Venice is one of my great loves and if I had to pick my favourite city (today) it would be Venicia.
Perhaps it is because it is shaped like a fish, myself being the quintessential Pisces. Or perhaps it is because it is a city built on water, a man made island, a safe haven. For days, not a car in sight, just boats. And anyone who knows me, knows that my absolute favourite way to travel is by boat...sailboat, speed boat, paddle boat, row boat, banana tree leaf boat, any boat...except for a cruise ship, that's not a boat.
My love for it is quite simple really. It is its architecture, its history, its art and...its LOVE. Getting lost in Venice is quite possibly the best thing you can do. And because it is an island, you'll never have to worry if you've walked yourself all the way to Verona, lol. So bring the map (just in case, if you must) but try to let yourself get swept away by its magnificent beauty. A beauty that can only truly be discovered by exploring every possible wrong turn. Narrow alleyways leading to beautiful gardens, tiny canals and magnificent sunsets. Once you've had your fill of walking (we walked for 6 hours almost everyday, by the end we needed a change) hop on and off the Vaporetto (water bus) but stay away from the water taxis, they will cost you.
The only thing you can really get wrong in Venice is the restaurants, unless of course you are a millionaire... DO NOT sit, eat like the locals rather and find a ciccheti bar for drinks and delicious finger foods. And what's best is that most ciccheti bars offer their own unique appetizers. So have a few and then move on the the next bar and if nothing tickles your fancy, move on to the next. This was by far our favourite way to eat in Venice. Pizza on the go is also a must! Sitting down in a restaurant (especially near the Rialto bridge or Piazza San Marco) will actually cost you double, it's all about the seating fee. So do your research.
We were told that Venice would be very expensive and it could have very well been. But we did our research, found a small but very nice hotel (breakfast included) in a quaint little neighbourhood a short walk away from the very touristy Rialto area. We ate at ciccheti bars and opted not to do the famously overpriced gondola ride (with most of the gondoliers on their phones it just didn't do it for us, go figure).
Make sure you make the trip out to the neighbouring island of Burano. It is one of the most colourful and unique places I have ever seen. And the ferry ride is gorgeous.
But the real beauty behind this magnificent city can only truly be experienced when the sun goes down. At night, Venice is transformed and no matter how many pictures you take with your expensive camera and your fancy tripod, it cannot be captured. It may be due to the mass exodus of tourists opting to stay in hotels on the mainland or it may be the way the moonlight reflects on Venice's every spectacular canal... Whatever the reason, it is of no great importance. The mood changes, the air becomes charged with passion, warmth and intensity and you are transported to a different time. It tugs at your heart strings like a favourite song or a favourite poem, leaving you breathless with hope. Because on this night, in this incredible place, anything CAN happen. Venice to me is like the magic of a first love, when missing any part of it would be too painful to bare.
My dream is to one day return to Venice for Carnival, to see the streets flooded with elaborate costumes and the most beautiful of masks. Something about its tradition makes me ache for a place in time where love letters and poems were how people truly connected. One day, I will return and it will be spectacular. Venicia, mi amore, my heart is yours xo
