The Colors of Burano - Wordless Wednesdays

Venice - A Misty Morning

On sunny days Venice sparkles. But when the sun gets high and hot, the island heats up and quickly grows muggy. I preferred days when with a bit more cloud cover. It doesn't take much to make a romantic moment in Venice, but I found misty mornings to feel particularly mysterious. And photogenic.

Five Things You Must Do When Visiting Venice

This year Venice's world famous Carnival runs from February 15th through March 5th. I wish I could be in Italy for the 2014 Carnival, unfortunately I'm stuck in frigid, snowy Southern, Indiana. Instead here's a look back at the highlights from my visit, they're a perfect escape from the festive madness of Carnivale! Last spring I spent six days on the island and covered most of the main attractions as well as quite a few lesser known sites. Since the trip I've had some time to reflect on my visit and these five highlights stand out as the most positive and memorable experiences. Of course there are many, many, more things to do and see in Venice, but if you have just a few days in the city here's where I think you should start.

Venice - The Doge's Palace

You can't miss the Doge's Palace. No really, it's inescapable, you can't see any of Venice's main sights without walking or sailing past the palace. The elegant peach and white patterned brick walls and carved windows lead you from the lagoon right into St. Mark's Square. The Doge's Palace, aka the Palazzo Ducale or the Duke's Palace, is one of Venice's top attractions. It's easy to see why. Every inch of the palace is designed leave visitors in awe. And it's here you'll find one of Venice's most iconic landmarks, Santa di Spirito, the Bridge of Sighs.

Venice - A Gray Day

I really lucked out weather-wise during my trip to Venice. Most of my days were full of sunshine and sea breezes.But there were some misty mornings, one gray afternoon, and a rainy evening in the mix. Venice in the rain is a different kind of magical. The precipitation slicks up the alleys and courtyards, bringing out hundreds of years of grit and grime. The city feels older and the tourists thin out. And the locals emerge, reeling in their laundry and shopping with their umbrellas. So, if you're stuck in the rain on Venice don't despair. Visit as many churches as you can stand, breaking for a gelato at every stop. That's why every gelateria has an awning after all.

Venice - A Day in Burano

A day trip to Burano was one of the very first activities I planned for my trip to Venice. I do a lot of my travel brainstorming by browsing photos on flickr. I'll read about a place in a guidebook or on tripadvisor then head over to flickr to look at shots by real people, searching tags and groups until I have a feeling about the location. All it took to convince me to visit Burano was one flickr search and the resulting barrage of colorful shots had me practically booking my ticket on the spot.

Venice - St. Mark's in Black & White

Venice - Rialto Market / Mercato di Rialto

I've said it before, but give me a foreign country and a food market and I'm a happy girl. Venice's Rialto Market is smaller in scope and size than Borough Market and La Boqueria, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in charm. For one thing, it's open air, so natural light and fresh air are much easier to come by. The fish market housed under tall columns while the fresh market is shaded by tents, and the view of the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge is unbeatable!

Rialto is clearly geared towards Venetians shopping for groceries. There are no prepared food stalls (though Pronto Pesce and plenty of restaurants are just around the corner,) just lots and lots of fish, fruit, and vegetables. It's located right off the Grand Canal in an easy to find (for Venice) location. Take vaporetto #2 down the Grand Canal and disembark at the Rialto stop, cross the big white bridge and follow the masses. Take some time to browse the market, there are so many opportunities for great photographs. If you're feeling peckish there are plenty of options around the market for a snack. Pick up some fresh fruit from one of the stalls or venture out of the market to one of the bakeries around the corner.

Venice - Libreria Acqua Alta + Trattoria Alla Madonna

Here's the thing, Venice is a small island, but I still think its easier to get lost than it is to find your way to a planned destination. Even when you're following a map. Travelling by vaporetto is much simpler. The Grand Canal carves in and around Venice's biggest hits, laying out the city. So it was funny when I stumbled, on foot, onto Libreria Acqua Alta the first time. I just turned a corner and there it was.

Venice by Vaporetto (at Night) - Wordless Wednesdays

Venice - Pronto Pesce

Twice I tried to find Pronto Pesce and failed. I honestly don't know how I missed it. In general, I had a hard time with food in Venice. Despite some extensive research, blog recommendations, and a google map full of potential restaurants, things just didn't come together like I'd hoped. That's not to say I didn't eat any good food (I did, read on!) but I barely made it to any of my planned culinary destinations. Everyone says get a good map and don't worry about getting lost. Well, I didn't worry about getting lost, but even with a so-called 'good map,' Venice is a maze of canals and alleys, restaurants are tucked around odd corners and hidden in plain sight.

Venice - Pizza, Pizza, Everywhere

Every guide book, blog post, word of mouth recommendation about Venice says to let yourself get lost, don't worry about a schedule. And it's true, some of my favorite moments in the city came from picking a direction and just wandering, making decisions turn by turn, bridge by bridge. But when you travel this way, occasionally you wander so long that all of the sudden you're exhausted and starving, in need of a chair and a good meal right now. And due to the unstructured nature of my travel I rarely ended up in close proximity (or even in the mood to hunt down) any of the restaurant recommendations I'd haphazardly marked on my map. Thank goodness for pizza and gelato.