Venice

Venice is one of the most interestingly beautiful cities that I’ve visited so far. From the winding canals full of gondolas (some gondoliers actually sing to you by the way), to the Venetian masks hung in all the small shops, to what would seem like a bridge at the end of every block or so, Venice just exuberates a romantic feeling. The small restaurants along the canals and the quaint buildings create a picturesque view everywhere you look. The surroundings alone make it obvious why the city as a whole was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Venice is comprised of 118 islands with the surrounding lagoon. The city dates back to the 5th century. With the exception of a vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal, most of our sightseeing was done on foot…we just wandered; getting lost was probably the best part.

Other than some major sites such as San Marco Square and Doges Palace, we also checked out an opera at a small local museum (www.musicainmaschera.it), a ghost tour and day trip to a few of the other larger Venetian islands, Murano, Burano and Torcello.

The opera was a lovely performance which included singing performances (where the singers wore Venetian masks), ballet, and live classical music. The ghost tour included a walking tour at dusk with all the scary tales passed down from generation to generation. Most tales were about paranormal activity experienced by the locals. Lastly, for more details on our day trip to Murano, Burano and Torcello, please refer to our next post.

Entrance fee for Doge Palace: €16.00
Duration of visit: 2 hours

Entrance fee for Opera: €20.00 Each (we purchased our tickets from a promoter on the street, which offered B1G1)
Duration of visit: 1.5 hours

Traveler’s tip: Gondola ride prices are regulated by the city and cost €80.00 for 40 minutes (for up to 6 people). If you’re traveling on a budget, you can either share the ride with others, thus sharing the cost.

Traveler’s tip: Vaporetto tickets must be validated before you take your ride. Inspectors randomly check tickets; all unvalidated tickets are subjected to a fine.