Venice Vibes, Gelato, & Gondolas | Travel Guide for Venice, Italy

The thought of Venezia, Italia alone makes me want to marvel and cry at its alluring and captivating beauty. Ok, so that may be dramatic, but I really was almost brought to tears when I first laid eyes on Venice. City number two on my 10-day solo trip to Italy and it was love at first sight. 

Since there are no cars in Venice, I explored the romantic and ethereal floating city mainly on foot but a Gondola ride at sunset on the Grand Canal is an absolute must do. Gondola rides cost about €60 during the day and a painful €80 around the time of sunset. 

Alas, my sunset gondola ride was absolutely free thanks to an admiring and generous Venetian Gondolier who kindly offered his services free of charge. He even let me stand up on the Gondola to row the boat and I somehow managed to not crash it into an Italian wall. If you want to see how that all played out, peep my Italy vlog part 2! 

What to do in Venice:

Visit St Marks Square – Beautiful church. Get ready to be serenaded by live music in the charming square. Skip the food and drinks though...super pricey because it is a main tourist area. 

Eat at Terrazza Dei Nobili - Lovely restaurant right on the water with serene and calm views. I ordered pizza, a glass of crisp rosé, and sat for hours.

Buy an Italian Leather Handbag - Italian leather shops are everywhere and are full of a TON of leather goods. The price ain't even that cray but fyi, they're usually cash only.

Walk Across the Rialto Bridge – The biggest bridge in Venice. Early morning or late at night are best times to snap the perfect pic for the gram. 

Eat Gelato Wherever - Pick a gelato shop. Order gelato. Eat gelato. Repeat. 

Sip a Bellini at Skyline Rooftop Bar - On top of the Hilton on an island across from Venice you will find this gem. Order a fresh Bellini and take in the Venice skyline. Ok, so you need someone with a boat to get to this location but if you can swing it, it's worth it. 

Go No Where in Particular – Get lost on foot in the Venetian streets and enjoy the sweet life. #wanderlust

Take a Gondola Ride at Sunset - See above. 

Pro Tips in Venice:

There are no cars in Venice. Only transportation is via foot or boat

Google Maps doesn't really work. You will get lost and it’s ok. Just gwtf 

Ask your hotel concierge or Airbnb host for directions to the location you will be staying BEFORE you get to Venice

There are a lot of stairs and bridges so comfy shoes are a must. I saw a struggling girl wearing heels and shed a tear for her

Stretch your calfs and quads at the end of the day because who wants to be sore on vacation aintnobodygottimeforthat.

wan·der·lust 

ˈwändərˌləst/

noun

1. a strong desire to travel...and I did just that.