Everything you’ve heard about Venice is probably true. It is overly crowded and busy, it’s hot, there are mosquitoes with a vengeance, and it’s a bit grimy. However, the charm of a city built completely on water starts to grow on you. Just as you begin to feel overwhelmed with the crowds, you turn down an unassuming alleyway and emerge on the other side of a small piazza with nobody in sight. You feel as though you are in your own fairy-tale maze and have just discovered the one slice of the island that nobody knows about. You continue on, not knowing what to expect upon the next turned corner. At this point you give up on attempting to follow GoogleMaps and finally succumb to the fact that you are lost, and it feels divine. You can’t help but feel charmed as singing operatic voices of gondoliers pass under romantic bridges during sunset as they leave the sound of lapping water quietly behind them, the only trace that they were even there and not just a dream.

We loved the walkable aspect of Venice and the fact that there are no cars allowed on the island. Venice sees over 35 million tourists each year, many of whom come from cruise ships, which, as we learned during a walking tour, are actually destroying the landscape of the island. Unfortunately nothing is being done about this because tourists bring money and money keeps the economy stable. It made me sad to hear that tourism is quite literally killing Venice and keeping them afloat (pun intended) simultaneously. The city is sinking between 2 – 4 millimeters a year, much to do with how many tourists are on the island at one point in time, literally weighing down the island (this is one of the reasons that on the Hawaiian Islands, registering your car is such a high price tag, as it goes by weight.) Venice’s local population has shrunk significantly over the past few decades as tourism soars and takes over the island, leaving little peace of this once quiet island for the locals.

8 THINGS TO DO IN VENICE, ITALY

1) Visit the Biennale

If you are visiting between May – November, you’re in luck! The Biennale (biannual) is one of the largest modern art festivals in the world, and the original started right here in Venice, Italy. We were so lucky to be visiting while it was still going on! It occurs every other year between May – November with May being the most popular month for the grand openings and gala events. We spent only one day exploring all the different country pavilions, but you could easily spend five days covering everything! There are a few outdoor pop-up installations around the city and some pavilions are free to enter.

Art installations and pavilions are both indoor and outdoor, and it’s a really fun experience following the path to see it all because it feels like a treasure hunt!

The photo below is an art installation of hundreds of spools of colored thread. This particular installation included the artist herself (or her assistant) during open hours, available at this table to mend any article of clothing that needed fixing. The person who brings in the article of clothing to be fixed, is meant to talk to the artist and strike up a conversation. The fixed article of clothing is then threaded into the exhibition which is all connected to the wall that you see in the prior picture. I love this interaction!

Sometimes I like to practice the ancient Italian art of levitation. 😉

An overarching theme of the Biennale tends to be centered around justice, politics and the future, such as gay rights, climate change, and fear mongering. I absolutely loved this quote:

2) Get Lost

I know, I know, so cliche. It’s the advice that every website and blog tells you to do in Venice, because it is so much fun! The great thing is, you don’t have to worry about getting mowed down by a vehicle because there are none! However, you do need to be aware of vendors trying to get through the tiny alleyways and up and over the stair cased bridges with their supplies. When you stop on the bridge and get in their way, they aren’t happy about it. Every single alley and side street, though counter intuitive, actually does lead somewhere amazing, so don’t be afraid of hitting a dead end, because usually it brings you to someplace delightful with far fewer tourists! So unless you want to be caught in this mess:

Then turn down an alleyway that looks like this:

And end up with unspoiled views like this:

There are 150 canals with more than 400 bridges that connect Venice’s 118 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Most of Venice is a UNESCO site.

3) Take a Gondola Ride

There are under 500 certified gondoliers in Venice who are all part of a trade union. Their required uniform is black pants and a black and white striped shirt. There are no Uber boats in Venice, as taxis would just sink the boat as punishment if this ever occurred (according to the locals.) Gondolas can accommodate up to six people.

4) Take a Free City Walking Tour

We used a company called La Bussola and they had excellent knowledgeable and fun guides who provided interesting information that gave the city far more character. So what’s the story behind all these masquerade masks?

Carnival occurs between February and March two weeks before Ash Wednesday, so heaps of tourists come during that time, expecting to see everyone donned in lavish costumes and masks roaming the street. To their disappointment, this event is actually indoors, so they only see a few people on the streets dressed up asking for money when they take a photo with them.

