Venice at a Glance

Venice is a unique and charming city, with so much history. It’s hard to believe, but it’s built on more than 100 islands with no roads, only bridges. Venetians travel by foot, boat, or gondola in style! The Grand Canal runs through the heart of the city and is lined with Renaissance and Gothic era palaces. Everything feels and looks so delicate and old, which adds to its charm.

While studying architecture in Florence, I took advantage of the three day weekends the institute offered! My best friend flew to Italy to stay with me and travel for three weeks. On the weekends, we had longer trips planned to Greece, Capri, and Rome. Since my classes got out at noon, we were able to squeeze in some day trips to other Italian cities! Venice was one of them and it was so worth it.

Getting There

On a Thursday afternoon, we walked all the way from our apartment near the Santa Croce Basilica to the Stazione Centrale. This was about a 20-25 minute walk while speed walking! At the station, we bought the cheapest and earliest train tickets to Venice. It was about a 2 hour train ride, but it went by quickly as we watched the Italian terrain pass by through the windows.

As soon as you step out of the Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia, you are greeted by the most amazing view of the Santa Maria Della Salute across the Grand Canal. The Salute is a Roman Catholic Church that was built in the Baroque style. It’s a beautiful grey, octagonal building with two teal colored domes and an intricate façade. From the station, we walked along the beautiful Grand Canal to the bustling Piazza San Marco and St. Mark’s Basilica. Along the way, we passed by a wonderful farmers market and admired local vendors and shops. Venice is home to the Teatro La Fenice, the most famous landmark of Italian theatre and the opera. Naturally, there were many vendors selling delicately detailed and colorful opera masks.

Exploring Venice

After walking for hours, we ate at a ristorante near the canal and the farmers market. We paid a little extra for the prime real estate, but we were both starving! My spaghetti dish never tasted better. It was overall a great experience because we got to sit outside and people-watch.

Since we only had a limited time in Venice, we decided to roam around through the streets and see where they took us instead of rushing to get to each landmark. Each corner of the lovely city surprised us with beautiful bridges, colorful buildings, and the iconic gondolas.  One of my favorite parts of the day was stumbling across a pasticceria that sold the most beautiful Italian desserts. We bought several different pastries to share; I couldn’t have picked a favorite, they were all so yummy!

We admired the setting sun while walking back to the station with barely enough time to buy our tickets back to Florence. My only regret was not being able to see the Rialto Bridge! The Venetian streets were hard to navigate; we were afraid we would get lost and not have enough time to explore other areas. I would love to go back one day with more time to see the rest of the sites the city has to offer! If you plan on visiting Venice, you won’t be disappointed.

XOXO