Venice, Italy, is a city you’ll find on nearly everyone’s bucket list. It’s portrayed as a magical, romantic city unlike any other, with its canals, bridges, craftsmanship, and history. It’s also one that may not be around forever, thanks to rising sea levels, sinking, and over-tourism.
When I’ve heard about Venice from others who’ve visited, it almost always felt like a 50/50 split. They either loved it or hated it. Those who hated it compared it to Disneyland, said it was smelly, and called it a tourist trap. Overrated, they’d say. Those who loved it? They’d tell you everyone else was doing it wrong. Regardless, I knew I wanted to visit the city and decide for myself.
Anytime I hear someone say they hate a place, I remember all the complainers my husband and I witnessed when visiting Ikos Resorts, despite the great time we have always had there. Some people call every major city smelly. Not everything will be everyone’s cup of tea, and some people are just more glass-half-empty kind of people to begin with.
Getting to Venice
We traveled to Venice on the second leg of a large family trip after visiting Scotland. We flew into Marco Polo Airport and instead of taking the train, we took the “When in Rome” mentality, opting for a water taxi that would take us directly to our apartment’s doorstep. This felt like more of a true introduction to Venice.
First Impressions
Although our apartment host warned us that the water taxi drivers would try to say it cost more to drop off at their place (despite prepaying), it was still a bit of a frustrating first impression when it happened. Mainly because there wasn’t much we could say, with none of us knowing Italian.
Despite this expected travel hiccup, getting the water taxi was the right call. Pulling up to Venice by train wouldn’t have the same effect as seeing it come into view by boat. It just feels like the way the city is intended to be seen for the very first time. This city on the water truly is unlike any other, and you understand that immediately.
(Our host did try to come out and give the water taxi operators a piece of her mind, but they got out of there like a bat out of hell after dropping us off, so I’m guessing she’s given them an earful before.)
How We Spent One Day in Venice
After traveling over from Scotland, we only had a short time in Venice. We arrived in the late afternoon and would have the next full day there. Rather than try to plan anything, we made decisions on the fly. We spent our one day in Venice as follows:
Evening Wandering
This is the perfect time to do this, as all the cruise ship and day-trip crowds have left the city. As they start to depart, the congestion eases, and you can see a different Venice. One that’s a little quieter, illuminated by the glow of the evening lights reflected off the water, where you grab a drink from a random stand you pass by, dinner dishes clinking during the long, late Italian meals. This is what makes you want to pause in this city, not the crowds of people pointing at this and that as they move along to the next thing.
Gondola Ride
Yes, it may be the touristy thing to do, but it was one of those stereotypical “Venice” activities that we figured, why not? It was fun to experience the Grand Canal from inside the ornate gondola before being taken through all the smaller ones. I also enjoyed the back-and-forth between the gondola drivers (despite having no clue what was being said). It felt like I was on the outside looking in on their daily banter. You can’t convince me that it’s not a special skill that they make look so easy, wall kicks and all. I’ve seen the Somebody Feed Phil episode, and he did not look nearly as graceful.
It was a way to get a new perspective on the city, other than by foot. I loved seeing all the different buildings and hearing about the flooding they sometimes experience there. It’s not the romantic experience you see on TV, and there will be plenty of other gondolas on the canals with you, but I don’t regret doing it.
Churches
In Europe, and Italy especially, churches are always a stone’s throw away. I’m not religious, but I love wandering into old churches. I absolutely love the architecture and imagining the years of history and the people who wandered within their walls. We popped into a couple during our wanders.
Meals
Normally, with a group size of 7 and a baby, we would have had to put a lot of thought into where we went. However, we had an excellent host at our place, Aqua Apartments, who gave us a list of restaurants that would likely suit us.
The first night, we dined on pizza and drank wine and walked back through the illuminated alleys. On the second day, we went and sipped espresso and ate (not enough, in my opinion) pastries while standing at the window bar. We had a lingering dinner at a long table outside in an alleyway, with wine, dessert, and limoncello to finish it off.
In an unexpected twist, we didn’t find the delicious pasta we expected until our travels to Rome.
Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco is one of the spots that people usually list off on their Venice to-do list. We didn’t, but we ended up here anyway. It was in the late morning, but I never felt too crowded by people. While we didn’t go inside any of them, we were able to see the Basilica di San Marco, Doge’s Palace, and the clock tower.
Libreria Acqua Alta
We arrived at Libreria Acqua Alta, a quite famous bookstore on Instagram, shortly before closing. This meant we weren’t able to linger long, but I still enjoyed the chance to experience its unique vibe. Instantly, when you walk in, you notice the books displayed inside a gondola in the center of the shop. Books here are displayed in plenty of other unique receptacles, too, like bathtubs and wheelbarrows.
