So I reluctantly left the great Fenice Flat with my gondola view. Lucky for me, the owner, Maurizio (an Airbnb Superhost), had a few other properties in Venice and could host me for one night in the Venice San Marco Apartment. Unlike the boutique designer inspired flat, I’m now in a standard apartment on the canal (different gondolas and experience here). I was still in the area of the Fenice flat – just five minutes away – but closer to Rialto bridge.

Francesca, Maurizio’s wife,  would meet me at the Fenice flat at check-out to walk me to the San Marco apartment. With another maze of zigs and zags (and photos taken as reference points along the way), we turned down an opening in the wall with a few more zigs and zags before arriving in the courtyard. I’m always amazed at what lies behind the walls. This time I’m on the 1^st floor (for Americans that means the 2^nd floor and one flight of stairs to haul my luggage). If arriving by vaporetto, you would exit at Rialto from the #1 or #2 line and it is then a ten minute walk with no bridges.

Airbnb Venice Italy – Canal View Apartments

This one is easy to find as there are signs to the Bovolo stairs, a much photographed Venice tourist attraction – the Gothic palace with cylindrical stairs. You will see a few groups in the courtyard during the day and the occassional photographer.

When Francesca opened the door to give me the quick tour, the apartment looked exactly like the photos except brighter. The ceilings have wood beams, the walls have Venice prints and the space felt inviting.

The Bedroom

A nicely sized separate bedroom looking out to the courtyard below. The closet armoire is stocked with hangers and a safe.  There are outside shutters on the windows and it was cool to open those in the morning as I’ve seen so many other Venice residents do over the years.

The Bathroom

The bathroom is down the hall from the bedroom next to the entryway. The small bathroom has one bath towel (again wish I had an extra but only one night) and a hand towel. There was a bottle of shower gel. The shower is a bit interesting as there is no delineation to separate it just a shower curtain and tile floor. A handheld shower unit is provided. The sink has three drawers – one with extra toilet paper (2 rolls), one with the hairdryer and one empty for your toiletries.

The Airbnb Venice Italy Canal View

Up one flight, I can still hear the gondolas singing below and look out to see them float by. There was a huge thunderstorm during my stay and the downpour made for interesting photos of the well prepared riders with umbrellas. At night a few boats go by but it’s pretty much a very quiet canal.  Opening the kitchen window to look out at the canal, you will see the clothes line if you need to Italian dry your wash.

The Kitchen and Living Room

The kitchen was fully stocked and a bottle of still water was provided in the refrigerator. If you wanted to shop at the market and prepare dinner, this was a good sized kitchen to do so.  The dining table separates the kitchen and living area.  With a television, nice sized couch, portable/strong wi-fi and the all important air conditioning/heating unit on the wall, you are set to enjoy your down time here.  An umbrella was provided which was a nice bonus especially given the rainy day I had.

Overall – Airbnb Venice Italy (San Marco Apartment)

The Venice San Marco apartment is a good size for one or two people visiting Venice. You can easily settle into a nice routine at this apartment as it is private, quiet and centrally located.  The location is nice with a short walk to Rialto Bridge area or San Marco or alternatively in the other direction to Accademia Bridge and the Dorsoduro area.   My airbnb rate for one night in May was $153, which negates any “Venice is too expensive” claims.

Want to try AirBnb for this Venice flat or another worldwide property?  Use my personal code for an Airbnb discount on your first booking.

Look at other Airbnb Venice properties by Maurizio & Francesca by going to his superhost page and seeing what new and exciting properties are in his portfolio now.

I had to look twice as the train went over the Venice lagoon as we approached the city as I thought I saw a dragon boat and then a kayaker.  In a city long associated with the gondola I thought it odd but then I learned it was the weekend of the Vogalonga.  Vogalonga is a non-competitive rowing event opened to those who wish to reclaim a bit of the tradition of the oar. In the early 70’s, long before the cruise ships would cause problems, but in reaction to the increasing number of motorized boats in the city, a group created the Vogalonga.   It is an opportunity to row through the city of Venice to explore the 30km of waterways, which includes the Grand Canal and brings thousands to the city in late May. My view from the train? Rowers were quite literally testing the water as they prepared for the Sunday event.

