A Venice mini itinerary
My honest take and the gems I found
Venice is a place I’d never really had an appetite to visit. It’s crowded, it’s hot as hell in the summer months, and it’s wildly over-touristed. I wasn’t Venice curious until I saw this video on YouTube of how it was built in 421AD—you should absolutely watch it, but the gist is that they had extremely advanced waste management and water collection systems, even by today’s standards, and most of the original infrastructure is still standing. Venice was built on top of wooden piles driven into mud (in the 5th century!!), and same piles remain today. Slay.
Still, had it not been for logistics and curiosity, I don’t think I would have visited. On a recent trip to the Dolomites, and I found myself booking an early return flight to NYC out of Venice’s Marco Polo airport, which meant I had one afternoon and one night to in Venice see what all of the fuss was about.
My honest take? I get why Jeff and Lauren decided to get married in Venice. It can be cinematic and romantic. It’s the kind of place that photographs wonderfully, especially if you’re in a gondola sipping an Aperol spritz in full glam. But walk a few feet in any direction and that perfect illusion cracks like a mirror thrown on concrete.
If Amazon were a place, it would be Venice—the city feels like a case study in overconsumption. There are entire stores dedicated to rubber ducks in stupid themed costumes. Leather goods of questionable integrity are sold next to €2 magnets and shitty Murano glass dupes. Everything is for sale, but nothing really feels worth buying—opulence and kitsch fight hard for your attention on every street and alleyway, unless you’re in a residential area. It’s the Amazonification of culture.
Choosing to visit Venice is like choosing to have sex with a hot unemployed musician you’ve met at a bar—ideally, your time together shouldn’t last more than 12 hours. You’ll leave overheated and sticky with rivulets of sweat dripping down your back, and you’ll maybe even spend the night and regret it. But among all of the glaring personality red flags you’ve chosen to ignore, there’s still kind of a fleeting beauty you might not be able to resist. Sure, you’ll be glad you went there, but you’ll only go there once.
That said, I did manage to find some gems during my twelve waking hours here—there are architectural marvels to be seen, and residential neighborhoods are gorgeous. If you find yourself stuck in Venice for awhile (due to an extended layover, a questionable friend’s wedding, or a momentary lapse in travel judgement), here’s how I’d recommend you spend it. You’ll walk a lot, eat a lot, and shop a bit, but only for things that aren’t made out of carcinogenic plastic, I promise. Venice wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be it for you.
A mini itinerary
Where to stay
Il Palazzo Experimental—Tucked away from the tourist mayhem, this is the perfect place to set up home base. Think comfortable beds with crisp linens, bathrooms with soaking tubs, and a bar that makes a mean Negroni that you should absolutely enjoy. Service is immaculate, breakfast is delicious and prompt, and the room keys are tasseled and weighty.
What to eat
Our favorite stop was Vino Vero. This is in a more residential neighborhood, so you’ll dine among locals catching up over glasses of biodynamic wine and chicetti. If there are no tables, dangle your legs over the canal while enjoying your glass and watching the boat traffic.
Gelateria il Doge is considered to be the best in Venice among locals. There won’t be a line because tourists haven’t really discovered it yet. A scoop of pistachio is a must order— it pairs flawlessly with a scoop of milk chocolate. This will serve as fuel for the rest of the walking you’ll be doing around the city, and makes the perfect pit stop, especially on a hot day.
