The Floating City of Venice
CIAO BELLA
“You know, people come to Italy for all sorts of reasons, but when they stay, it’s for the same two things.” “What?” “Love and gelato.” — Jenna Evans Welch
DAY 1
After 3 days of fun in Paris, Venice was the next stop on my European vacay. I also visited Florence, Pisa and Rome, so check out my blog posts on those cities as well! The flight was 1hr and 40 mins from Paris Orly Airport to Venice Marco Polo Airport on EasyJet for €30. After landing, we took a 40 minute waterbus for €8 to meet our AirBnB host. Our AirBnB in the Cannaregio area was extremely spacious, and well stocked with yogurt, fruits and other grab and go breakfast items. We enjoyed our two night stay here from April 10-12,2018 and would definitely recommend this home.
NIGHT 1
After settling in, we ventured out for dinner at 40 Ladroni and the food was underwhelming. I want to be completely honest with y’all about my stay in Venice and admit that it was my least favorite stop on my vacation. The food did not meet my expectations and the service in the restaurants was mediocre. I’m an advocate for visiting countries and having your own experiences but I wanted to be candid about mine. In the US, I am used to returning food if I am unsatisfied - definitely DON’T do that in Italy, they take extreme offense and will ask you to leave the restaurant (This happened at another restaurant but I don’t remember the name). During the trip, I realized that this is not a socially acceptable practice in Europe. I advise that you stick to the basics on the menu to avoid disappointment.
DAY 2
Since we had quite an adventure planned for our day in Venice, we got off to an early start. We began by walking around the city, grabbing breakfast and shopping for souvenirs before meeting our tour guide. I highly recommend free walking tours as they provide a safe, time efficient and affordable way to experience a new place. They are super easy to find via Google and have lots of reviews to help with decision making. We enjoyed exploring the sestieri (Venetian quarters), learning about Venetian history, eating gelato and taking beautiful pictures. Did you know that Venice is made up of 118 islands, 416 bridges, 177 canals, 127 campi (squares)? We also learned that depopulation is a serious issue in Venice and that some experts expect that in 2030 Venice may be a ghost town!
TIP: Plan ahead and set aside extra time to get to your locations. Walking is the primary mode of transport and it can take a long time to get to your meeting points as the streets are very confusing. To avoid missing tours and the additional frustration that comes with it, please prepare accordingly.
Yummy! 😋
After our tour we walked around St Mark’s Square and grabbed a quick bite. After lunch, we took the number 12 vaporetto line to Burano. It takes about 45 minutes, and costs €15 per person. This picturesque island boasts beautifully colored homes and if you’re looking for handmade lace, this is the best place to get it! We took some great photos, visited the lace stores and devoured MORE gelato. It was a quick and fun day trip from Venice and I would definitely add it to your itinerary if you have time.
BONUS TIP:
If you aren’t a resident of the European Union, you can reap the benefit of reclaiming the VAT (Value Added Tax) paid on your purchase. The minimum purchase amount varies by country but for Italy it is $154.95. This works out to major savings versus if purchased in the US. Be sure to ask the cashier for a VAT refund form while checking out.
Here are the refund options:
At supporting stores or downtown refund locations you can get cash or in some cases an electronic refund.
Cash refund at the airport kiosk, however this is subject to a cash fee of about €3 per receipt.
Electronic refund by credit card or bank account.
You can read more here about tax refunds across the EU.
Spending Recap:
Flight €30
Water Taxi €8
Airbnb $77 USD (€65)
Food €70
Round trip to Burano €15
Total: €188 ($225)
I had a great time in Venice despite a few hiccups at the restaurants. I loved learning about the history of the city and exploring the cobble stoned streets. If you have more time, be sure to take a gondola ride which will cost you about €80 for 40 minutes and visit the Rialto Bridge. Journey with me as I recap Florence & Pisa next!
Until the next journey…Arrivederci!
