A Day Trip to Venice

“Venice is eternity itself” – Joseph Brodsky

The floating city of Venice is unarguably on everyone’s bucket list and it does deserve this place. Venice is unlike any other city you might have seen. It’s ethereal, classic, timeless and full of fun. Our first visit to Venice was a day trip from Lake Garda. We made a little stop at Verona for a quick coffee and a little stroll through the main market. Then we boarded a train which took less than an hour and a half to reach Venice.

It was August, the peak of summer and Venice was overcrowded, hot and humid beyond any measure. We know that tourists like us are part of the problem. We don’t blame them if the city is thinking about limiting the numbers of tourists and out of towners in a bid to preserve their city.
Quick Tip – Try to visit Venice in late autumn or early spring when the weather is more conducive for sightseeing. August was unbearable.

An intricate maze of streets and alleys, 450 bridges, 120 islands and the melodic sound of Gondolas on water, Venice is spellbinding. As usual, we continued with our directionless walks, absorbing the beautiful architectural details, cramped courtyards, squares and canals. Its a perfect town for wandering aimlessly.
Quick Tip – Be careful of your belongings. Carry your valuables in secure bags as crowded places attract pickpockets.

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The Gondola Ride

We enjoyed our Gondola ride which was a nice respite from the heat. Gondola ride does sound very cliche and tourist trap kind of thing but we wanted to experience this quintessential venetian thing. It costs 80 euros for 45 minutes. Luckily another lovely couple was happy to share the ride with us. It was not as romantic as we heard it once was and gondola drivers certainly don’t sing ;). Though they do keep on imparting important historical information about the city during the ride. 

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Time to eat

After the ride was over, we were on a mission to find some nice place to sit down and have lunch. We had heard stories that the food scene in Venice is just mediocre and very expensive. It must be true as all the restaurants around St Mark’s square are kind of tourist traps. We were lucky enough to find this gem of a place somewhere in the interior of venice. The place was called Al Bacco Felice and the food and service were indeed pleasant. 

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It had cooled down a bit when we again started our alley and cute bridge adventure. The shops in Venice were dressed up really nicely and you can’t resist looking at the masquerade and souvenir displays, sumptuous pastries and bakery items.

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St Mark’s Sqaure

St Mark’s square or locally known as Piazza San Marco is the main public square of Venice. Its named after the beautiful Basilica San Marco which is located at the east end of the square. The square is full of life, history and activity.The arcades of St Mark square are lined with shops, restaurants and cafes. Our little one was a bit afraid of the famous pigeons of square initially but got comfortable a while later. 

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Finally..

We spent a couple of more minutes shopping and exploring the shops. Although we very much wanted to stay longer to enjoy the night ambience of the city, we had to rush back because there were very limited trains in the evening from Verona to Lake Garda and we were already a bit late. But somewhere in our hearts we knew we would come back soon to visit this floating gem (we came back in December 2017). We took a water taxi (Vaporetto) to St Lucia station. Do keep in mind these water taxis get quite busy during peak hours in morning and evening with tourists arriving and departing with their luggages.

Few Tips

• Summers in Venice are hot and humid. Make sure you are dressed for the season. Even a normal jeans can feel cruel at times and I myself experienced that. Linen and breezy clothes would be your best bet.

• It’s very crowded in summers so keep your valuables safe and close.

• The restaurants and bars in Piazza San Marco are very expensive. There are innumerable authentic restaurants in campos and courtyards all over the town.

• Italy is famous for leather products. You can probably buy leather goods 

• Use water taxis or Vaporetto if you don’t prefer to walk the whole length of Venice. Water taxis are a perfect and very convenient way to explore Venice. Learn more about them here

• We were badly knackered by the time we reached back Garda. We had a much grateful quick dinner in our hotel room and just dozed off. So much had happened in one day. Verona and Venice both were such charming cities. No one can help but falling in love with these places.