After two days of rain, it was a bright sunny Sunday in Venice, perfect for the rowing event.  This isn’t a race like a regatta, but rather a fantastic opportunity for men and women to row through Venice absent all of the boat traffic as most of the canals are closed for the event (be prepared to walk and drag your luggage up and over bridges).  If nothing else, seeing the Grand Canal without the normal traffic was pretty incredible.  Where do they move all the boats and gondolas? Is there a gondola parking lot somewhere?

People were lined up on the bridges, docks, at the bars and vaporetto stations to watch and cheer on the participants much like a marathon or a parade. What a sight to see – anyone who has a paddle can participate so you will see folks in kayaks, dragon boats, paddle boards, and an array of other boating options.  It was really fun to watch all of the boats floating by (each way) and to cheer the rowers on as they passed under the Accademia Bridge.  The boats were going in all different directions so it was chock full of boats, some decorated with a theme, many without and a handful of kayakers here and there.

[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4y4ZkHCl5Q[/embedyt]

I would see a few kayakers have a bit of a traffic jam in the smaller canals when it was larger boat or gondola vs smaller one person kayak but everyone worked out their space and got on.

While I’ve visited the city many times walking and with a boat tour, how amazing is it to row through the small Venetian canals steeped with so much history.  To experience the city differently.  I got a small taste of that when I learned to Row Venice (thankfully it wasn’t 30 km!).  When I rowed into the lagoon, it was a bit of a scary thrill trying to row under bridges and co-exist with the motorized boats.  Now imagine that the motorized boats are gone and you are one of approximately 2,000 other boats trying to funnel through different bridges that aren’t quite as big as the Rialto Bridge.  It’s quite the feat.

The night before the event as I was enjoying a local pastry in the Guesthouse kitchen where I was staying, I met Teresa from Rome. During the day she is a private guide for Your Rome Tour and she was here with her team of women from the Tre Ponti rowing club to participate in her first Vogalonga.  In the city, the gondola is still a sacred men’s club (save one woman, the daughter of a gondolier) so being able to row in Venice is a pretty big deal.  She had trained with her team for a year and was scared and excited by it all.

For me, after so many visits to Venice over the years, it was a beautiful sight to see from the bridge and along the canal. It was uniquely Venice. So if you have an oar, you should look at paddling it in Venice next year!

Here is Teresa’s review of her first Vogalonga:

The experience of Venice and Vogalonga was fantastic! It was little more than a year that I started to row, already when I started to row seemed a miracle to me, I never imagined if someone had told me that I would have participated in the Vogalonga, I would never have believed, I was, like my rowing companions very happy and very excited, after crossing the lagoon and have got into the channel to get to the finishing line, see Venice with its beautiful buildings from the rowing boat, hear the cheers of the people gave me, and not only to me but also to my companions, strong emotion and tears of joy, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life!

From the AirBnB site, it looked amazing! This large Airbnb Venice flat along the canals with a view of the gondolas in Venice outside. It seemed too good to be true. I looked at the calendar of availability and was immediately crestfallen as it was rented out for the whole summer save two nights during my stay. The minimum stay was three nights but I figured it doesn’t hurt to ask so I sent the owner, Maurizio, a friendly note.

He quickly replied that I could rent the Fenice apartment for two nights and I was thrilled. It was good that Maurizio manages a few properties and could move me elsewhere for another night. I was staying in Venice for five nights but the city was sold out due to Vogalonga rowing event and the Biennale (which started early this year due to Expo Milan) so I had to move from the Santa Margherita Guesthouse in Dorsoduro to this Fenice Opera apartment and then to the San Marco apartment in Venice.  Not ideal but I made it work. Trying Airbnb in Venice for the first time?  Use my Airbnb discount code.

Pre-Arrival – Venice Airbnb

Maurizio sent me multiple emails to prepare for my visit (Directions, Event Schedule, Public Transit prices/options, Venice Rental Tips, the Food Shopping Service and Lost Luggage Warning). These were a nice touch for a new visitor to the city as well as new to AirBnb. As I was staying at another property in the city prior to arrival, we arranged for Francesca (his wife) to meet me in the square near the Accademia bridge and walk me to the flat.

