Of the 131 things to see and do in Venice, as proposed by a map I picked up at the tourist office, 56 were churches, 48 palaces & museums and 11 historical schools. A further six suggested theatres and several of the 10 attractions under the 'Points of Interest' subheading were markets. My heart sank - I've never been hugely interested in churches or museums, and shopping is a painful chore that only worms its way into my schedule when absolutely necessary. Had I chosen the wrong city to end my two week jaunt on the Continent?
To put it simply, no. Despite having been awake for 24 hours by the time I floated into Venice and the gentle rocking of a boat I could only hope was going in the right direction proving inconveniently conducive to sleep, I somehow managed to summon up the energy to admire how unique the city really is. It was all up from there, and I spent three lovely days knocking down the foundations upon which my initial concerns were built, without a church or an art gallery in sight.
While I generally like to spend a good three or four days in a city, I think Venice can easily be done in just two - and that's at a leisurely pace. Here's how I brought my European gallivanting to a close:
1. Piazza San Marco
Perhaps with the exception of floating down the Grand Canal on a gondola, strolling through St Mark's Square is the most touristy thing you can do in Venice, but there's a reason so many people are drawn to this area. The walls of the impressive buildings behind the square's celebrity status are laced with intricate carvings and patterns, cooking up a real feast for the eyes in every possible direction. With exquisite detail wherever you shift your gaze, an abundance of al fresco dining options and shops selling locally crafted glass and lace manufactured on nearby islands Murano and Burano, it's no wonder tourists flock to this bustling piazza.
If you do one thing in San Marco, go up the Campanile, which provides stunning views of Venice for €8, and when leaving the square keep an eye out for the famous Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospire), which connected the Old Prison in the Doge's Palace to the New Prison across the water, and is where legend has it the heavy sighs of felons could be heard as they snatched their last glimpse of Venice before being locked away. The name is an invention of Romantic poet Lord Byron, from his 1812 work Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: "I stood in Venice on the Bridge of Sighs, a palace and a prison on each hand".
2. Winding waterways
Founded 1,600 years ago on a marshy lagoon, Venice is something of a masterpiece, with its emerald blue-green canals relieving a vastly urban landscape dominated by stone and stuccoed walls. These gondola-lined waterways (which put the murky Thames to shame) are flanked by buildings where doors open straight onto the water, bestowing a unique air upon the city - it's an incredible feat of architecture like nowhere else on the planet. Surrendering some time to the canals that made Venice an essential stop on any European travel route is a must, whether you achieve this on a gondola, aboard a water taxi, at a canal side restaurant or reading in a quiet back street watching the word float by.
3. Narrow back streets
I thought the canals were a bit on the narrow side, with skilled gondoliers manoeuvering these typical Venetian rowing boats to the side to make room for two-way traffic and gracefully stooping under low-slung bridges. Then I veered away from the tourist spots on dry land and felt like I'd fallen down the rabbit hole. With doorways so low I actually ducked out of necessity rather than wishful thinking, narrow passageways that can't accommodate two people going opposite ways and backstreets plunged into almost complete darkness even in the middle of the day, the maze of streets surrounding the main visitor draws are well worth exploring, not to mention a great way to escape the crowds. The signposted route from Piazza San Marco to Ponte di Rialto makes a good starting point, but after that put down the map and lose yourself in the crumbling facades and hidden corners the less well-trodden streets have to offer.
4. Burano
I'd read several posts online warning tourists to avoid both Burano, famous for its lace trade, and Murano, where the impressive glass ornaments adorning Venice shop windows are lovingly created. However, after conducting a quick Google Image search for Burano, I chose to ignore the reviews and make the two hour journey to this tiny island north-east of Venice - and I'm so glad I did. Burano may be small but it makes up for what it lacks in size in formidable beauty. Being 5'2'' (and a little biased), I'm a great believer in the saying that good things come in small packages, and Burano does nothing but add to the evidence. Despite being a neighbouring island, the brightly coloured houses and enchanting crooked bell tower that characterise this sleepy fisherman's village are a world away from the faded facades of Venice's white-grey cityscape.
Lime green, Mediterranean blue and sunshine yellow with colourful flower boxes in the windows to match: the homes on this quaint patchwork island have unwittingly created a fabulous al fresco art gallery that has the bewitching power to hold the wandering gaze of tourists - and of course it provides photo opportunities by the gallon. Plus, with wild grassy areas tracing the island's outline - where you'll get a feel for the 'real' Burano away from snap happy tourists - it is also an oasis for those seeking rural respite. I cannot recommend it enough!
Out of everything I did, I have to admit that simply sitting on a bench looking out across the water came up trumps, closely followed by my spontaneous trip to Burano. It's currently late afternoon, and I'm sat comfortably on a bench along the waterfront away from the centre, watching as the sinking sun gradually extinguishes the spectacular skyline, transforming churches and palazzis into intricate silhouettes and lending a shimmering orange glow to the vast expanse of water that isolates Venice from the mainland. I can feel the pent-up frustration from battling the crowds all morning melt with each soothing lap of the gentle waves, and the light breeze offers welcome relief from the heat of the day.
However, there's a sense of urgency pervading these rare moments of peace: the city is sinking and it faces an uncertain future as the sea levels in the Adriatic continue to rise. Venice has long been a source of inspiration for poets and novelists, but it may not be around for much longer - so it's all the more important to grasp the opportunity to see it if you can.
