Good morning! I finally put the finishing touches on my post about our Venice trip. My goal is to tell you a little about what we did, where we went and what we loved with some helpful info for you to use on your own trip. Venice is such a unique place that is definitely worth checking out, even if it is only for 24 hours!
Planning our Venice Trip
You could easily plan for this trip and spend hours getting your itinerary ready. You could have every place you are going planned out and down to the bus stop location and schedule. (Guilty!) I know I may go a little overboard when planning (I can you tell I’m type A?!). However, when you visit Venice, you can forget about all that planning. You will get lost. Period. End of story.
For some reason, my OCD-ness didn’t give me too much anxiety when we were in Venice. You’re supposed to get lost! If you think about it, you really can’t even get that lost. The whole place is surrounded by water! From the moment you step out of the busy train station, prepare to wander the narrow walkways and winding corridors that give Venice its beauty and charm.
We knew that Venice was on our bucket list while in Italy. The issue was Venice is a 4 hour train ride from Rome. We already had a lot packed into our trip but decided 24 hours in Venice was better than zero hours in Venice. Of course we would have loved to stay little longer, but we did what we could in the time we had and loved every single minute.
Getting a taxi in Italy:
Take a My Taxi to Roma Termini Train Station
Because we wanted as much time in Venice as possible so we decided to leave Rome fairly early in the morning. We used an app called My Taxi to schedule a pickup from our apartment to the airport. This was our first time using the app and found it very helpful. If you are familiar with Uber or Lyft here in the States, then this is the app for you when traveling in Italy. Italy does not have Uber and this app will order you a taxi similar to the way you use Uber. Forget about having to fiddle around with foreign change, the app also lets you pay through them.
The only downside I found to using this app is that if you schedule your ride in advance, the cab can start charging you from whatever location they are at when the start their trip to your pickup location. This can add up quick so just give yourself time to order the taxi closer to when you are ready to leave instead of scheduling far in advance.
Take a train to Venice
The easiest way to get to Venice from Rome is to take the train. There are 70 trains that leave from Rome to Venice per day so there is definitely one that will work for you. You can purchase your tickets ahead of time online at Italiariil. Be sure to look for the direct trains when purchasing your tickets and save yourself a ton of time.
Once you arrive in Venice, the best way to get around it by foot! Believe me when I say there is no right or wrong way to get places in Venice. Google maps is a lifesaver and we used it many times to find our way around.
Where to Stay in Venice
There are so many options for hotels in Venice but found them to be little more expensive than we wanted to spend. Venice is expensive no matter what, but we found a great Airbnb apartment that was perfect for what we needed. The location of this apartment was ideal for the short time we had. It’s not too far from the train station and is still quiet enough that you can get some good sleep (which is definitely necessary after all that travel).
This apartment has 1 bedroom with another pull-out bed and one bathroom. The kitchen is small like many European homes, but who needs to cook when you have the most delicious Italian food literally right out your front door! If you’re interesting in booking the same apartment we stayed in, you can find it here.
Photo Credit: Airbnb
What to do:
•St. Mark’s Square•
No trip to Venice is complete without a visit to Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square. Simply known as The Piazza to most, this area is one of the most popular places to visit in Venice. With the exception of the early morning, we found the square to be bustling place full of tourists, pigeons and delicious (but pricy) cappuccinos at the outdoor cafes.
Thinking that we were again lost in the narrow walkways, our next turn opened up into the enormous piazza. The first thing that caught my eye is the beautiful Basilica di San Marco at the far east end. With its many golden mosaics and sculptures, it’s easy to understand why it is known as the “church of gold”.
We enjoy sleeping in when on vacation but heard the early morning is the best time to see the Piazza without the crowds. Unfortunately we couldn’t get our heads off the pillow that early (I blame the limoncello!). We instead went back a second time after dark. Once the sun goes down, the square is even more magical! The dueling cafe orchestras are one of my favorite parts of Venice so so we treated ourselves to some (more) gelato and skipped from one orchestra to the next.
•Gondola Ride•
I know what you’re thinking and yes, its an expensive tourist attraction. However, we loved it! I will admit that it may not have been the most romantic experience. It feels more like a ride through It’s a Small World at Disney, but it was one of those things we just couldn’t leave without experiencing. I can be expensive and you could easily spend around $100 per person for a 30 minute private gondola tour at sunset. Or you could go for the less expensive option that will run you about $50 per person for a shared gondola meaning you would have up to 6 people in the boat with you. If you love meeting new people, then this might be your best option.
Since there were 4 of us traveling, we found a private tour that was priced for the whole boat, not per person. This seemed to be the least expensive option we could find and still have our own private boat. We were also able to book a time slot so we wouldn’t have to wait in the long line of tourists waiting at the gondola pier. If there’s only two of you, this option might be a little more expensive. But, for larger groups, this tour might save you a few bucks. You can find the tour we used here. When we went, it cost €100 but now looks like the price has increased to €105 ($123) for up to 6 people.
•Rialto Bridge•
If you decide to go to Venice, I’m sure this famous bridge is on your list. The bridge is the oldest one of the four crossing the grand canal. It’s is packed with adorable tourist shops and can get quite busy at times, but it is definitely worth a walk across to admire the beautiful canal view.
Where to eat:
•Pizzaria All’Anfora•
We came across Pizzeria All’Anfora shortly after dropping off our bags at our Airbnb. Actually, we walked by it a couple of times because it looked so small from the front. Then we saw a small sign that said it had a garden in the back so we thought we would give it a try. We walked through the small seating area inside and were surprised by the peaceful garden out back. It was the perfect place for some pizza away from the crowds. Just be prepared to spend some time looking through the 4+ pages of pizzas on the menu!
•La Lista Bistro•
I. Love . Breakfast. We never did get used to the typical European breakfast of an espresso and pastry. A place for a more substantial meal is always on our radar but it’s surprisingly difficult to find restaurants that served eggs and bacon. We knew we were at the right place when we stopped at La Lista Bistro. We all found something on the menu that was delicious and all left satisfied and ready for more adventure. After all, getting lost expends a lot of calories!
Storing our Bags
We had to check out of our Airbnb in the morning but our train didn’t leave until the afternoon. Our bags were way too heavy to carry around with us all morning and we weren’t about to spend an hour in the bag drop line at the train station.
Instead, we found a small little shop just to the right of the stairs as you walk into the train station. For only €5 for the day and no line, we were off to breakfast with our bags safely stored till later.
The 24 hours went fast but we are so glad we took the time to see Venice. Not having cars around was a nice change from Rome. The beauty of Venice lies within the narrow walkways and canals so take your time to explore small shops and quiet cafes.
I hope you decide to keep Venice on your list, even if it is only for 24 hours. If you have already been to Venice, please leave a comment below on what your favorite part was!
