the city in the early evening via train from Milan. We flew into Milan Linate International and got the train from Milan central station. Arriving into Venice train station wasn’t what I expected at all. I guess I wanted it to be more ‘grand’…instead, it was pretty similar to all the others I had come across around Europe. However, the moment you get out of the station you are suddenly met by Grand canal. Gaze down the canal and you will lock eyes with beautiful arched bridges and amazing architecture. Almost like you’ve been transported to another world.
Trying to navigate the water bus system was so much easier then I thought it was going to be. After hearing horror stories from friends, I was expecting the worst. Just purchase a ticket when you get to the grand canal for how ever many days you are, and you’re all set. Simply scan your ticket at the pier before you board. Our accommodation was near Fondamente Nove pier so the boat journey was an easy 15 minutes and a further 10 minute walk from there. I would totally recommend staying on this same part of the island, its close to all the main points without being within ‘tourist central’. I’ve found you get to experience more of the ‘realness’ of the city by doing this, you get to receive a better feel of he place. Once settled in we went out in search of pasta…obviously. We didn’t have to go far to have a selection of places to choose from. Different varieties were simply a couple of blocks away.
Returning back to the apartment at sunset will be one of the best parts of the trip. We were lucky enough to have a terrace looking over the tops of the buildings and as a result, could take advantage of our wonderful viewpoint…the terracotta tones of the roofs matching the shades of orange tones fading into shades of pink in the evening sky. It’s funny how the most simple of evenings are the ones that become the most memorable. The small breathtaking moments, that force you to stop and take notice.
The morning brought with it…a sleep in. Very much needed after a big travel day previously. Melissa was on her way from London to meet us that evening, so Silia and I decided to check out the island of Murano, famous for vases and ornaments blown intricately out of glass. The island itself is small and quiet, the canals lined with gondolas and colourful house fronts in neat rows. Murano is very easy to get to from Venice. Its a short boat trip across to the island and you can walk around most of it. If you’re looking for quiet and easy going, you will probably prefer this to Burano. We walked over the island and relaxed on a pier with a picnic lunch before returning to Venice to meet Melissa at central station.
Dinner was full of catchups, carbs and wine (one of my favourite combinations). We found a place not far from where we are staying. Its called 6242 Ale Tole Spaghetteria and Pizzeria and it was perfection. So much so, we were there pretty much until closing. It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last. The best part about it was just before the restaurant closed, we chatted to the chef and soon after all the restaurant staff ate dinner together. This was so lovely to see and experience. It seems to be a part of the Italian way of life…to complete the day surrounded with good food, good wine and great company. We were only too happy to follow their lead that night.
Most visitors to Venice head to Burano for an afternoon as there is heaps to see. I would fully agree with this. Burano is one of the main draw points for Venice. Its a 50 minute boat trip to the island from central Venice, but worth every second. The island is an array of coloured houses and winding canals. My best advice for visiting Burano? …simply wander. Enjoy the feeling of being lost. Just follow your nose and let the adventurous sprit take over. It was one of my favourite things about venice.
The evening transported us to find…peach bellinis! Harry’s bar is just off St Marks square is home to them and became famous for them mostly by Ernest Hemingway. The bar itself is small and unassuming, but that adds to its charm. Its seems almost frozen in time. If you’re visiting Venice, totally check it out! Its got a small bar/front room area and a separate part for dining. Just make sure you make a reservation if you want to stay a while…as you can imagine, it gets pretty busy.
Our last day in Venice will always be one I remember. Mostly because it was full of fun and craziness. After checking out and taking luggage to be held at the main station for the day, we stumbled upon Dal Moro’s. Think the Italian answer to subway and your pretty close. It’s also one of the main tourist points near the square. This is quickly discovered when you see the line weaving around the surrounding streets. The take away pasta is made fresh and was just as good as you are imagining. We found a surrounding side street leading onto the canal and were greeted by all the gondolas gliding past as we enjoyed our carb filled lunch. Part of the fun was guessing which country the people in each gondola were from and then singing to them…yes, you read that correctly. Popular choices were ‘the love boat’ and ‘I am sailing’. A few people joined in…the rest just took photos of us. I’m still not sure how this game came about, but when in rome, right?
Once our singing voices were tired and our stomachs full, we also joined in on the gondola experience. Seeing Venice from the water is pretty special. It gives a whole new perspective to the city as you glide around all the twists and turns. There are many options to choice from, the main differences being route and duration. Before departing the city for the airport we did one of the things everyone must do in Italy…eat gelato. As much as you can is recommended…and who are we to argue with that?! Leaving that city was difficult. In the same way Paris has a unique charm about it, so does Venice. The more you discover, the more you want to keep discovering.
Sending hugs & smiles,
Vanessa
