Tips and Tricks of Venice

Sadly, this was a no Maxine trip for us since we flew. We went with our neighbors in June 2022, so while we saw plenty of dogs in Venice, it was very hot. Our flight from Frankfurt to Venice Macro Polo was 83.47 euros. I know they have cheaper flights as well. It was a nonstop flight, one hour and 15 minutes. Mind-blowing to me that I would be in Italy in a little over an hour! This was our first schools out for the summer trip.

Day One
Our first evening in Venice was pretty simple since our flight did not arrive until after 8PM. Our Air BNB Host had previously set a link for a bus service that takes you from the airport to the central plaza of Venice (a 20-minute trip). Where the bus drops you off is the last area for any car traffic in Venice. Our Air BNB host waited patiently at the plaza to walk us to our apartment. I have linked our apartment at the bottom of this post because it was fantastic! Air conditioning, a balcony, an easy-to-navigate kitchen, and a quiet location. Our host left us a map with popular areas for food, sightseeing, and Rick Steve’s recommendation book.

We ventured out to find dinner in the Campo Santa Margherita area. This was recommended by our host to find great food and nightlife. We were in awe of all the canals, gondolas, and the beauty of Venice right away. I was previously warned that our Google Maps would not work in Venice. However, this was not the case; there were certain areas where Google was slow/not connecting, but once you got out into a larger square, we could navigate where to go. Venice was also well marked with yellow signs pointing to the main areas such as San Macro, Santa Margherita, and San Polo.

We wandered the Santa Margherita area until we found a restaurant to order delicious seafood risotto, pizza, and wine. The temperature was perfect at night, with people wandering the streets and eating dinner between 7-9PM. Our first night was a success!

Day Two
We were fortunate with the location of our Air BNB to be next to a small grocery store. When we woke up, we ventured over for breakfast items and snacks. We also grabbed some drinks and were shocked to discover some bottles of Prosecco cost 0.99 euros! Our day was filled with getting lost in the streets of Venice. We wandered past Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, and the San Macro area. We ate lunch at a restaurant near the Rialto Bridge and watched the gondolas go by.

For the evening, we signed up for a sunset sail excursion through Air BNB. The sail was from 7-9PM, with having to be at the docks no later than 6:30. Our options on getting to the docks from our Air BNB were an hour walk or taking the water bus. So we chose the water bus, what a fun way to travel! Please note that there are huge differences between the water TAXI and the water BUS. The water taxi is very expensive, but you get your own speedboat. The water bus was a larger boat filled with people but way cheaper. We had a great time on it, and was easy to navigate using Google.

We arrived at the docks with not a minute to spare since we had the wrong address. We boarded the sailboat with our guide Ernesto and four others. This excursion was amazing! Ernesto provided fabulous seafood appetizers and lots of prosecco. He let anyone who wanted to try sailing the boat and anchored us in a beautiful location to watch the sunset. The conversations, music, and atmosphere were amazing. I have linked the excursion at the bottom of the post. We took our water bus home and had a late-night dinner consisting of ravioli, gnocchi, and tiramisu for dessert!

Day Three
On our third day in Venice, we declared this was the day we took our gondola ride! You can find the gondolas anywhere along the canals in Venice. We chose one that wasn’t so close to the main waterway so we wouldn’t have to compete with other gondolas. The price for a gondola ride was 80 euros for one hour. We opted to share the gondola together to split it four ways. The gondola had plenty of room for the four of us. I am happy we chose to do this early morning as it was already quite warm with the sun beating down on us. Our gondola driver shared unique facts about Venice and would whistle a few tunes. After our ride, we ate more gelato, had an easy lunch of sandwiches, and roamed the streets. We stopped at the Libreria Accqua Alta, a famous bookstore in Venice. It has a staircase made of books, cats roaming around, and books displayed in gondolas. It was a unique experience. The night ended with eating at Osteria Fanal Del Codega, a trip advisor traveler’s choice! The restaurant overlooks a canal and is decorated beautifully. The pasta was fantastic, along with other items. I would definitely recommend stopping at this location.

Day Four
Our last full day in Venice was another excursion. We booked (through Get Your Guide On) a day trip to the islands: Burano, Murano, and Torcello. The excursion covered transportation to each island and a glass-blowing demonstration. You can go to each of these islands yourself utilizing the water bus. Our boat was packed going to these islands.

Our first stop was in Murano, which is known for its glass-blowing. We anchored at a glass-blowing factory and watched an employee make a bowl and a horse in under 10 minutes. It was amazing to watch him. We explored the factory and picked out a few items for purchase. We only had an hour to explore Murano, so we walked the streets before boarding the boat for our next destination.

We headed to Burano next, known for their colorful houses and lace making. The myth of the colorful houses of Burano is that fishermen decided to paint their homes a bright color so they would be visible in fog or at night. I would have loved to spend longer in Burano. The houses are so fun! Vivid vivid colors and the lacemaking stores had beautifully detailed work. We had a quick lunch since Burano was famous for its fresh seafood.

Our last stop was Torcello, a town with only 12 residents. Torcello is famous for the old Santa Maria Dell’Assunta cathedral, built in 639. This town was a bust, in my opinion. Other than seeing the cathedral, there was not much to do. We stopped for drinks at an outdoor location and then returned to the boat for our hour trip to Venice.

In my opinion, I would not have gone to Torcello and spent longer in Murano and Burano. We all felt rushed at these locations to ensure we had a good spot on the boat. Knowing how simple the water bus is, I would have rather taken it to these islands and spent as long as we wanted. I have linked the excursion at the bottom if you want to read more about it.

Day Five
Our last day in Venice went quickly as we checked out of our Air BNB at 10 AM. We dropped our luggage off at a luggage holder near the bus station and headed towards Saint Mark’s Basicilia. We had plans to go previously, but lines were long, or we were not wearing adequate clothing. They take their dress codes for women seriously. You either need something to cover your shoulders or wear short sleeves. You also need to ensure your dress is not too short. The Basicilia is breathtaking. After exploring it, we headed to get lunch. We shared pizzas and portions of pasta before heading to the airport. Of course, our flight was delayed, but we made it home safely. Maxine was happy to see us as we picked her up from her dog sitter.

If you have the chance to go to Venice, do it! Even for a day, it is worth wandering the streets, getting gelato, and watching the gondolas glide.

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