♥ Venice ♥ Venezia ♥ Venedig ♥ Venetsia ♥

...what ever this city is called in your native language, I am almost certain that all of us, or at least most of us, who have visited this magical city share the same kind of love for it.

MAGICAL!
There is really no better word to describe it... Especially just before sundown when the golden light spreads over Piazza san Marco, when the restaurants start to lit the candles on their outdoor tables and when lovers step into the gondolas to go for the classic tour on the canals...sipping on Champagne, staring into each others eyes, whispering declarations of love, exchanging sweet kisses (and rings) and building memories that will last them an entire lifetime.

The man in my life is french and he told me there is a french saying that goes something like "See Venice and die" and that really says a lot! Not that I plan to die any time soon if I have anything to do with it - but I have now finally seen it and I am so happy we went there. Another tick in the box in my "Bucket list" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/)!

BOAT PASS

Directly at arrival, we bought a 3 day boat/bus/train pass. This turned out to be very very useful and made it so easy to get around.

We even spent an entire afternoon getting on and off the boats at diffrent "stations" and ended up going around most of the island, or at least the most interesting parts. I'd definately recommend this to Venice travellers so you don't have to worry about having enough cash on you for the tickets and/or missing a boat while standing in line for your ticket purchases.

SHOPPING

Oh yes! It is also a shopping paradise with everything from exclusive high-end brands to cheap, local jewels...

Surprisingly I spent most of my shopping time on finding the perfect Venetian carneval masks and was completely obsessed by trying them out in diffrent shapes and colours. In the end I bought two masks (I'm wearing one of them in the picture above).

We will for sure come back to Venice and the aim is to be there during the carnival! I can't even imagine what that's gotta be like.......

HOTEL

The hotel we stayed at was a 4 star hotel called Al Codega, http://www.hotelalcodega.com/ , perfectly located between Rialto and Piazza san Marco. Probably not the cheapest option - but I give it my warmest recommendation! Very Venice-knowledged staff and great service. They even arranged for me to have soy-milk for my breakfast, free of charge, as I'm sensitive to lactose (they also warmed it for my morning coffee).

The room was charming and really what we had hoped for! Just what I had imagined the typical Venice style to be like with an old, heavy velvet-curtain, charming look - but with modern appliances and very clean.

We booked this hotel via booking.com which sometimes gives you rates that are a lot lower than booking through the hotels own websites.

BURANO

45 minutes by boat from Venize, there is this incredibly charming little island called Burano

(even here you can go with the boat/bus/train pass).

This is one of the many pleasures of travelling with my photographer boyfriend as he takes me to these places I would never have thought of or found on my own.

The whole island (quite small actually) is a little fishing village - but what is really special about it is all the colourful little houses! It's like you enter a whole new world when you walk into the heart of the village. Don't miss this photogenique little gem!!

Venice was one of the most enchanting trips I've ever been on!

If you are thinking about going, my advice to you is

"Stop thinking and act"! It's just one of those places you should see at least once in a lifetime. I doubt you will regret it (unless you have a very bad pigeon phobia ;))

Ciao xox

Linda

Once lost in Venice... (but now back in Switzerland again)