Venice – Italy

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Today’s post is all about my trip to Italy! I visited: Rome, Naples, Sorrento and Venice while I was in Italy and so I want to share with you in this blog post all my top recommendations on what to do in any of these beautiful cities.

I have decided that I will do a blog on Venice first, which is undeniably my favourite place that I visited in Italy and they may also write about Rome and Sorrento if you would like me to! Comment below if you would like me to write about Rome too!

Venice:

I was only in Venice for a short time with my family, but it definitely did not fail to impress us. We arrived at the airport from Gatwick, London and took a speedboat up to Grand Canal. It was a very choppy ride but our ‘water taxi’ experience is definitely one I will not forget! Visiting Venice in October was something I would recommend. It is not too busy and the temperature is also really good!

On arrival at our hotel, we went to have an ice cream on the Rialto Bridge. This stunning bridge overlooks the Grand Canal and is a must-photo spot if you want some ‘instagrammable’ shots! The only problem is with how busy it gets and it is 100% the tourist-hub spot and place where tour guide groups flock, so make sure to get there early for some photos! This bridge is also so historical and was originally constructed and opened in the 16th century!

Later in the afternoon we then explored the Piazza San Marco which is a great place to go to o take photos! I really recommend it! It is said that Napoleon said that San Macro meaning ‘St Mark’s Square’ was the ‘drawing room of Europe.’ It is a breathtakingly beautiful spot in the heart of Venice and is where masses of pigeons flock as the tourists feed them there!

The next day, my family and I went to Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) and this palace is incredible! There are endless impressive halls and galleries which are painted by renowned artists. It is a must see if you hope to find some of Renaissance Italy and explore and find some stunning history and architecture that is unmatched. Close to San Macro Piazza, this palace is definitely somewhere I would recommend you visit if you have an interest in history and art, although it is perhaps not the best place to take young children as you may need several hours to explore the palace. We had bought tickets for the secret itinery/ passageway and grand rooms tour. This experience was incredible as we were allowed access into some of the most beautiful rooms and chambers in the palace where important Venitian administration had taken place. Children under six are not allowed on this tour however.

We took the time to also go on a gondola ride which is an essential if you are in Venice! Being able to travel through the city on water helps you see so much more of the city and also this is a great opportunity to take photos from the water or of you In the gondola!

The following day, we explored Scuola Grande Di San Rocco which was another stunning building, filled with Tintoretto’s paintings. I would recommend visiting this building if you have an interest in art or architecture! You may need 1-2 hours to go around the whole space, yet I would also recommend you pay for the audio guide which will help you appreciate the paintings and architecture.

Next, we went for some drinks at Gritti Palace which is the renowned hotel in Venice. It was amazing to sit there by the Grand Canal and admire the architecture of the buildings and the grandeur of the hotel.

On our final day in Venice, we woke up early before we took a water taxi to the airport and decided to visit the Peggy Guggenheim museum. The museum is full of art collected by Peggy Guggenheim and there were many surrealistic paintings and also some striking pieces. The gallery is amazing and the art collection is equally great too. However, the café is quite expensive and it may not be the best place to take young children as – similarly to a museum, generally there is little talking once in the gallery.

That is everywhere I went in Venice! I went to Venice on a family in 2013 (so a while ago) but I hope to return at some point in the future. I would love to get the chance to visit the stunning Burano, Murano and Torcello islands. I would also love to have visited the Libreria Acqua Alta as I love books and the old-fashioned book shop looks great to take photos of! The Scala Contarini del Bovolo also boasts stunning views and would have been amazing to visit!

Thank you for reading! Please like and comment if you enjoyed reading this and do not forget to share! Have you been to Venice before? Is there anything you did which you recommend? Let me know. Thank you!

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Beth Lucy