Travel to Venice, Italy, the City on the Water that is Always Enchanting

Before setting foot in Venice, I didn't have much expectation of Venice. Many travel blogs I have read say Venice is too mainstream, too much visited because Venice is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. I've also heard that excessive tourism is dangerous because it can ruin many iconic places in the world, including Venice. Meanwhile, people also began to comment that Venice doesn't feel like a real city, instead it feels like a theme park. With this kind of article widely circulated on the internet, I am getting ready to be disappointed with Venice. But it turned out that didn't happen. Venice is amazing, beautiful, and unique. If Dubrovnik, Croatia is nicknamed the "Pearl of the Adriatic", then Venice, Italy gets the nickname "Queen of the Adriatic" because of venice's maritime power in the past. Venice has a string of other nicknames such as "City of Canals", The Floating City", "City of Masks", "City of Water", "City of Bridges", "La Dominante", and "La Serenissima". When traveling to Venice, I feel the nicknames above are appropriate to describe Venice. The lagoon and part of the city of Venice have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The setting of Venice above the lagoon is unique, making the city of Venice so iconic and a very popular tourist destination around the world. Venice consists of 118 islands located in a shallow lagoon called The Venezia Lagoon.

THINGS TO SEE & DO

1. San Marco Basilica (St.Mark's Basilica)

It is difficult not to notice the presence of the San Marco Basilica in Piazza San Marco. Even when I travel to Venice it's raining heavily, I'm still amazed by this Byzantine Italian-style church. Just pay attention to the front façade filled with artwork, statues, and detailed decorations. Looks fantastic! While the inner walls are beautifully painted, so is the ceiling of its dome decorated with Byzantine artwork. The San Marco Basilica building influenced western European, Islamic, and Byzantine architectural styles. It is related to Venice's past as a major power in the oceans at that time. To get into this church built since 1902 I had to queue for about half an hour. If the front façade is amazing, actually the inside looks old and ordinary. Church admission is actually free, but to get into some special sections you need to buy a ticket.

2. Piazza San Marco (St.Mark's Square) 

While St. Mark's Basilica is the most popular building in Venice, Piazza San Marco is the most famous square. Located on the Grand Canal and overlooking the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Piazza San Marco is one of the first places tourists travel to Venice. This square looks beautiful because it is surrounded by stunning buildings such as San Marco Basilica, Campanile, Doge's Palace, Torre dell'Orologio, and beautiful buildings with arched gates. It's hard not to miss a moment in Piazza San Marco. 

3. Campanile 

The orange tower opposite the San Marco Basilica is 98.6 meters high. The building is made of red brick and at the top stands a golden statue of the angel Gabriel. Campanile built in 1902 used to serve as a watchtower but is now a viewing tower for tourists who travel to Venice and want to see the best views of Venice from above. 

4. Canale Grande (Grand Canal)

There are hundreds of canals running between the islands of Venice, and the Grand Canal is the largest. While traveling to Venice, I took a walk around the Grand Canal while observing the bustle around it. Starting from a row of ancient buildings from the 13th century along the canal, 4 bridges filled with tourists, to traffic along the busy canal with passing gondolas. 

5. Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) 

One of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal is the most famous. Rialto Bridge has become an icon of Venice thanks to its exquisite design and details. The Rialto Bridge was originally built of wood but collapsed in 1524. After that it was rebuilt from stone. Because it has become a popular tourist destination in Venice, to cross the bridge even the road must be slow because this bridge is crowded with tourists passing by and photographs. In addition there are also several souvenir and jewelry stores above the Rialto bridge. In addition to Ponte in Rialto, the Bridge of Sighs is also very beautiful. 

6. Doge's Palace

Located in Piazza San Marco, Doge's Palace is one of the most beautiful buildings in the square. Right next to the San Marco Basilica, to get into the Doge's Palace on a walk to Venice, you'll need to pay 20 Euros (and stand in line!). Indeed, the ticket price is not cheap, but it is worth it if you like art and architecture. The exterior of Doge's Palace already looks very charming with impressive details such as diamond motifs and rows of curved gates made of white stone. Moreover, the interior, must be more stunning. 

7. Ride a Gondola 

Indeed the price is not cheap, about 100 Euros, but you can outsmart it by riding with some other tourists. One of the best experiences in Venice is riding a gondola. When traveling to Venice, make sure you take a gondola ride in Venice. Even if you are not so interested in taking a gondola, do not miss the opportunity to get around Venice by vaporetto (water bus). Tickets are only 7 Euros per hour. I chose to buy a daily ticket of 20 Euros which allowed me to go back and forth to several islands until satisfied, including to Burano.

8. Burano Island in Burano Island 

A must-visit while in Venice. Burano is a beautiful island that amazes every visitor with a row of colorful houses and buildings. The island is famous as the center of glass craft. There are many gift shops that sell handicrafts made of glass. Like Venice, in Burano there are also many canals that separate its islands and are connected to many small bridges.