Venice: a city like no other

“Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.” - Truman Capote

Venice is unlike any other place on earth.

It feels dreamlike, like stepping back in time or onto a movie set. Elegant, crumbling palaces reflect in winding canals ...

... shops glitter with coloured glass... 

... and masked faces peer at you from street stalls. 

Over 400 bridges connect the 118 small islands on which Venice is built and there are hundreds of 'callea' (laneways).

The alleys twist and double back until you’re sure you’ve walked in circles. But here, getting lost is part of the fun. Maps? We found they added to the confusion. 

But keep walking and sooner or later you’ll get your bearing when you hit the Grand Canal, St Mark’s Square or the Rialto Bridge. Or a sign to them. Probably.

Our first visit was in 2008, when we (Jan and Marg) and friends Lance and Sandie drove from Assisi to Venice to catch a ship for a seven-night cruise to southern Italy, Croatia and Turkiye. After dropping off the hire car, we followed the signs to the vaporetto — Venice’s public “bus system,” only on water instead of roads. It’s slow, scenic, and the best way to get your first look at the Grand Canal.

We lugged our bags on board and cleverly stood near the exit to make a quick getaway at the Rialto stop. Ha! At each stop more people piled in, pushing us further from the door until we were wedged against the luggage racks. By the time we reached our stop, we had to stage a full-on commando mission to escape — rolling over toes and apologising as we struggled to disembark.

If you stay in Venice’s historic centre, check in advance exactly where your hotel is. Venice is not kind to people with wheeled suitcases. We followed Marg, our patient navigator clutching the hotel's directions, heaving our cases up steps on one side of countless bridges and clattering them down the other.

When we finally arrived — sweet relief! — we learned our rooms were in another building. Cue more bag hauling, piazza crossing and a final victory climb up a set of narrow stairs.

Take it from us: if your luggage is heavy and your wallet allows, shout yourself a water taxi. Your back and nerves will thank you.

The next morning, we were offered a free trip to Murano.  At the little wharf behind the hotel, a water taxi skimmed towards us, but a barge was already parked where it needed to dock. No problem — a plank was thrown across the barge and we were instructed to cross over. This is Venice, where even boarding a boat feels like a scene from a Fellini film.

Murano is famous for its glass making. We watched fascinated while a glassblower pulled molten glass from the furnace and expertly shaped it into an exquisite vase. Truly impressive.

Then came the hard sell in the showroom. We admired some liqueur glasses, choked a little at the price, and made a quick exit.

The downside of the free ride to Murano was we had no idea where we were. A friendly shopkeeper nearby (who cheerfully told us we were too poor to buy his work!) pointed us towards the public ferry.  Murano is like a mini Venice and we stopped for a quick lunch before taking the short trip to charming Burano island, famous for its lace and rainbow-bright houses. 

We wandered the streets, enchanted by the colourful buildings, and even stumbled upon a Carnivale commercial being filmed.

In the late afternoon, we returned to Venice by ferry. We couldn't work out how to buy a ticket and there were no ticket collectors, so we had a free trip.

It was a balmy night, perfect for a stroll to St Mark’s Square. It was magical. Lights twinkled, small orchestras played beautiful music, couples sipped Aperol spritz and vino at tiny tables.

We knew how much those tempting refreshments would cost so we were content to soak in the ambience and free entertainment.

We sailed away the next afternoon, standing fourteen levels high on the top deck as Venice glided past — St Mark’s, the Bridge of Sighs, and elegant palaces glowing in the late sun. (A farewell that’s no longer possible since big cruise ships were banned from the lagoon in 2021.)

Venice can be crowded, pricey and more than a little chaotic — but when you catch it at the right moment and allow time to savour it's unique beauty, it’s pure magic.

A few tips if you go:

• Stay longer than a couple of days. The real Venice shows up when you slow down. You may hear a Vivaldi concert, find a quirky exhibition, listen to a busker playing classical music on wine glasses, or stumble on a tiny piazza with the world’s best gelato.

• Accept that you’ll get lost. It’s half the charm (but yes, keep Google Maps as backup).

• Get up early and walk the streets. Watch Venetians open their shops, barges collect rubbish, and the morning light turn the canals gold.

• Plan what you want to see and then pick your accommodation carefully. Everything takes longer to reach than you think, so stay close to these areas.

• Climb the St. Mark's Bell Tower, also known as the Campanile, for a fabulous birds-eye view of this amazing city.