Venice, Italy was the last hurrah for my Mom and I’s journey for the summer. Here, my mom would depart on a 48-hour journey to arrive home, flying from Venice to Brussels, to Geneva, to Philadelphia, to Dallas. I would say my sad “ciao ciao” and fly on to Barcelona. Before this, however, we gave it our all in Venice. Always go out with a bang!
In Venice, because canals are the main method of public transportation, we took primarily waterbuses. These are slow-moving boats that ferry massive loads of people around the canals and to the lagoon islands. It might be tempting to grab a seat as soon as you get on, but the seated area is usually hot and stuffy; I’d recommend staying on the deck and looking at the scenery instead, where you can feel a lovely breeze to battle the intense summer heat.
St. Mark’s Square is a great stop to get off of the waterbus and start walking around Venice. From the waterbus stop “Zaccarias,” you walk over a bridge to get into the square. On the bridge, you have a great view of the Bridge of Sighs, called such because that was the bridge prisoners were walked through from the dungeon of the Doge’s Palace and into imprisonment or led to execution.
In St. Mark’s Square, you can see the Doge’s Palace and Cathedral, and you have the opportunity to tour them as well. Doge’s Palace is huge, but definitely worth a visit. Most importantly, remember to look up! The palatial ceilings are the best part.
Rialto Bridge is the bridge over the Grand Canal and one of the most well-known bridges in Venice. The bridge itself is a bit underwhelming, but in the right lighting, the view is spectacular. I’d recommend going in the early evening, close to sunset.
Visiting the lagoon islands from Venice is a must for any visit! I chose to visit both Murano and Burano. Murano is known for its artisan glass, and Burano is known as a colorful fishing village. Murano’s glass was undeniably incredible, and walking around the island was a great opportunity to be dazzled by the window displays. If you go early enough in the day, you can also tour the Murano glass factory.
Burano was my absolute favorite part of my time in Venice. Visiting this island has been on my bucket list for years, so long that I worried I had built it up too much in my head. Not so! The island was vibrantly, brilliantly beautiful. There’s not a lot to actually do, but the tiny island is perfect for strolling with gelato, or siting on a patio and having a meal.
Finally, no trip to Venice is complete without a gondola ride. Mom and I debated over this, thinking perhaps it was too touristy and wouldn’t be worth the money. Finally, on our walk home on our last night there, we decided to just go for it. My tip: if you want to say you’ve done it, you can get a relatively cheap deal for a ride during the day. If you want to have a wonderful, surreally serene ride, pay a bit more and go at night. There are almost no other gondolas out that you will encounter, the speed boats are tucked in for the night, the water is still and reflects the lights perfectly, and the city is quiet. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.
It was the perfect end to an incredible trip with my mom.
xox,
Lauren
