24 Hours in Venice, Italy

During my trip to Europe, I planned a short excursion through Venice. I originally thought I was going to have about two days in Venice, but due to getting pretty lost on the bus one of the days, I ended up having about 24 hours in this beautiful city of winding canals. I arrived in the city the first day but had to take a bus out of the city to my hostel/campsite to drop off my belongings. Once I dropped my backpack off and got settled in, I took a bus back toward the city of Venezia. I'm far from being the best at navigating, and ended up getting pretty mixed up with where I was. But eventually I made it back to the heart of it all and began my exploring. Here's how I spent my 24 hours in Venice Italy.

1. Having the perfect Italian dinner, right on the water!

As I wandered through the city the first evening, I stumbled upon a restaurant that had seating along the canals. There are quite a few restaurants like this as Venice becomes more and more touristy by the day. This one appeared to be family run and it was giving off a friendly feel as I approached. The waitress quickly greeted me and asked if I'd be eating here. She offered me a table right next to the water. She was very kind and patient with me as I was the typical tourist that (unfortunately) only speaks English. I asked what food she recommended and she advised I try the Lasagna. She helped me decide on a delicious wine to go with it (I've never been very knowledgable about wine types and I could use all the help I could get), and brought out a small basket of sliced bread with butter. I had a peaceful dinner by myself on the waterfront in Venice. The Lasagna was by far the most delicious Lasagna I have ever eaten. If I recall correctly, it had somewhere around 5 different types of cheese in it. At this point I pretty much thought I had died and gone to heaven. This heaven that was full of incredible sights, delicious lasagna, bread and butter, and endless chardonnay.

Dinner at Hostaria Venexiana in Venice, Italy

2. Getting lost in the winding alleys and canals

After filling up on authentic Italian food, I decided to walk off some of the calories by wandering through the alleyways of Venice. Below is a map of Venice. I started somewhere around the upper left side of the picture where the trains and buses enter Venice. To be honest, I'm not really sure where I ended up. I had a map with me, and I tried tracking where I was at first, but quickly realized that it is near impossible to navigate through the alleys and roads unless you are a local or have visited Venice for longer than the short time I was there. Pretty soon I put my map away and decided to relax and enjoy just aimlessly wandering. I didn't really have a destination planned anyway, so I just took whichever roads appealed to me and kept walking through the beautiful streets. There were canals winding through the streets, gondolas and boats around every turn, bridges connecting roads across the water, and pastel colored buildings. I instantly fell in love with the beauty of Venice.

3. Chatting with local artists

While wandering through Venice, I ran across an elderly man that was painting in a courtyard tucked away off the beaten path. He had his art on display, each piece unique to itself, but all with beautiful vibrant colors. I told him how much I enjoyed his artwork, and we got to talking about painting. He said he knew from the time I walked up that I was also a painter. I told him that I do enjoy painting in my free time, but that I've never mastered the techniques of water color. We had a great conversation and when I decided to buy one of his pieces he said he wanted to give me another piece for free. I took home two beautiful watercolors, and I have one of them framed and hung on a wall where I see it every morning. These are the types of experiences that I love most about traveling. It warms my heart to meet others from far away countries, that are passionate about what they do and that enjoy a simple conversation with someone new each day. Had I turned down a different alley, I may never have seen the beautiful art. It was late and most artists had packed up for the day. I'm happy I stumbled upon this kind man, and his artwork still brightens my day each morning.

4. Taking a ride through the Grand Canal on a Vaporetto

As the sun went down in Venice, I had wandered to who knows where. I decided I should probably head back toward the buses since I wasn't sure what time the last bus left the city. I thought about pulling out my paper map (I didn't have internet at the time) and trying to navigate my way back, but I had a feeling I would end up getting even more lost by doing that. Lucky for me, there are many waterbuses that cruise around the Grand Canal taking people to where they need to go. I found a dock where the Vaporettos (water buses) pick up and drop off passengers, and I went to the ticket machine to purchase a ticket. The machine was not working, and I was starting to think I would need to walk after all, but when the Vaporetto arrived, the sailor was able to make change for me and get me a valid ticket. The ticket cost about 6 Euros and was good for about 60 minutes. I hoped on the waterbus, found an empty seat near the front, and enjoyed the views of the city at night as we made our way back to the main part of Venice. I loved this method of traveling because it gave a whole new view of the city. We cruised through the Grand Canal as the quite streets were lit up around us. It was a peaceful way to end the night in Venice.

5. Marveling at the exquisite blown glass pieces created by locals

Venice is known for its artistry in Glass Blowing and Lacemaking. I originally planned to take a Glass Blowing tour in Burano on the first day of my two planned days in Venice, but unfortunately I missed out due to getting lost on my way from the hostel to the city. I was really bummed that I wasn't able to attend the tour, but it gave me all the more reason to revisit Venice in the future. The second morning I was in Venice, I wandered the streets more and went into a few stores and galleries to see the local artists' pieces. I ended up purchasing a couple small souvenirs, including a glass rooster figurine for my mom, and a small glass Gondolier for myself.

6. Getting lost some more and eating Italian pastries for breakfast

The second morning in Venice I wandered some more, got lost some more, and munched on some yummy Italian pastries for breakfast. As you can tell, another one of my favorite parts of traveling is eating all the delicious foods. If you know me, you'll know that I'm a very picky eater. The one time this changes is when I'm traveling. You won't be able to get me to eat a piece of broccoli at home, but if I'm in a different country I'll even go as far as trying escargot. Im not really sure why I'll try more stuff when abroad, but stick to the basics that I like at home, but I think it has something to do with being in an adventurous mindset while I'm traveling. Plus, most of the foods to try during my Europe trip were delicious carbs like bread and butter, cheesy things, and pastries. I'm always down to find a cute cafe to enjoy a coffee and croissant. And of course, in Italy, eating gelato was a must for me each day :)

When my time in Venice came to an end, I headed to the train station where I boarded my train to Prague. I said goodbye to the magical city of canals and got ready for my next adventure to come. It was sad leaving Venice after such a short amount of time, but I know that someday I'll be back, and I'll be better prepared and plan for a couple more days of relaxation in this unique Italian city. Although my time was short in Venice, the 24 hours I spent there were some of my favorite of my Europe trip.

At this point in my Europe trip I was traveling alone for a short time. I had an incredible time traveling at my own pace and being able to choose exactly what I wanted to do each day. Often people ask me what my favorite way to travel is, whether it be with a group, with an individual, or by myself. I think there are benefits to all these options and I enjoyed them all about equally. I loved traveling in Venice alone and being able to just wander and get lost in the winding alleys, but I do often wish I had been able to share the beauty with a loved one. Venice is such a romantic city, and I hope to someday go back with my partner to experience the parts I missed out on when I went on my own. I had always dreamed of riding in a Gondola, but to be honest, Gondola rides by yourself just don't sound as appealing to me. I decided to hold off on this adventure and save it for my return trip one of these days. I'm already dreaming of my future adventures in Venice!

Have any questions about my journey or thoughts on what to do different next time? Send me a message with your thoughts!