Venice, the city that stole my heart.
I had wanted to go to Venice for quite some time, but so many other people had told me it wasn’t that special of a city. So, I put it at the bottom of my travel bucket list for a few years.
But those people were wrong. In my eyes, Venice is a magical city. I spent two days wandering through its tiny, cobblestone alleyways and crossing its many bridges. I loved it.
It is quite possibly one of the best Italian cities I’ve visited. Although I only stayed for two days, I fell in love with this charming city of romance and masks.
One Thing to Note… Tourist Tax
This is quite possibly the worst thing about the city at the moment. I won’t complain about Venice in this post, but I needed to mention this.
You may have heard about the new tourist tax the city of Venice has tried to impose on visitors. Launched in April 2024, it aims to deter tourists from visiting only for the day. If they do enter without having accommodation booked for the night (or a few other exemptions), they need to pay €5.
Traveling to Venice at the end of April, I caught the beginning of the tourist tax. To be honest, it was quite overwhelming, and it felt like COVID had happened all over again, with filling out forms and having to get a QR code to enter.
As soon as I left the airport and headed to the bus stop that would take us into the city, government officials (though I’m not quite sure if they really were authority figures) swarmed us, giving us a piece of paper with a QR code to scan. We had to either pay the tourist tax or file for an exemption.
Since we were staying for two nights, we were exempt. But it was still a confusing process and wasn’t the easiest form to fill out. We entered our personal and hotel information and got a downloadable QR code that Venice officials would scan when we entered the city.
In my opinion, this all seemed very unnecessary and didn’t quite make sense, as Venice thrives on tourism. With the limitations this tourist tax brings, businesses that earn most of their income from tourists could be in trouble.
However, residents have been protesting this policy, which we saw upon entering. It seems to be failing, and based on some news sources, the number of tourists entering the city has actually risen since the tax was imposed. Even the ex-mayor of Venice has called the fee “absurd.”
Here’s to hoping it doesn’t last and the government finds some clarity. But don’t let that stop you from visiting Venice. As long as you stay for more than one day, you are exempt from paying the tax.
Where I Stayed
Venice was the fourth stop on a very spontaneous Europe trip with my good friend. We booked our flights and accommodation the night before we left, so we didn’t have much choice of where to stay within our budget.
Our experience in this hotel was… interesting, to say the least.
We had some issues after booking, including where to find the place and how to check-in. It goes without saying that these should not be issues when booking a hotel! However, they were quickly resolved by communication with the owner before we arrived.
We stayed at Venice Resorts Guest House, a one-star hotel. Although it’s listed as a hotel, the check-in and checkout process made it feel more like an Airbnb.
When we arrived, our names were on a paper stuck to the door, and the key was in the lock, waiting for us to enter. It was a seamless process, and we didn’t have to deal with any hotel staff.
The decor was very 19th century, with a garish red and white theme. From the striped bed to the curtains to the rug on the floor, I felt like I had stepped into my great-grandmother’s home.
Besides that, it was quite spacious but simple. It was very central, close to many restaurants and souvenir shops.
We paid close to €200 for two nights. A bit outrageous for what it was, right?
Nonetheless, we were thankful to score a hotel that was super central to everything, especially since we booked it at the last minute.
Some of My Favorite Parts of Venice
These are some of the best things to eat, see, and do in Venice, Italy, that truly made this a magical city for me.
The Food… Of Course!
Italy is my favorite country in the world for food, and for good reason. I’m vegetarian, but there is never a lack of good options in Italy!
We started strong by getting a pastry (or sandwich? I’m not sure what to call it) at a stand right before the steps of the Rialto bridge. I wasn’t expecting it to be good, but it was delicious. It had spinach and ricotta cheese and was just the right amount of crispy, flaky, and salty.
While waiting to check in to the hotel, we wandered around and got some arancini, gelato, and delicious Aperols.
The next day, we had some of the best pasta and tiramisu from a takeaway pasta restaurant called Baci & Pasta, one of the best restaurants in Venice, Italy, in my opinion. You can customize the type of pasta and the sauce you want, so I had vegan pumpkin gnocchi with tomato and basil sauce. It was simple but so delicious. We sat by a canal and ate, watching the world go by. It was magical.
Bookstores
I love bookstores, both used and new. Venice had a few bookstores that we wandered into, including the famous Libreria Acqua Alta. This is a popular spot, so expect a line at any time of day, though it moves quite fast.
Resident cats supposedly rule this shop, but we only saw one orange cat watching everybody come and go from a tree above.
What’s special about this bookshop is that it is the only place where you can board a gondola and take a photo for free. Normally, gondola rides cost upwards of 60 to 80 Euros, but if you head out the side door of Libreria Acqua Alta, you can snap just as good of a photo for free.
I caved and bought a book, which was quite overpriced, but I just had to get it. I bought The Story of My Life by Giacomo Casanova because I was so moved when I learned about him during the walking tour. I’ll get into more of that below.
