Discover Romantic Venice in Four Easy Steps

There are places that seem to generate only strong feelings from people who visit - usually either in the “love” or “hate” categories only. It’s rare, for instance, that I hear anyone who’s just lukewarm on their feelings toward Venice - and anytime I hear someone say they hate Venice, I’m a little sad. Yes, this sinking city can generate sinking feelings if you don’t do your homework before you arrive, but a few simple steps is all it takes to turn hatred of Venice into a city-based love affair. So, even though it may mean that more people love Venice and therefore crowd its tiny streets more than they already do, here are my four steps to romantic Venice.

Step 1 - Get lost.
This is always my first rule when visiting Venice, regardless of what time of year you’re there or what your goal is with seeing the city. If you’ve only got a few hours in Venice because you’re there on a day trip from a cruise ship or something, then you are well-advised to get yourself over to the Basilica San Marco ASAP and stand in line until you get in. This experience alone should teach you that you need more time in a city like Venice than just a few hours - you’ll know better next time, right? For those of you who have rightfully given yourselves at least one full day to appreciate Venice, you should have plenty of time to see whatever sights you want to see and still spend a few hours wandering aimlessly through the streets and bridges. It’s only by strolling through the city, walking in the opposite direction of whatever tourist crowds are there, that you’ll find the peaceful corners of Venice. You’ll stumble upon a gondola workshop. You’ll find a quiet piazza where residents sit and chat. And you’ll find that elusive good food Venice hides from most visitors. The further you get from the crowds, the better off you’ll be. So go ahead and get yourself good and lost. I mean, you can’t get too far away - you are on an island, after all.

Step 2 - Don’t go during Carnevale.
You’ve seen the pictures of the ornate masks and costumes of Carnevale in Venice, and you’ve probably thought that would be a really cool time to visit Venice. It’s only “cool” if you don’t mind paying through the nose for your hotel and fighting massive throngs of people, all of whom prevent you from seeing the sights you’ve come to see. Don’t get me wrong - if you’re really into the idea of Carnevale and you like crowded parties, then Venice is the place to be. But if your goal is find quiet and romantic moments in Venice, Carnevale is absolutely the time to avoid. (This step could also just be called “Plan your trip wisely,” because if you’re really trying to avoid crowds, you’ll also want to avoid the high season of May-September as well.)

Step 3 - Spend the night.
The Venice of day trippers isn’t romantic Venice. In fact, it might just be the opposite of romantic Venice. Even if you do get yourself lost, leaving before the sun sets means you don’t get to see the city when it’s at its most peaceful. Do yourself a favor and spend at least one night in Venice so you can savor the sleepy city not only late at night but also early in the morning when the market boats come in to sell vegetables and other foodstuffs to the locals. Ask around at your hotel for the locations of the market boats, and you’ll get to see the real Venice.

Step 4 - Don’t expect too much.
Even I’ll admit that Venice isn’t perfect, so don’t think I’ve been brainwashed! The main problem with Venice is that it’s like the prettiest and most popular girl in school - she knows she’s beautiful, so she doesn’t have to try too hard. Venice is notorious for its bad food, and if you think about it it makes sense - what incentive to restaurateurs have for making better food if the tourist hordes will come in anyway? This isn’t the food capital of the country, so don’t expect to be blown away gastronomically speaking. However, if you follow Step 1 and get yourself away from the tourist crowds, you’re bound to find the places where the locals eat (which are almost always going to be better than the tourist-centric spots). Another problem with Venice is that the most romantic-sounding thing to do there can be seriously disappointing in reality. I’m talking, of course, about taking a Venice gondola ride. While it sounds like it would be dreamily romantic, it ends up costing way more than you think it should (which isn’t a good way to start), and then you realize that as you’re floating through the winding canals you’re being spied upon from above - all those tourists are hanging over bridge railings snapping photos and videos of the cute couples in the gondolas below. I’m not saying you shouldn’t spring for a gondola ride if that’s what you’ve got your heart set on, but be realistic about just how romantic it’s really going to be before you fork over the cash.

In Conclusion
Now, I realize that the word “romantic” is completely subjective, and one person’s romantic is another person’s nightmare, so I won’t fool myself into thinking that if everyone just followed my four simple rules they’d fall hopelessly in love with Venice and never recover. I do think, however, that if more people took a little time to explore more than the main tourist points in the city they wouldn’t be so quick to “hate” Venice. So all I’m asking is that you give Venice a fair shake before passing judgment. And if you still don’t like it, that’s fine - that just means there’s more room for me.

By Jessica | Permalink

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