Venice: City of Romance

Things to See and Do on Venetian Getaway

Apr 1, 2009 Tina Costanza

Don't hate Venice because she's beautiful and romantic. For any negative comments critics may heap on her, she has as many positives to overcome those naysayers.

The Italian city ranks high on the list of the world’s most romantic destinations, and while it has its naysayers, those “nays” can be avoided so travellers can have a memorable visit. First settled in the early 7th century, Venice has fuelled inspiration — including that of the poets Lord Byron, William Wordsworth and William Shakespeare — with its nature and uniqueness.

It’s a city where gondolas and boats replace cars, narrow canals replace streets and antique-looking pastel-coloured buildings, where flowering plants adorn the balconies, replace skyscrapers. Its very essence is romantic. Quaint and pretty arched bridges stretch over the waterways, and cobblestones mark pedestrian friendly areas that open up onto sunlit piazzas with fountains or churches that house art by Titan, Bellini and Tintoretto.

When to Go To Venice

Venice’s detractors have deemed the city a crowded tourist trap. Critics have also said it literally stinks and the food isn’t great. While this could be said about any European city, these are all factors travellers can avoid.

Firstly, travellers should visit Venice after the height of tourist season, in the fall. Prices for hotels may be lower, as well as the number of tourists, which means shorter lineups at attractions like St. Mark’s Basilica. The temperature will be cooler, thus any unpleasant smells from the canals will be less perceptible, if at all. Also in autumn, and adding to the romantic air, fog creeps in at night and mist covers early mornings.

Travellers should consider veering away from touristy areas, and explore the canals and alleyways on foot. Such excursions can reveal delightful, picturesque sights, squares where the locals gather to talk, and cafes and restaurants where they eat. If they locals are eating at a certain establishment, the food must be good!

What to do in Venice

Gondolas and Venice go together like bread and butter. A ride on one of the long, narrow boats paddled by a gondolier can take passengers under arched bridges, and along the Grand Canal, the city’s main waterway, gliding past buildings from the Byzantine, Baroque and Renaissance periods.

Gondola rides can be romantic, but also pricey. Potential passengers can discuss a route they want to travel with the gondolier, and try to finagle a better price.

Other options for a ride on the water also exist: Vaporettos, which are equal to a bus, may sound less intimate, but they provide deckside seats. Boat rentals, complete with a brief lesson on operating the boat, are also available.

What to See in Venice

Many major airlines fly into Venice, and once there, tourists may want to take a water taxi to the centre of the action: The piazza at St. Mark’s Basilica. It’s an ideal place to enjoy a gelato from one of the shops surrounding the piazza, where stalls and booths selling postcards, T-shirts and inexpensive jewelry share space with pigeons.

Nearby is the Doges Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. The Bridge of Sighs is a covered bridge that connects the old prison with the palace. Lord Byron is reputed to have given the bridge its name, as he imagined convicts’ sighs of regret as guards led them across the bridge and to their cells.

The Campanile, a 314-foot former watchtower, is also by the piazza. For a small fee, visitors can access the panoramic balcony at the top, and gaze out over terra-cotta coloured roofs and across the sea.

The history, canals and architecture of Venice is what makes it unique and envelops it with an air of romance. Travellers may benefit mostly from a visit to the city in the autumn, where prices and crowds are less, and the overall atmosphere is more comfortable than in high season.

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