If there’s been one place I’ve visited that has exceeded my expectations, it’s Venice. It is even more beautiful in real life than in pictures, so I really hope this blog post does it justice!
There aren’t many words to describe how beautiful it is, so I’ll let the photos do (most of) the talking. We stayed in the elegant Hotel Palazzo Giovanelli, located by the San Stae vaporetto stop which was a slightly quieter area of Venice that was still only a short walk to St Mark’s Square. A long weekend in May was a great time to go as it was around 25℃ every day – perfect to walk around and explore without getting too hot.
On our first day, we strolled over to St Mark’s Square for a tour of the Doge’s Palace with Turive Tours. It was a great morning and we learnt so much about Venice’s history. After lunch, we couldn’t resist a gondola ride! When in Venice…
Murano, Burano and Torcello
My favourite day of our holiday had to be our day trip to the Lagoon Islands. We took the water taxi to Murano first, the island famous for glass blowing. It was so pretty and peaceful, but we were mainly looking forward to the colourful island of Burano, also known for lace-making. A tip: when we got off the water taxi, we went left into the village instead of straight ahead to the centre of the island and it was so quiet! After hours spent wandering the vibrant streets, we headed to Torcello before taking the water taxi back to Venice and having dinner down the widest street in the city.
My favourite spots
San Giorgio Maggiore
The perfect place to enjoy an amazing view of Venice. San Giorgio Maggiore is a 16th-century church filled with magnificent religious paintings, sitting on an island of the same name that’s just a short vaporetto ride away from St Mark’s. Get the elevator (phew!) to the top of the bell tower for a beautiful view that’s much quieter than elsewhere.
Gelateria Il Doge, Dorsoduro
The best ice cream we found in Venice! I couldn’t get enough of the Stracciatella flavour – it’s a ‘milk-based gelato’ with chocolate chips and was created in Italy, so you know you’re getting the best.
Muro San Stae
This restaurant was recommended to me by a friend and it was fantastic. The service was great and the food was epic – pasta in a PARMESAN SHELL, anyone?! Another must-try is the homemade tiramisu!
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim herself lived in the unfinished 18th century Grand Canal palace which is now a museum of her impressive art collection. Including works by Picasso and Salvador Dalí, it was an inspiring, calming escape from the busy streets.
Ciao for now, Venice, I’ll definitely be back soon!
Alannah Lucy 