The Meet & Greet Arrival

Francesca is a lovely woman who is a great ambassador for your stay. As we walked she pointed out different points of interest as well as the leather store we would turn right (always good to take photos of these points of reference to find your way back) toward the Fenice theatre. There was a small bridge to navigate and a few more turns before arriving in the courtyard. The flat was the door on the right ahead (again take a photo of the door so you know where you are staying).  During my stay I would hear keys in the door trying to get in that freaked me out a bit, however,  when I opened the door, the ladies apologized as they forgot where they were staying.  It was a good laugh as the sharing economy grows.

Location – Fenice Opera Apartment

The Fenice apartment is located near the Fenice Opera House, hence the name.  It is a centrally located apartment overlooking the canal and a ten minute walk to the Rialto bridge or to San Marco, it really doesn’t get better than that in my opinion.

First Impression

Francesca opened the door and WOW! I was speechless as the flat was even more fantastic in person. When you enter on the left is a coat rack and bench, ahead on the right is the kitchen table and kitchen area.

Kitchen

Francesca would go through all the bells and whistles of the kitchen – opening doors, cabinets and the refrigerator (complimentary still water) before proceeding with the rest of the apartment.The kitchen is stocked with appliances, pots/pans and cooking accessories. There is also a washing machine with easy to use instructions (no dryer because this is Italy and because they are on the canal there is a drying rack in the bathroom to use). The kitchen table seats four comfortably and has the house manual on it. There are also printed reminders throughout the kitchen.

Bathroom

The tiled bathroom is large and reminiscent of a boutique hotel. The walk in rain shower was a good size. Provided was a bath towel, hand towel (I do wish there was an extra towel or two – so American of me) and a shower gel. The hair dryer was in a box on the shower cabinet. At the end of the counter was a basket with two additional rolls of toilet paper).  I did find the lighting a bit dark to do makeup.

Bedroom/Living Room Area

After the bathroom, we walked the hall (past the candy jar) to the open floor plan of living room/desk/bedroom. There is a couch on the right which looks out into the canal (I would spend most of my time here relaxing to the gondolas going by and the occasional musician). The desk was a bit too small for me to work on so I used the large table flanked by two comfortable leather chairs. Sitting on the floor, the table was perfect height to type on my laptop.

The décor was a mix of IKEA (I have that table too!), the Italian version of Pier One and a few bespoke items mixing together quite well to create an elegant, luxury apartment. There is a lot of storage space – an armoire next to the bed, another smaller one in the hallway next to the bathroom (which has a safe).  Important feature is the air conditioning and heating unit about the armoire which quickly cools or heats the room.

Francesca opened the windows to the canal and I had my first glimpse of the gondolas going by (I would be entranced by this spectacle) as well as the warning about mosquitoes (I hate mosquitoes but luckily in May they weren’t an issue). With a few more explanations of how this, that and the other worked she asked if any questions.

One item to note that while the black out curtains are wonderful, you are living on a working canal so boats may make noise early (i.e. – construction workers at 6:30 a.m. one day) so if that bothers you bring ear plugs but really it shouldn’t as you are probably getting up and out to explore early each day anyway.

Where’s the Wifi?

Ah yes, the wifi, there is a device on the kitchen table with the password on the back. This is a portable wifi station you can take with you to the restaurant, square, etc. (these are really nice as I’ve seen a few people with these). The downside is that in the flat which is stone walls thick, the signal isn’t great. I was able to do most social media checks without issue but couldn’t get a FaceTime call through to my nieces to show them the canals outside.

Finding the Supermarket in Venice

As it was a Sunday, Francesca asked if I wanted her to show me how to find the supermarket.  It was open until 1 pm. I took her up on the offer, grabbed my reusable bag and we were off zig zagging through the streets (I was taking photos as my breadcrumbs back to the flat). Quickly at the market, I said good-bye and went inside to shop for important supplies (i.e. – water, chocolate, fruit).  I found my way back to the flat easily and quickly got to know the area.

Where to Eat Near Fenice Opera

Francesca provides a few cards of recommended restaurants in the area. I found a great bakery close by on the way to Rialto bridge as well as a wonderful wine bar/restaurant (Vino Vino Osteria) on the way to San Marco – each less than five minutes walk.

