Before you pack # Venice, Italy - 5 things you should do while visiting Venice

beforeyoupack (60)in #travel • 6 years ago

Venice, also known as “the city of canals” or “floating city” is a truly beautiful and romantic place. The small and gorgeous canals, interesting architecture and beautiful bridges make it an ideal and popular travel destination. And you can definitely notice that. Venice is packed with tourists in the afternoon. Getting up early and visiting neighboring islands will be the perfect getaway from the tourist crowd and let you explore Venice to the fullest. When you visit Venice, don’t forget to have Google maps and a full battery because navigating through the city with the hundreds of small and cute alleys is a hassle and almost impossible. If you’re like me who loves to get lost and wander around then this is the perfect city to explore.

1. Eat Gelato

GELATOOOO! The number one thing on the list! The Gelato (Ice cream) in Venice, and the rest of Italy, is so good. The Italian gelato is so much better than any other ice cream. It’s superior, from taste to nutritions, the Italians really know what they are doing. Fun fact: The Italian gelato is actually healthier than the regular American Ice Cream (source). There are gelato shops at every corner in Venice and they are hard to miss. Since Venice is so touristy, sadly, there is a difference in quality. Make sure to find the handmade gelato shops or just taste them from many different shops and go back to the one you like the most ;)

2. Wander through the small streets

This is a must do, specially if you’re somewhat adventurous. When I’m on a city trip I just love to get lost and wander around. It’s what I always do. This way I stumble upon the most amazing and unexpected places that many tourists just miss. This city is perfect for that. There are so many tiny streets and gorgeous bridges, you’re just going to get lost anyway.

My tip: Get up early. For this one time, you should. It’s so much more worth it. The water in the canals are still and reflective. The gondolas and boats are still docked and covered up. There are barely any tourists and the lighting is amazing! You will have this amazing city and the huge landmarks all for yourself. Plus it’s the perfect time to get that killer Instagram shot!

3. Ride a gondola

This is so cliche and might be seen a tourist trap, but I absolutely believe this is a must! You’re going to miss out if you don’t. Warning, it is a rocky ride so be careful you don’t get seasick. If you’re not sure, you can get try a canal crossing first. Venice itself is literally split in 2 by a much wider canal. The bridges over this canal are more scarce and might be a big detour. You can get a gondola crossing for only €2. It’s a short trip of only a minute, but this will give you a broad idea wether or not you’ll be able to handle a 20-30 minute gondola trip around Venice.

4. Visit the most beautiful bookstore of Venice

This is a hidden gem and not many people know this. But there’s an amazing bookstore/library in Venice! Anyone who loves books will fall in love with this place. The store isn’t as organized, so finding something specific might be a bit hard. But it’s just gorgeous. There are couches by the waterside where you can just take a book, relax and read. Furthermore, there’s the stair of books in the back, which leads towards an amazing view over the canals in Venice.

The store is called “Libreria Acqua Alta Di Frizoo Luigi”, don’t miss it!

5. Visit the neighboring Islands

Venice is surrounded by smaller islands open for exploring. Most of them are not overrun by tourists like Venice. My time in Venice was limited, so I only got to do 1 Island “Murano” and I loved it!! It’s the island of glassblowers. There are many glassblowing masters and workshops. The island has a lot of stores with the most amazing glass artwork! Plus they are made locally. You can even go and see the masters in action. Just like Venice, this island is split in half. The first half is touristy with the glassblowers, but not as packed like Venice. However when you cross that bridge to the other half, that’s where the amazingness starts! This is real Venice, really local and without tourists. It’s where the locals live and go eat. You will find real local food and empty, yet beautiful streets.

There are more islands to explore, I would definitely check them out while you’re in Venice. It’s so worth it.