O Sole Mío: 1 Day in Venice, Italy

”It isn’t how much time you spend somewhere that makes it memorable: it’s how you spend the time.” – David Brenner

Venice is one of the easiest European cities to wander that I’ve been, even being a town built on water with various canals to get anywhere. Similar to Barcelona, the street names are posted at the top of the buildings and some are so narrow that you may think you’ve wandered into an alley.

1. Take a Walking Tour

You can find a free walking tour or something at a nominal expense. Walking tours are usually guided and are a quick way to get a layout of the city and feel for places you may want to check out in detail. In addition to discovering different local shops and checking out the museums, we stumbled upon a bookstore that had a back patio with a staircase made of books leading to some nice views along the canal.

2. Have Lunch Along the Canal

There are several restaurants lining the canals where you can grab a bite to eat. The weather in May was in the low-mid 70s so we chose an outdoor seat and enjoyed the weather.

3. Buy a Vaporetto Ticket and Go Explore

The Vaporetto is Venice’s public transportation – water bus. While Venice is quite walkable, you can purchase a day-pass and take the bus to different stops along the canal.

4. Gondola Serenade

It’s not just for couples. There were approximately 8 people in our gondola and maybe 3 other gondolas of the same size in the group. One gondola held the guy who was serenading and was typically in the center of the group as we navigated down the canals. Venice is a beautiful city and watching the sunset from a gondola makes the city seem even more magical.

5. Go Listen to the Dueling Orchestras in St. Mark’s Square

Live music and food – what more can you ask for. We did a walking tour in the morning where we walked through the square, and then ventured back later on in the evening. At nighttime the square transforms into a free open-air concert venue (4 Orchestras placed on either side of the square). There are several cafes lining the square – grab a table and a bite to eat while you enjoy the orchestras.