Overall – Airbnb Venice Flat

The flat was so nice it was hard to leave and explore the city. I spent most of my time reading while watching (and listening) to the gondolas, taking a nap after my rowing lesson and then catching up on work. I really enjoyed and used the flat as much as I could as this was not just a place to sleep. I pretended it really was my nice apartment in the city.

For my first AirBnb stay, I was spoiled (if only all hosts could manage their properties this way). Maurizio was super responsive to queries, Francesca was a joy and the flat was really amazing. This is a family business and their dedication shows in the details (emails, candy jar, shopping service, in person meet & greet, guest book and stay manual). I’d definitely stay at one of their properties for future visits to Venice.

The rate for my stay in May was $354 for two nights paid via Airbnb (the flat was $158 per night and the Airbnb fee was $38).  Note that Venice has a new mandatory city tax that is payable in cash at check-in of €2 per person per day for your stay. 

Use my personal code for a discount on your first Airbnb stay

UPDATE: This flat is no longer in Maurizio & Francesca’s Venice Portfolio, for other properties they manage, including larger flats for families as well as accessible apartment in Venice, check out Maurizio’s Superhost profile

I wonder if the tourists today gliding by my window feel the same way I did back then? I remember the musicians on our boat filling the air with song to serenade us. It really was a bit of magic in the canals.

[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQlF_6ju6HA[/embedyt]

Now, I hear the singers and the music outside the window of the Airbnb flat which is often by interrupted by a water taxi or delivery boat which seem to rip the dream like sequence apart. The longer I watch the boats during the day, the sadder I get as I begin to see the assembly line that this experience has become – one boat after the other sharing the canals with others rather than alone to themselves to luxuriate in the history – maybe they don’t care, maybe they can check the “Venice gondola ride” box? Maybe no one told them to get lost in the streets and find a lone gondola station?

The gondoliers are now in the routine of it all as well – a few are smoking as they go, others checking their phones (is there a no driving/texting law in Italy for gondolas?) and then there is the trash talking and funny faces they are making with each other. Funny what you see from the window looking at a scene playing out in front of you like a real life movie.

The buildings have history and the more I visit Venice, the more I get lost in the lanes, the more the movie plays in my head – the people, the lives, the water, the Doges… One of my favorite movies starring Venice is Dangerous Beauty (1998) telling the story of a courtesean in the city.

But now the world is going by and I’m sitting on the side lines curious and wanting to yell out the window “go find an empty canal with one gondolier and experience the magic of the water, of the buildings, look up and imagine another world”.  Instead, I signed up for a Row Venice lesson to get myself out into the canal to row a boat (not a gondola but an older version) to connect with the city anew.

A gondola ride starts at €80 for up to six people (this is a city job so prices are set by city and posted at each gondola station). Musicians are an additional cost.  There is one woman rowing and one non-Italian rowing in the city, both exceptions to the history steeped in Italian men.  In my opinion, your first taste of the Venice canals should be magic so invest wisely and pick a location that will be memorable for you as you watch the world float by.

Dorsoduro

Dorsoduro is one of the five sections of Venice and more residential.  Here you will see people walking their dogs and only a few copies of Rick Steves Italy books (tourist alert) at restaurants.  Streets are filled with art galleries, restaurants with outdoor gardens, students hanging out in the large square across the bridge in Santa Margherita. With the Accademia (as well as the bridge) and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection only a 10-15 minute walk away, this was a new side of Venice for me to explore.  I really liked the area as there was a daily produce boat to buy fruit, quiet canals to discover and it lacked the hoards of tourists (at least in May when I visited).

Getting There

From the rail station, I boarded the number 1 (San Marco/Lido) vaporetto which is the most popular line serving the Grand Canal.  Going nine stops to Ca Rezzonico, I walked to the square with the church and then walked along on the right to the end and the guesthouse is just two doors in on the left.  It was easy to find, there were no bridges to cross just cobblestones to contend with as I rolled my suitcase.

Welcome to Venice

I rang the bell, knowing that I was early (it was 12:30 pm) as Maria (owner) and I agreed to just drop my bags and check in later at 3 p.m.  Maria’s sister (she maintains the property and speaks a little English) let me in and told me that my room was ready and Maria would be there in ten minutes to complete the paperwork.  Great news as it was raining when I arrived.

