On our 2 week trip to Europe, Venice was probably the stop I was most excited for. Venice is one of those places that is just as magical in real life as you imagine it is! From the moment you get there, it feels like you’re in one of the most unique places in the world. From the water taxis to the mega yachts and incredible gelato, this is a place you could visit over and over again and continue to be inspired! We spent just a few magical days here, and from that time these are my Venice travel favorites.
Hotel Londra Palace
When Aubrey and I were looking for where we wanted to stay in Venice, it was incredible how beautiful every single hotel looked. We knew we wanted to be on the water, and Hotel Londra Palace was the standout choice for us. The building is absolutely gorgeous and the room we stayed in had the most incredible views. They also had a large outdoor, covered patio that we had a delicious breakfast on and a bar with more gin options than I could have ever imagined! We found an extra special rooftop patio where we would sit in the evenings to enjoy a drink before dinner. This was probably our favorite part of the hotel!
Hotel Londra Palace is located centrally on the island, and right off the water for extreme convenience. We were a 10-15 minute walk from anywhere we wanted to go and had lots of awesome shopping and restaurants nearby. To top it off, the staff at this hotel is incredible! Everyone we came into contact with was kind and willing to help however they could. They even sent us off to the airport with a to go breakfast!
If you’re planning on making a trip to Venice, do yourself a favor and check out Hotel Londra Palace for your hotel reservation! Here are some pictures from our stay!
St. Mark’s Basilica
Of all the beautiful places to see in Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica is something you absolutely cannot miss. What is most impressive to me about the Basilica is that the entire ceiling is a mosaic work of art. As impressive as I hope that already sounds, also take into consideration it was built almost one thousand years ago! The Basilica is also famous for originally and currently housing the Horses of St. Mark. These horses are made of bronze, are incredibly detailed, and have traveled the world as war trophies and gifts! Because this is a sacred church, it’s important to check the dress code and open times if you do have the opportunity to visit!
Trust me when I tell you I’m not a history buff, but there’s no way I would let anyone miss the opportunity to see this masterpiece!
The Gondolas and Water Taxis
Because Venice is an island, the only way to get to and around it (other than on foot) is by boat! Keep this in mind when you land at the airport, unlike Aubrey and I did. However, arriving at your hotel by water taxi or water bus is an experience you’ll never forget! We took a private water taxi back to the airport because we had a very early flight, and seeing the sunrise while being on the water was magical! It’s also an absolute must to take a gondola ride. There’s no best time of day, regardless of what the gondola guys will tell you. Just pick the best opportunity while you’re there, and enjoy the easy ride through the city by water!
Sweet Treats
Obviously, when in Italy you must try all the sweet treats you can! I think the very first thing I ate once we arrived in Venice was a cannoli from a small family bakery tucked back in the ally’s of the city. It was delicious! Not too much later, I had my first Italian gelato treat and it was just as yummy. We actually had gelato from multiple places in Venice, and none of them disappointed!
A sweet drink that I had not had before being in Venice was Limoncello! I figured why not try it in Italy for the first time and loved it. I will say, even with my extreme sweet tooth, I prefer to have my Limoncello on ice mixed with soda water. That on a hot summer day cannot be beat!
Food
I will say of all parts of Venice, we were most disappointed in the food. Not to say the food we had was bad, we just anticipated being able to find more authentic restaurants more than we did. A couple of helpful tips we found after being there are:
- If there are pictures of the food on the menu, it’s not going to be an authentic Italian restaurant
- If there is someone standing outside trying to usher you into the restaurant, keep moving
- Most of the restaurants in the center of the city don’t seem to be authentic, so try to get deeper into the island
- Most of the restaurants with happy hour listed outside of their business are not authentic
Before we go back to Venice, and there will be a next time, I will be sure to do a lot more research on where is the most authentic places to eat!
If you’ve been to Venice before and have suggestions on your favorite restaurants please leave them down below in the comments!
Final Thoughts
My final thoughts here are simple, go to Venice and enjoy it! It is such a beautiful place with lots of culture and history to explore. We were only there for a few days, but I think I could spend a week here just soaking it all in! I hope you’ll take at least a few of these suggestions with you to build your own special memories in Venice.