I wasn’t able to see the famous book staircase outside, but I did make it to one of the outdoor sections before a worker ushered me away for closing. This certainly felt like one of the most one-of-a-kind bookstores I’ve ever been in, and I’d have stayed longer if we’d gotten there sooner.
Check out other interesting book finds at my Book Nook.
The Moment I Finally Understood Venice
I’ll be honest, I was waiting for the moment when I hated the city. A moment where I felt underwhelmed. Instead, I was hit with a moment of, “I quite like this place.”
It happened after, you guessed it, some wandering. We got a little lost, finding a couple of dead ends with all the water and no bridges. Then, we grabbed gelato and ate it in the hot sun, perpetually dehydrated. We would remain so for all of Italy.
Afterwards, we ended up at a small wine bar on an empty side street. We sat outside, unsure of what to order. We each told the woman working the types of wine we liked and told her to bring us a glass of what she thought we’d like best. Shockingly, she nailed it for each of us.
It was there, sipping my tasty wine on that quiet, shady corner of Venice, that I had my “a ha” moment.
Why Venice Worked for Me
Everything aligned to where Venice was just right for us. We’d just come off a leg of the trip that needed more logistics. Scotland is a very popular country to visit, and with a large group of 10, it required a lot more planning than I usually like to travel. Things get booked early, and it’s harder to accommodate. It also required more driving.
Venice was our chance to slow down and was perfect for just watching life go by. Outside our window, we got to watch boats come pick up the trash. It’s such a mundane everyday task, but it was so interesting and unique to Venice. Several of us just stood at the window and watched. We didn’t need a car while we were here and could walk anywhere we needed to go. It never felt too far, even in the summer heat.
I’m a natural wanderer, and I feel like that’s exactly what Venice is made for. The boys in our group went to a barber, and we sat outside at a random cafe for some spritzes. All on a whim. It was casual, slowed down, and I didn’t feel the Disneyland chaos everyone speaks of.
We also stayed in excellent accommodations with a welcoming host who gave us plenty of recommendations for restaurants that would accommodate the group size, so we didn’t have to fret over the details
Looking back, I think that’s why Venice resonated with me. Many cities feel like they’re asking you to do more, but Venice always felt like it was asking you to take your time, which is special for a city that may be on borrowed time. You can’t drive anywhere, and sometimes you don’t always know where you’re headed next. You often saw people with their heads poking out of their windows, just observing life down below.
As someone who enjoys bookstores, coffee shops, long walks, and taking my time in places, Venice felt less like a checklist destination and more like a place to experience.
Pretty Rounded Snapshot: One Day In Venice
Time Spent: 1 day
Best Moment: Discovering a quiet wine bar after getting a little lost
Most Memorable Sight: Venice after the crowds had left
Favorite Stop: Libreria Acqua Alta
Would I Return? Absolutely
Worth the Hype? Yes — if you slow down and wander a bit
Tips for Enjoying Venice
If you’re visiting Venice, I think there are some tips you can follow to make your time there more enjoyable.
Stay the Night
This may not be possible for everyone’s itinerary, but if you are interested in actually experiencing Venice, I recommend staying the night. The true experience happens after hours when the crowds leave for the day, and the city gets a chance to breathe. I don’t think you need more than a couple of days there.
Get Lost
Step outside your accommodation and just start walking (preferably not into a canal). It’s so much more fun when you don’t have a destination in mind here.
Don’t Pack Your Schedule
It can be tempting to try to fill your time here trying to see all the sights, but that’s what everyone else there for the day is trying to do, too. If you pack your schedule, you’ll be herding around with them and won’t really get the joyful experience of wandering this unique city. That’s why I’d recommend an overnight stay or two if you do want to see that stuff, so you can do equal parts wandering and more structured activities.
Venice is Best When You Stop Trying to “Do Venice”
I know Venice is a common bucket list destination for many, but don’t only stay in the square, checking off the sights. That’s not when you’ll have the best time. When you slow down and feel Venice and appreciate its uniqueness and history, that’s when it will truly make its mark on you.
Would I Go Back?
Although it may seem like we didn’t do much, I’d definitely go back. I think Venice is a great city to simply exist in. I’d love to go back closer to the off-season and do some more wandering. Venice won’t be everyone’s favorite destination, and that’s okay. It can be crowded, expensive, and sometimes frustrating. If you allow yourself to slow down, wander beyond the busiest streets, and appreciate the small details, there’s a good chance you’ll understand why so many people fall in love with it. I certainly found the charm.
