Venice is a city you want to keep coming back to again and again. This was my third trip there, and I’m already ready to go back! The first time was in 2009 with my husband, then in 2016 with friends, and now with my kids and mom. Three different trips, with different experiences, but the city is equally wonderful every time!
I’ve long wanted to show Venice to my children. But a city with so many opportunities for my active boys to fall into the water seemed like a challenge. But everything came together—my boys grew up, there’s now a direct flight from us to Venice, and the situation in the world only says one thing: dreams shouldn’t be postponed. Somewhere in mid-March, while having breakfast, I casually mentioned, “Oh, look how cheap the tickets to Venice are…” And the boys shouted in unison, “Mom, let’s go!” So I decided it was time! And I also thought, it’s mom’s birthday, and the best gift for her would be a trip. So mom came with us (quite an adventure! 🙂 )
So, I bought the tickets, booked an apartment, and that was it. I didn’t prepare for the trip at all, decided to let it unfold as it would, and see what we could. And we managed to see a lot, especially considering that on the first day after lunch, a good downpour with strong winds hit, so we only walked through souvenir shops… And in the evening, when we decided to have dinner, we realized it’s not so easy without a reservation, which, of course, we didn’t have. Food in Venice is generally a sad story—the city attracts crowds of tourists, and the narrow streets are as packed as the subway, and as the locals say, the situation has almost returned to normal. With so many tourists arriving for a few days, restaurants don’t need to worry about food—prices are decent, but the food is ordinary. For those who’ve been to other parts of Italy, it might seem unusual. But we knew about this and weren’t going for the food.
We went for the experiences, and there were plenty of those! The weather cleared up for the next two days, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly! On the first day, we took the Vaporetto (water bus) to Murano and Burano—two islands near Venice, where neither my mom nor I had been before. Murano is famous for its glassmaking, and Burano for lace and colorful houses. You can see everything in one day.
On Murano, we saw a glassblowing demonstration, which was a delight for both adults and kids! But the island itself didn’t make as strong an impression after Venice. Burano, on the other hand, is something else! It felt like stepping into a fairy tale! We wanted to stay there longer!
On the second day, we just wandered around Venice aimlessly. We took a Vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal. And it didn’t matter that I had seen all these lace-like palaces before—each one is a work of art! It’s an incredible sight, and you could look at it forever! St. Mark’s Square, all the main bridges and little bridges, the most stunning views—we saw everything!
And the delicious Italian ice cream and Aperol Spritz, which they sell to-go when they see a mom with two active kids… Just kidding they sell to everyone! And a gondola ride through the small canals—my dream come true! And the cherry on top—a glass of wine at Café Florian, the oldest café not just in Venice but in the world!
I’ve regained my second wind and the desire to keep going—I don’t know what could be better than a few days in Italy, maybe a couple of weeks in Italy?