Find the origial post here.
I traveled through Venice, Italy, and uncover a place that was vivacious, vigorous and easy to fall in love with. The train came at approximately 8pm and upon wanting to find the bus to where I'd booked Hotel Primavera in Venice Mestra; I had a little worry. The bus system was a bit unknown to try and figure out. I needed to get to the outskirts of the city across the river, but the system wasn't impossible.
Venice itself is just magnificent. The bus got me to a relatively central bus station, Piazzale Roma where there were compact caravans selling fresh Panini, good for a morning break. Following some signs, I walked over to the main area of Venice to find a myriad of tiny streets, cobbled roads and a number of smaller coffee shops. Prepared with my traveler's map I set off in the path of Basilica di San Marco at the Piazza, and then head back in the direction I'd come from on one of the ferries down the Grand Canal. I failed wretchedly.
There are so many munificent small canals in Venice but when you you can just cross one on a footbridge you end up getting completely lost in the process. There's certainly no point making an attempt to read a map, I tried time and time again to get to a selected location with the map and failed epically each time! In Venice you've just got to follow the canals, tiny paths and like getting lost. If you want to get somewhere there are some signs that point out Piazza San Marco and Rialto Bridge and have directions to public toilets as well. This, I figured out by the second day was the best way to do Venice.
What is completely awesome is to spend half an hour on the Rialto Bridge just seeing the afternoon go by, shopping in the stalls nearby and having an espresso at a little coffee shop. The canal gondolas seem quite high priced to rent, but if you're a couple wanting an hour of soothingness in the otherwise congested streets, this might be a good way to go. My other favourite place in Venice is the main Piazza San Marco. Take the time to go through the Basilica di San Marco and sit in a corner of the square with a book, a awesome way to spend time.
I did treat myself a touch and went to a slightly overpriced and short show of the old Venetian Carnivale. It was certainly put on for tourists but did give you a bit of history and perspective into Venetian life. Do pick up the Church and Cathedral guide and use that as a base to get around, they are absolutely lovely inside and in trying to find them you get to see a couple awesome squares: the San Giacomo dall'Orio, where one of the oldest churches is.
One of my tips for Venice: if you see something you like or a photo you want to take, buy it or take it then and there, trust me you'll have such problems getting back to that exact spot!
Written by Kay for Life Out of a Suitcase. Find more stories by 20 something women expats & travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
A remarkable to experience the Waterways of this place. This is the main transportation routes, as there are no motorways. As for me, I depended on my feet most of the time. And it's always interesting to get a little lost somewhere, I can see the beauty of the place and also the great ambiance. Thank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.venere.com/it/italia/venezia/