In October 2016 I visited Venice, Italy. I did multiple posts on my visit specializing in tips on accommodation, food and things to do however I decided to create a more updated list of tips on how to visit Venice the right way. You may have heard some of these before but I can guarantee by reading to the end of this article you will be an expert on visiting Venice.
1. Take a gondola ride: No matter how touristy it seems. I seriously recommend taking at least one gondola ride. It is quite pricey but it's the best way to discover the small canals and little streets. I did two and that was great because each time you take a different route and get to discover a different part of the city.
2. Try the Cicchetti: I regrettably only tried it once however I do still recommend trying it because its unique to Venice and really delicious!
3. Don't eat in St Marks Square: If you're visiting Venice you probably already know that you shouldn't eat in St Marks Square. The places there provide mediocre food for a lot of money so try to find a more local place by adventuring down the little side streets.
4. Don't avoid the tourist attractions: These places are famous for a reason so don't be afraid to queue for a little while to see them. I would especially recommend the Secret Itineraries Tour at the Doges Palace.
5. Don't be afraid of getting lost: The winding streets of Venice will leave you confused and you will get a little bit lost but that it the fun bit! Exploring without a plan can help you understand the place you're visiting even more.
6. Stay away from the tourist bustle: I stayed on an island about 20 minutes away from the main area of Venice and I'm very glad I did actually! Not only did we get a lovely picturesque taxi boat trip to the main area of Venice everyday but it kept us away from the bustling tourist areas.
7. Don't visit during the summer: You would be straight in the middle of a large herd of sweaty tourists if you visit during the summer. I would definitely recommend October as it wasn't as busy, or too hot and it wasn't as expensive.
8. Visit Murano or Burano: I only visited Murano and it was really interesting to see where and how all the glass work was made and I wished that I had visited Burano to see all the colorful houses (loo at your Instagram feed and a picture of it will probably pop up!)
9. Do your research before you go: You could spend days navigating your way trough the many twisting and turning streets of Venice so make sure you have a rough idea of what you're going to do and where you' re going because it will make the experience a lot more stress free.
10: Don't trust everything you hear: I read some things that said Venice was becoming more of a tourist dump and not a place for a frequent traveler to visit. But that is so wrong! Venice was a beautiful place to explore and still remains one of my favorite places I've ever been to.
Thank you so much for reading and I hopes this helps if you plan to visit anytime soon.
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