Venice: Not Love at First Sight, But an Affair to Remember
Arriving in Venice for the first time
I’d always imagined arriving in Venice would feel like stepping into a beautiful old oil painting; sunlight reflecting off the canal, the drifting sound of a faraway accordion, a moment suspended in time. But when we finally arrived, it felt more like getting dropped headfirst into the middle of Downtown Disney at rush-hour. It turns out that Venice is not the easiest place for families in peak summer.
After leaving our hire car at the edge of the city, we immediately found ourselves in a crush of people dragging oversized suitcases across uneven cobblestones and steep stone bridges. Every few metres, the flow stalled… another narrow footpath, another photo op, another souvenir stand. Venice, it seemed, was bursting at the seams.
Where we stayed in Venice
We booked a canal-side Airbnb, seduced by the promise of ‘living like a local’, photos of high ceilings and a decadent water gate straight from the canal. But the reality was less romantic: slanted floors from water damage, a lingering scent of mildew, and sparse furnishings that felt more student share house than Venetian hideaway. In a city built on water, decay is part of the architecture, but comfort it turns out, can be hard to come by.
Is a gondola ride worth the hype?
Of course, we couldn’t visit Venice without taking a gondola ride. It’s the image we all conjure when we think of a trip to one of Italy’s most beloved cities; the slow drift beneath ancient stone bridges, the dark lacquered boat, the smiling gondolier. Every guidebook called it essential. So, we queued in the late afternoon sun, hopeful and overheated, holding onto the dream of Venice.
But the moment never quite arrived. Instead, we were ushered into a gondola with quiet efficiency, pushed out into the churn of the Grand Canal, turned in a neat loop between vaporettos and delivery boats, then returned to the dock fifteen minutes later. No hidden waterways. No serenade.
The gondola ride was something we felt we should do, and maybe that was the problem. A postcard experience executed like clockwork. Not unpleasant, but memorable for all the wrong reasons.
But then, just as I was ready to write off the dream of Venice, we found our way into the quieter corners. And that’s where the magic was hiding.
Ghosts and Legends Walking Tour
One of our best nights was spent on a Ghosts and Legends walking tour that started in a tucked-away campo just off the beaten track. We were promised eerie tales and haunted alleys, but in truth, it was more history than horror, which was just right for our kids.
As the sun dipped behind the rooftops, we wandered through the Castello district, past still canals and crooked doorways, listening to stories of noblemen, forbidden love and tragic deaths.
The tour ended in Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, and it turned into one of those evenings you never want to end. The kids ran circles around the square while we sat with salty crisps and cold spritzes outside a tiny bacaro that felt as old as time. We had found what we were looking for; not the Venice of glossy reels and curated charm, but a version that felt lived-in and lasting. A city that has weathered time with quiet pride, still offering itself to those who care to slow down and notice. It was the most relaxed I’d felt since we arrived, so we went back again the next night, just to sit and soak it in.
We learned that Venice has a different rhythm once you stop rushing to tick everything off a list. You have to let yourself get lost, which is surprisingly easy, given there are 118 islands and over 400 bridges that together make up the city.
Venice highlights
A highlight of our visit was found tucked away in a quiet corner of the Castello district, where we stumbled upon Libreria Acqua Alta. This whimsical bookshop was pure delight. Books were crammed into bathtubs and gondolas. Old boating paraphernalia lined the walls and at the back of the store, a staircase made entirely of books beckoned: ‘Follow the books… wonderful view!’ It was chaotic, dusty, and completely brilliant. Even our boys, usually allergic to bookstores, were spellbound. This store was definitely one of our favourite hidden gems in Venice.
So, for me, Venice was not love at first sight. Venice is not a gentle place for families in the height of summer. But once we stopped trying to have the “Venice experience” and just let ourselves explore, it offered up tiny treasures I’ll remember forever.
Sometimes, the most enchanting places are the ones that take a little time to reveal themselves. Venice made me work for it. But in the end, it was worth it. Not love at first sight, but as it turns out… an affair to remember.
What do you think? Have you been to Venice? What were your trip highlights?
