When I was younger, my family came to Venice, Italy for one of my dad’s job conferences (similar to the one we were on during this trip). Venice is by far one of my favorite places to visit in the world. Sadly, it has become extremely populated by tourists (okay, I know I technically count as a tourist, but I’m not the one hitting people with my selfie stick…). I LOVE Italian architecture and have studied Venetian artists my whole life. I haven’t even included the amazing food (although you’ll have to go away from the main attractions to find authentic food)! Still hoping I learn Italian in this lifetime so I can retire to this beautiful country and drink good wine and slow lifestyle for the rest of my days (a girl can dream). BUT, until that happens, I’m happy just visiting in the meantime.
So, being a 20-something year old being, I thought I knew how to pack for the trip. BUT, my bougie needs required a roller suitcase. Yeah, I brought a gigantic suitcase so I’d have the appropriate clothes for any occasion. SOMEHOW I forgot how heavy my suitcase would be when it was FULL. It weighed in at a whopping 38 pounds at the bag-check counter. While dad gave me an eye-brow raise, I secretly cheered with delight! That means I have room to bring stuff home without an additional charge! This triumph was SHORT lived when I had to transport said suitcase across airports, water taxis, and cobble-stoned paths (WHICH ARE NARROW). I debated including this sassy photo of me, but I thought you guys needed to see the truth behind heavy packing! I want to say I learned my lesson, but #noregrets.
We arrived in Venice around midnight, so we stayed at Hotel Marco Polo before heading to our main hotel for the trip, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice on the banks of Giudecca Island. The restored flour mill is an iconic piece of industrial architecture. This hotel was one of the coolest places I have ever stayed! There was a rooftop pool with panoramic views and a water taxi stand directly outside. This would be my top recommendation for staying somewhere in Venice if you wanted a peaceful escape from the city’s intensities.
There were so many tourists dropped off each day. You can see how LARGE the cruise ships are! Imagine 5 of those dumped on the main city every day! By the end of the week, I was just as annoyed as the actual locals! The cruise ships were such an eyesore to the scenery! Just a little expectations vs. reality photo capture of these magnificent places.
Next post talks about Romeo and Juliet in the one-and-only- VERONA, ITALY.
