Buongiorno! Venice was a dream come true when my husband surprised me for our first anniversary.

This beautiful place which speaks nothing but love! The city which I had only seen in pictures, I will now be seeing it in real and I was more than excited! The buildings and the history of this beautiful city are just mesmerising. I was so pleased to spend my first anniversary here with my man!

We flew from Manchester direct to Venice with EasyJet, duration was about 2h25mins.

Arriving at Venice Marco Polo Airport we didn’t realise that we had to take a 20 minute taxi from there to get to the ‘actual’ city! I didn’t have time to do any background checks on this city prior to getting there so I was basically like a new born baby with no idea where I was!

So, I’m sure majority of you guys know this, I would have thought I knew too but I guess I had lost my common sense (lol) but there are no cars in the ‘actual’city – only boats and gondolas. This was tee bit scary because we had no clue how to get to our hotel!

Where we got dropped off, it felt like we were about to enter a whole new city, it was beyond awe and I tell ya, taking that view in was a breath of fresh air! But then I remembered we were lost bugs.

For once, my husbands phone was charged and we managed to put our destination on google maps but it told us to walk across the water??? So we tossed the idea of using google maps, and instead we asked people around and we got onto a water taxi. Unfortunately we got dropped off nowhere near our hotel (so it looked like).

Guys, be prepared for a lot of walking. Thank the sweet jellybeans that we had just two cabin bags so we literally had to carry them around everywhere-from our taxi drop off point until we got to our hotel. On the way however we saw Saint Mark’s Basilica and it was gorgeous.

We finally got to our hotel, The Westin Europa & Regina and I have never been so happier seeing a bed!

The next morning, Gondola ride was on schedule, even though it was freezing cold we bravely went for a ride and it was the best part of the trip! We practically saw most of Venice thanks to our gondolier.

Top 5 things to do in Venezia:

1. Gondola Ride

   Gondola rides are Venice’s signature activity! You cannot not to do this activity whilst you’re here. The gondoliers are friendly and it is not overly priced but in fact totally worth every penny since you get a tour through the Grand Canal and of course the small waterways.

2. Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark’s Square)

   This square is the epicentre of Venice and it is always bustling with tourists! Over here you can visit the Basilica of San Marco, it is one of the most beautiful and carefully designed cathedrals in the world. Doges Palace is another place to visit in the square. Or if you’re not really into history then you can sit in one of the many cafes in the square and have some delicious Italian desserts with a cup of coffee (just like we did).

3. Murano and Burano

   Sounds like the names of two twin brothers (lol). But we visited these islands and they are definitely worth the visit when you’re in Venice. We took the water taxi to both places and at that time we thought that was the only option we had. Murano is most famous for its glass making souvenirs and I tell ya there’s some talent out there in the world! Burano on the other hand is known for its bright coloured houses and it was so pretty!

4. Wander the streets

   You can hardly see any cars which means there’s only streets and bridges for pedestrians, filled with shops, restaurants and cafes. The views from some of the bridges around the city are really picturesque and it is definitely a good idea to have a stroll around and take some selfies.

5. Eat, eat and eat!

   You can never go wrong with Italian cuisine, I mean seriously how can you possibly resist a cannoli or a yummy tiramisu?? Oh and don’t forget pizza! You will never stay hungry in this city I assure you.

6. Top tips:

   1. Travel light

      Seriously, there’s a lot of walking to do, you’re best being a backpacker for a couple of days.

   2. Be prepared to get lost

      I mean literally google maps is not one of the best things to use in this city where there’s more water than land but nonetheless you’ll get to explore and eventually find your way to your destination with asking people around.

   3. The best time to visit Venice? All year around

      If you like a city to be more buzzing then summer is the best time however if you like a little bit of peace and the feeling of having the city all to yourself then winter is the perfect time. We visited Venice in the winter and we explored all parts of this city and didn’t miss out on anything.

   I hope this article inspires you to visit this beautiful place 🙂