A couple of days ago I came back from picture-perfect Venice. I went for a long weekend, which was exactly what I needed... a change of scenery from the crazy busy life of London.
I was really nervous about going to Italy actually, because I'd dreamed about going for so many years. I thought that I'd probably over-romanticized it - in movies it looks incredible, I'm a huge lover of pizza and pasta (who isn't?!) and whenever I see photos, it blows me away. But everything I thought about it was true, it was - dare I say it - magical.
If I'm being honest, I'd waited to go to Venice because I thought it was a place you should only go when you're part of a couple - everyone says it's so romantic. And it is. But why should I wait? It is romantic, but that doesn't mean you can't go as a solo traveller - it's romantic for many other reasons aside from being a cute place to go with your other half.
It's romantic because you can just spend the day wandering along charming laneways and side streets, getting lost, stumbling upon cute shops/galleries/museums and stopping for wine/food/both at any point. I did this a lot - I said goodbye to my maps and just walked around aimlessly, in awe of all of the amazing buildings around me.
How to get there: The easiest way to travel from the airport into the main part of Venice is to hop on the ATVO express bus, which takes about 20 minutes to get to Piazzale Roma (the main bus station) - it's the cheapest way to travel, costing just €15 for a return.
Where to stay: Generator Hostel, Giudecca. In a renovated old warehouse, this is a stylish place to stay with its incredible architectural features and quirky decor. They've got everything from dorms to private rooms, and it's located on the sweet little island of Giudecca so you're removed from the hustle and bustle and you get gorgeous waterfront views!
How to get around: The easiest - and sometimes only - way of getting around Venice is by vaperetto (water taxi). It can get pretty pricey, so I got a 3-day pass for €40 (believe it or not, this saved me money!) which covers all transport - you're sorted with an ACTV pass because it'll get you to the islands of Murano and Burano, as well as the bus to the airport. You can buy them at any of the stops, or online.
Day one
I spent my first day getting to know San Marco - the Venice that everyone's seen in the movies. I said goodbye to my maps and just wandered around aimlessly, falling in love with every nook and cranny of the city. I stopped for food multiple times, obviously, as well as some much-needed rests with a glass (or two) of wine. My fave places of the day?
Dal Moro's, which is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves boxes of freshly-made pasta (I opted for pesto).
Bacareto de Lele, which is a teeny tiny wine bar I was recommended by a friend that sells wine for less than £1, and is a proper local haunt.
At the end of the day, I sat on the Giudecca waterfront with some people from the hostel, and drank Aperol Spritz while watching the sunset.
Day two
I spent my second day cruising around on water taxis, visiting a couple of islands called 'Murano' and 'Burano'. The former known for glass blowing, and the latter known for lace making. Again, both ridiculously pretty places, but the bright and colourful houses of Burano won it for me - it's a kaleidoscopic island, and if you wander away from the tourist-laden main streets, you get a real feel for the place.
Murano is a little more understated, with a bit of a slower pace than Burano - but it's also beautiful. To be honest, you'd think that I'd have a list of places to visit for both of the islands, but I just spent my time wandering. I'm a sucker for old architecture, and I couldn't get enough of the fusion of Venetian Gothic, Byzantine and classical buildings.
In the evening, I got to know Giudecca a bit more and wandered down the waterfront where I ended up stopping at La Palanca - a buzzy little spot that serves drinks and snacks in the early evening. I sipped my wine, looking out to the waterfront, surrounded by locals chattering away. Then afterwards, I stopped off at Pizza by the Slice - an unassuming takeaway shop on the way back to my hostel - and honestly, I think it was one of the best pizzas I've ever had. I just sat with a beer and my pizza on the street, watching the sunset... and it was perfect!
Day three
I went back to San Marco to tick St Mark's Basilica off the list, and it was well worth it - although I didn't stand in the massive queue, I bought a skip-the-line entry online (naturally, there was a line for the skip-the-line), but it only took about 10 minutes. It was magnificent. I don't really use that word but that's the only word that describes it properly... it's just breathtaking. Although remember to wear something that covers your shoulders and legs, otherwise you have to buy ugly orangey-brown sheets to cover yourself up with. I also bought a ticket to explore the St. Mark's Square museums, which included Doge's Palace, Correr Museum, the Archaelogical Museum and the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. It totally depends whether museums are your thing, as to whether it's worth you buying this ticket.
The rest of the day was just spent soaking up the beauty of this higgledy-piggledy maze of a city - I wandered in and out of art galleries, shops, wine bars and restaurants, gorging myself on food and culture. The piazzas are buzzing with life, and at one point, I came across a little square, where a guy was playing the cello in front of a church... I could have listened to him for hours. On the other hand, I also wandered into an area with a seagull that literally attacked and killed a pigeon - THEN ATE IT. So it wasn't beautiful around every corner. And surprisingly, I didn't actually go on a gondala (I know, did I even go to Venice?) but I was on my own and it was about £80 for half an hour, so I'm okay.
What's funny about Venice is that the buildings are so dilapidated and old, but people absolutely love them - I think that it's probably the case even more so now that everything is becoming so modern and flashy. I love the history, and I don't necessarily mean historical facts - I love historical architecture. The buildings are charming, they hold authenticity, and they belonged to what I like to believe were amazing eras. I'm drawn to places that hold a lot of history, and look like they do. That's why I love Durham and Lincoln, and why my favourite place in the UK is York.
I'd love to just pick myself up and leave for Italy, freelance over there and learn Italian. You never know... maybe I will. Basically, Venice absolutely stole my heart, and I'd go back there in an instant. I hope this 72-hour travel guide to Venice gave you a few bits of handy info. I also went on a day trip from Venice to Verona, but that's for another post!
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