The significance of the long pointy-nosed mask: during the Black Plague, a mask with a long, pointed nose was essentially used as a HAZMAT suit worn by doctors. The nose indicated a safe distance between the doctor and the dead or infected body so that they did not catch the extremely contagious disease. 80% of the masks sold today in Venice are fake and made in China. The good ones should be made right in the store and sell between €25 –€40 euro for a simple one, and the really lavish high quality ones can run over €100.

5) Kiss your Lover on the Rialto Bridge and Walk through the Main Street at Least Once

It’s relatively unavoidable to go through the main touristy section to get where you want to go, so just go and go quickly.

6) Visit San Marco

Fun Fact: San Marco square actually floods during a full moon because the high tide makes the water level come above the square.

7) Stay Through the Evening

Dusk in Venice is one of the most romantic experiences. However, if you’re going to stick around for the evening, make sure you wear long pants or bring mosquito repellant as they are ubiquitous. I barely made it out alive, with 25 bites all over my body and a very itchy few following days. Also, have some calendula on hand, a natural plant-based anti-itch ointment that can be found in any farmacia (pharmacy) around the area.

8) Visit the Neighboring Islands on a Public Transport Boat

We purchased the 24-hour unlimited boat pass, which was a great value for us as we took the boat on two separate days to several locations.

The feeling of warm wind on your face and salt water lapping up against the side of the boats is so refreshing! Also, make sure you take at least one ride through the Grand Canal. It’s fun and gives you a different perspective of the city from the center of it!

Cimitero Island

Cimitero di San Michele is the closest island to Venice and only takes around 7 minutes to get to. During the time of the Black Plague, dead bodies were carried on a special funeral gondola. It is still a working cemetery, and some famous people are buried here including Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.

Murano

In 1291 all the glass makers in Venice were forced to move to Murano because of the risk of fires. To this day, Murano is still known for its blown glass, and one of the places that formed renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly’s unique style. Because I worked for Chihuly Garden and Glass for 2.5 years while living in Seattle, I’d like to include a little bit on Mr. Chihuly. After graduating from the Rhode Island Institute of Art, Dale Chihuly traveled to Venice to explore different glassmaking techniques. During this trip, he worked for the renowned Murano glass company Venini, in their world-renown Venetian factory. After his time in Venice, he began experimenting with his own styles and techniques, which continue to stun and awe visitors who come to museums displaying his work. Chihuly has his glass art in over 400 museums worldwide (the most recent one we saw at the entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London). The only museum dedicated solely to the work of Dale Chihuly is located in Seattle Center below the Space Needle and is called Chihuly Garden and Glass. I used to be the Tourism Development Sales Manager earlier on in my career in Seattle.

When you walk the streets of this tiny island, you will see blown glass sold in literally every other shop (the others are pizzerias and gelaterias.) The main draw is the live glass-blowing demonstrations (which you can see for free!)

Where to Eat in Venice

Because Venice is a city catered nearly 100% to tourists, the food is not only outrageously priced (especially near the main square of San Marco), good food is really hard to come by. I didn’t think I would ever have to say that I was disappointed in Italian food, but alas, the day has come. We went through some pretty mediocre places and weren’t at all impressed with anything in Venice. However, we did eat at a restaurant based on a friend’s recommendation one evening that served good food, though it was still pricey and service was poor. Also, be ready to do the “slap dance” all night as you keep one eye wide open and look like a crazy person trying to grab air and kill every flying black bug that comes at you like a possessed maniac. No? Just me?

One thing you should know about the service of most places in Venice, is that many of the folks who work in the service industry are irritated by all the tourists so they are not particularly friendly. I don’t blame them for being angry at the fact that they were priced out of their own home. With all the tourist inflation, the prices are so high that locals can no longer afford to live on the island.

As per my usual advice on all of my blog posts on Italy, find a restaurant off the beaten tourist path that has the following:

• A menu only in Italian
• A hand-written paper menu (this is because the menu changes weekly based on what is fresh)
• The spritzer should be under €5

What is a spritzer?

There are two types of spritzers: Aperol (orange and sweet) and Campari (red and bitter). It is a refreshing drink with part sparkling wine and sparkling water using Campari to make it bitter. Served with an olive over ice.

Cicchetti

Cicchetti is a savory snack or small side dish, typically served in a bar or informal restaurant. This form of “tapas” is common in Venice and is a much cheaper option than a sit-down meal, as they are eaten standing or on bar stool benches. We simply found an unassuming place and asked for the bartender’s recommendations! On the right are fried potatoes and aubergine (eggplant). Not the healthiest, as everything on the left side is served on a piece of sliced white bread, but at least bread in Italy is fresh, home made and without preservatives or additives.