Venice - My favorite City in Europe

This is my second trip Venice and I still find myself just as awed as after the first time. I hope to go back again in the near future. I could entertain myself for weeks just wandering through the streets and alleys. The city it is very unlike any other place in the world and significant time should be devoted to enjoying the architecture and ambiance of the city. Venice is a great place for shopping. Though many of the shops seem to be exactly like the one before it. There are still a number of small unique shops that offer original products made locally.

A gondola ride is a must do on a trip to Venice. Though it a bit pricey, it is must to do at least once in your life.

Also a must of any trip is a visit to St. Mark’s Square. You should spend some time simply relaxing in the square sipping on a cappuccino. While you are there make sure you visit the Cathedral and Museum.

Quick Tips:

A couple of key points to note:

Make sure that if you are arriving by train that your train goes to the Venezia St. Lucia station, not Venezia Mestre. Many of the trains only go Mestre, which is main connection train station, but doesn’t take you to the city itself.

If possible buy a map of Venice prior to arriving and note the location of your hotel. Buy as detailed a map as you can find; it will be worth it.

Best Way To Get Around:

The two main means of getting around Venice are walking and vaporetto, which is basically a waterbus.

Venice is a great city for walking around in, but it is also a very confusing city to find your way in. Even following a map it is very easy to get lost. The city full of confusing alleyways, that often end in dead ends or suddenly change directions. If you spend any time at all walking around Venice you will get lost. However, this shouldn’t stop you from exploring Venice by foot. Getting lost is part of the fun and you stumble upon a shop you would have other wise seen. If stuck simply ask one of the locals for help.

The vaporetto is a great resource to get around the city, but it mainly serves the Grand Canal and the outside of the island. So to get most places will also require a little bit of a walk. Still it will greatly speed up getting from place to place in the city. I would recommend buying a full-day or multi-day pass from one of the ticket booths. You will find it very convenient.

Ca' Bauta is a very small but charming hotel. I believe there were only five rooms. It is tucked away on quiet side street and can be a challenge to find.

From the outside it does not look like much. In fact you wouldn’t even know hotel was located there. However, inside it is quite magnificent. Both the lobby and the rooms are quite luxurious. The rooms are large and well furnished. Each one has its own unique style.

The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. On a number of occasions they went out their way to help with our plans.

If you are looking for small quite hotel that is well appointed and still reasonably priced by Venice standards, then I would recommend Ca' Bauta. The only negative to the hotel is that it is a bit of a walk to the nearest vaporetto, especially at night when there is no service to the closest stop.

For more information you can visit the hotel's website.

Though you don’t get any more touristy than a gondola ride in Venice, this is one experience should think twice about missing out on. There is nothing quite like a gondola ride. It just doesn’t get any more relaxing and romantic. A ride is not cheap though -- a ride on the Grand Canal can cost up to 100euros, though it is negotiable. You can save some money by taking a ride on one of the side canals instead of the Grand Canal or riding when it isn’t peak time. Despite this I would I recommend taking a ride just before sundown on the Grand Canal. This is the most the beautiful time and location for taking a tour.

Murano is a short vaporetto ride accross the lagoon and is deserving of a visit if you have any interest in purchasing local made glass products. Though it seems as there is no short supply of glass shops in Venice, Murano is where you should go to purchase glass. Just about the entire island is devoted to glass. There are dozens and dozens of shops selling nothing but glass products of every type and covering wide price range. Skip the tours of the factories and simply take vaporetto to Murano and start hitting the shops. If you see something that interests, you shouldn't be afraid to bargain, especially for the high priced items.