Venice Weekend Breaks: Planning the Perfect Italian Getaway

When the gondolier drops you back off at St Mark’s Square, buy some corn, sprinkle it on yourself and have a friend take pictures while a swarm of pigeons eat off the top of your head.  It may not sound like fun now, but once you’re there and see the smiles on everyone else’s faces, you’ll soon give in to tradition. Next, tour the inside of the Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) and then climb to the top of the Bell Tower (Campanile Di San Marco) across the piazza to see the city’s most stunning views. 

When hunger strikes, enjoy a scrumptious meal at one of Venice’s many outdoor cafes and restaurants and get a taste of Italy with fresh pastas and pizzas. Just make sure you don’t eat or drink anything that you don’t want to pay for. It’s custom for waiters to bring you bread and bottled water you didn’t order and then add it to the tab. And no matter how cold it is outside, why not join everyone else in the city and complete your lunch with some creamy Italian gelato.  

Afterwards, embark on an adventure and take a stroll along the narrow walkways and bridges without a map and see what you can find.  Hidden shops, eateries and live entertainment add to the city’s charming character.  And don’t go home without a bit of shopping.  Venice has some of the most exquisite boutiques. Try on some Italian leather boots or Armani jeans.  Go on, treat yourself. You deserve it!  

Start the next day off with a water taxi ride over to the island of Murano to see glassmaking at its finest at one of its many glass factories.  Here you can take a guided tour and have the opportunity to experience the local glassmakers in action. You will learn about how glass is made from start to finish of a product.  You can also purchase these handmade items in the gift shop to take back home for souvenirs or gifts for friends and family.  

If you’re planning a vacation to Venice in the winter months try to make your way over in February so you can take part in the Carnival of Venice (Carnevale di Venezia). Dress up in your best masked attire and experience this famous annual festival with its parades, contests,  concerts, balls, dance lessons and more.  Originally started so Venetians could express themselves without being able  to distinguish one another’s social class behind their masks, this is a great way to celebrate with the locals as well as thousands of visitors who flock to the area for one of the most famous carnivals in the world.   

When you only have a couple of days to spend in Venice, you’re not going to get to see everything. But instead of hurrying around in a panic to see as much as you can, try to relax, enjoy the beauty, the people and the culture of this amazing city.  Socialise with the locals, eat food off the hidden track for some real Italian cooking and immerse yourself in the local customs and environment to see what this city has to offer.  And before you leave Venice and go back to reality, indulge in a little more gelato, because you can never have enough.  Delizioso!