Venice - Italy

There are few places in the world that captivate you even before your holiday begins. Venice is one of them. So much has been said, shown and expressed over the years, that I should have been prepared.
Yet, when I got off that train and out of the station, I was speechless. As I stared out into the sparkling waters of the Adriatic, taking in the gondolas and the beautiful waterfront Venetian houses, I couldn't help but feel lucky and privileged just to be there.

I wasn't the only one feeling like that, of course. Thousands of enthusiastic tourists flock here every year to experience this magical, ancient city that's been built over 100 islands.

Time stands still in Venice, they say. In some ways, it does. And to be here and to take it all in is quite an experience. We were here on a full moon night and the views over the Grand Canal were simply breathtaking.

Typically, most tourists prefer staying on the main island but I recommend getting away from the hustle-bustle and staying in Lido which is barely a 10-minute Vaparatto ride away.

These Vaparattos are water buses that transport thousands of people everyday. These are also the buses you will use if you want to go to the surrounding islands like Murano (famous glass works) and Burano. These water buses are efficient, well-priced and have good frequency (running till late hours) so you can save money by staying at Lido (relatively cheaper than main island) and also, do your bit to help the officials reduce the burden on the main island.

I was in Venice when the Biennale was being showcased and I enjoyed strolling and admiring the beautiful exposition they had curated.  Watching different expressions of creativity really challenges your mind and if you are working or studying in the creative space, you will find it very stimulating. Another place that I enjoyed visiting was the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. This is a modern art museum that's housed in an 18th century palace called Palazzo Venier dei Leoni.   There are different genres covered here and if you are a fan of cubism or surrealism, you will not be disappointed.

Of course, most know Venice because of  four of its most important landmarks.
The Doge's (Duke's) Palace, St Marks Basilica, Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal specially, its view from the famous Rialto, so I don't really need to write about those in detail. Just a word of advice: given the crowds, make sure you allocate enough time to do the  attractions you really want to cover specially if you have limited time in Venice. Most people spend all their time standing in queues and then realize they haven't even looked around this beautiful city.

To experience Venice's true beauty, you need to get away from the main areas and into the back lanes where the locals have their little shops and restaurants. That's where you will get the real deal when it comes to traditional Venetian fare. I had the most delicious mixed seafood pasta with a freshly baked ciabatta and an Italian full bodied wine at dinner on our first night. Our meal was made by an old Italian lady and her daughter who were charming and friendly. That really set the standard for me and after a couple of hits and misses with the usual tourist traps (that are often found in most big cities) the next day, we decided to stick to the non-touristy sections of this city for the rest of our stay. In my opinion, old family-run places define a place and its culture and need to be patronized to keep them in business so no matter where I go, I make it a point to seek out these kind of establishments. I managed to buy beautiful curios, a leather purse and oven mittens from a family-run shop.

If you want access to a beach, head to Lido. They have many places you can lounge at and take in the sun and watch the sea. If you would rather look at glass-works instead, you have to head to Murano.
The island of Murano is world famous and its famous export  is sold all over the world at a premium. At their factory, you can see their demonstrations and of course,  admire their beautiful collection. Prices are fair given their fine craftsmanship and if you do like beautiful objets d'art, you will be struggling to control that shopping impulse that might leap out every time you see something pretty.

Yet another island that I enjoyed walking around was Burano. Burano is the island of lace making and colourful houses. It's got some lovely bakeries run by locals where you can taste local cakes and savories. A walk around here can take about 2 hours and I would recommend you do this before you go to Murano. Murano is the most crowded of the two and generally, people tend to spend a longer time there. When you finish walking around Burano, you can grab a quick bite and then head on to Murano.

 I have to be honest when I say this. This is one city that I have not been able to describe as well as I wanted to because it's always so difficult to describe a place that is this vibrant and enigmatic.  Nothing quite matches up to actually being there and experiencing it's energy and culture.  Venice is definitely a sparkling jewel in the Italian crown.

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Grazie!