Travelogue - Venice, Italy

Needless to say, I was brimming with excitement about going to Venice. To ride on a gondola along the many canals, weaving through buildings and under bridges. To get lost in the maze that is Venice, winding through narrow paths and into little alleys. To admire the many masks and costumes, and the breath-taking scenery that this city has to offer. To walk through San Marco Square and admire the rich history of Venice.

We stayed just outside of Venice because its slightly more costly to stay within Venice itself. If you stay outside of Venice, you can simply catch a bus or train over. But do catch an earlier bus because most people take the bus too, so getting on would be a problem. Get your bus tickets from the little tobacco (tabachi) shops along the streets - they offer cheaper return tickets. 

The nearer we got to Venice, the more excited I became. Luckily while we were there, the weather was gorgeous. Every turn we made along the streets brought us a new sight. Each turn was filled with different shops, comforting aromas and a little sense of wonder. 

We covered Venice on foot, got lost a few times, ate squid ink pasta, pizza, sat along a canal simply watching gondolas stream past. Of course we visited the must see places - Rialto bridge, Bell Tower of Saint Marks, Saint Mark's Basilica to name a few. 

Saint Mark's Basilica is lovely. I only wished there weren't so many tourist tapes that restricted the places one could visit. Climb out onto the balconies of the basilica for an unhindered view of Saint Marks Square and just simply watch people going about their day. Admire the sea view, and breathe in the moment. 

Once we were done with the main attractions, we were content to wander around, and go into lesser walked alleys to see what we could find. We chanced upon some lovely buildings and churches. After which we strolled along the edges of the city, to breathe in some sea, and catch the sunset. 

It got a little cold at night, but my day trip to Venice was memorable beyond words. It was another childhood dream fulfilled. I remember sometime ago, when I was in my early teens, someone told me that Venice would be sinking soon. I was so worried that the city would sink before I could visit it. I'm glad and thankful that I got to experience the best of Venice in lovely weather, and come away with another destination to strike off my bucket-list.