If you like books, or even if you don’t, visit Libreria Acqua Alta for an experience you won’t forget.
Walking Tour
I am a big advocate for going on a walking tour when visiting a new city. It’s a great way to learn about the history, visit important monuments, and get your bearings.
Walking tours are usually hit or miss for me, but this one was the best I’ve ever been on. I’m not exaggerating. I went on the Venice Through the Centuries North free walking tour, and would HIGHLY recommend it.
The tour guide was engaging, asking and answering questions; the group was so funny; and she showed us places and gave us tips for places we probably never would have gone to had we not done the tour.
We learned about the history of Venice, how it was built, and some of its influential people through the years–like Marco Polo and Casanova (which inspired me to buy the book!).
Some interesting facts that have stuck with me:
- Only about 268,000 permanent residents live in Venice, and that number rapidly decreases each year. This is due to the population mostly being comprised of the elderly. On any given day, the number of tourists outweighs the number of residents.
- Venice is made up of over 118 islands, each connected by a bridge, of which there are 438. Some bridges lead only to a person’s door.
- Each home has a canal entrance and a street entrance. Many years ago, the main entrance facing the street was meant for easy access for the rich, while the canal-facing entrance was for servants and non-important people.
- Venice floods about 100 times a year. For this reason, residents don’t live on the bottom floor of their homes. Venetians are notified 24 hours before a flood.
- ‘Catwalks’ made of connecting tables are constructed by a designated person on each island when it floods. This is so that people can continue to walk in the streets despite the rising waters.
- Every Monday, supplies for the shops, restaurants, and residents’ homes are delivered via boat and carried in by strong men. There are no motorized vehicles, bikes, or even scooters allowed in the city.
The Small Streets and Alleyways
The best way to discover a city is to get lost in it. That is especially true for Venice, with its many islands and small cobblestone streets.
You can’t always trust Google Maps, as it may think you want to take the ferry (I’d recommend walking everywhere!) and direct you to somewhere you can’t cross a bridge.
So, wander around and get lost. I discovered some amazing tiramisu, cool bookshops, and a free art exhibition just by walking around and being open to new things.
My Google Maps List
As always, here’s my Google Maps list of recommendations for the best places to eat and drink and the best things to do in Venice.
Some notable mentions:
- Libreria Acqua Alta – a popular bookstore with resident cats and the opportunity to get a photo on a gondola
- Sullaluna Libreria & Bistrot – a book bar with great wine and cocktails
- Baci & Pasta – great takeaway pasta and tiramisu
- Burano – a small island with colourful houses (I didn’t personally go but got recommended!)
Venice and its Masked History
In every souvenir shop (and there are A LOT), you’ll see Venetian masks of all sorts, from glittery pink cat-eyes that cover only half your face to plague doctor masks that disguise your entire identity.
I’m discussing this here because masks have much to do with Venetian culture and history, and it’s so interesting to learn about. I’m not a big history person, but I learned about this on the walking tour, and I just have to share it with you.
So here’s a little bit about the history of Venetian masks (it’s not boring, I promise!).
In the 13th century, Venetians used masks to disguise themselves whenever they felt it was necessary. This could be during parties or just walking on the streets, out and about. The masks were used as a veil between themselves and their class hierarchy, so anyone could walk around being whoever they wanted.
Masks made people unrecognizable, so they could do anything and be anyone they wanted. All classes could mingle, men could be women, and vice versa. As you’d imagine, there were a lot of exploitative activities going on.
By the 18th century, masks were no longer allowed to be worn whenever people pleased. They were limited to only three months out of the year, and slowly, people stopped wearing them, except for during Carnival.
My Biggest Takeaway from Traveling to Venice
When traveling to new places, I tend to have grand takeaways and learn a lot. Venice is no exception. The number one thing I learned when traveling to Venice is this: don’t let others’ opinions of some place or something deter you from discovering it yourself.
Because people have said Venice was too crowded, too expensive, or too romantic, I put it lower on my travel list than it should have been.
For some reason, I was convinced that I couldn’t travel there alone. But by the last night, I was seriously contemplating staying in Venice for one more day, on my own.
So, the lesson learned? F*** what other people think. This goes for all aspects of your life, but especially for travel. If you want to go somewhere, just go. You need to form your own opinions because they will likely differ from everyone else’s.
Everyone will have a different opinion. Nobody likes the same things. And that’s a beautiful thing.
That’s the great thing about travel – discovering new places for yourself and creating lifelong memories.
Some of my favourite platforms while traveling
- Hostelworld: a great platform to book cheap and social hostels
- Trainline: the best app to book trains and coaches throughout Europe and the UK
- GetYourGuide: a great way to book experiences and events in the city
- Airalo: the best eSIM provider, with access to over 200 countries
Related posts
- Three Days in Florence, Italy | solo travel diaries 💌
- A Solo Female Traveler’s Review of Lisbon, Portugal
- My (Unconventional) Week in the Countryside in Swansea, Wales
- The Greatest Lessons I’ve Learned from Solo Travel
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