The Common Spaces

Downstairs there is a small eating/kitchen area with tables, chairs, coffee machine, sink and microwave on the left.  On the right is the door to the outdoor garden with seating.  In front is a stack of DVDs to play in your room as well as chairs and magazines.  In the morning, breakfast would be set up in the entryway by the door.

My Guestroom (Single 3)

I had booked a single room with a twin bed which was on the 1^st floor (one floor up in Europe).  The room was basic as I expected but a good size for one. There is no need for high count sheets or luxury, this is a functional room with a few surprises – bottled water each day, in room coffee maker, mini refrigerator and nice sized shower.

WiFi is free and while Maria mentioned a better signal in the common area, I had a strong signal throughout without having to leave my room.  She has added blackout curtains in the room which is a bonus for a good lie in if you need it.

There is a wardrobe with a safe as well as a tv with dvd. The plant is a nice touch although I moved it to the bathroom as I thought it provided a bit of color there.

The Bathroom

Standard bathroom, bland beige but looks newly renovated, with good-sized walk in shower.  The water pressure was good and toiletries were provided in packets (I wasn’t a fan of the toiletries).  Three towels were provided and changed daily.

Breakfast Included

The breakfast is served between 8:30 am – 9:30 am on the table in the entryway.  Cereals, yoghurt, breads, cakes and fruit are available.

The Need To Know

• Communication with Maria was easy and meeting her in person was lovely, she lives outside of Venice and takes the bus more than two hours a day to the Guesthouse each day.
• The Airbnb cover photo will catch your eye with the colorful row of houses along the canal, unfortunately, that is not accurate of the guesthouse location or color (as I realized walking to the property). Marketing is good because this caught my eye and I then looked at the guesthouse options.  The photos of the property are accurate.
• Church bells ring all around Italy (even in your 5 star hotel) and as my room faced the street I could hear them as well as people going by but this didn’t bother me. If it bothers you ask for a room in back.
• The cleaning lady doesn’t speak English and knocked at 9 a.m. on the day of check-out (which is 10:30 a.m.) and then knocked two more times. I tried to explain that I had until 10:30 a.m. –this was the only annoying part of the stay.

The Cost

The single room (including Airbnb fee) cost $221 for two nights in May, proving that you can be on a budget in Venice.  There is a local tax that is payable in cash at check-in (my room category was €1.50 per night).

For exploring Venice you should be out and about and then crash at the end of the day.  The Santa Margherita guest house is the perfect place to do that.  The neighborhood is full of restaurant options as well as a fabulous pizza by the slice takeaway shop, bakery and gelato shops. You can also walk to the Dorsoduro stop to go to the cruise terminal stopping to see the gondola workshop across the canal as you enjoy your gelato from Gelati Nico.

I walked back and forth trying to find the Taverna and my stomach gave up and led me elsewhere for a proper dinner chalking it up to it being such a “secret” that I needed a password or something.

At my second AirBnb flat, my new host also mentioned Taverna al Remer and I explained my first botched attempt. Again she pointed it out on the map and this time I had my Google Maps ready at hand. With the map directions I set off. Since I’m a novice with the whole Google Maps while walking, I stopped to take photos along the way (it’s Venice and every corner has an amazing photo just waiting) and then quickly closed the camera app (or so I thought). I had closed the Google Maps app and in the maze of Venice, I wasn’t able to get a proper signal to bring the route back to life. Shattered that this mission had to be aborted, I was feeling like it wasn’t meant to be.

I moved to my third AirBnb flat determined that on my last night in the city I was going to find this place. This time with a weak signal in the house, I did a search to find a helpful blog post (or two) mentioning the happy hour and a few helpful clues to directions such as “unmarked alleyway”, ask at the “farmacia” they can help (indicating that it was close by) and don’t cross the second bridge (that I knew).

So this time with Google Maps at the ready and no camera app opened, I set out toward the Rialto Bridge and the street that I had traversed many days now in search of this secret place. Over the first bridge I went with construction on my left and the Italian department store, Coin, on my right. Seeing the second bridge in my sight, I knew I was close. There were two unmarked alleyways, I looked down the first and saw the water so went with the second. Down the alley I went.

In the movies, this would be the part where you say “stupid girl, deserted, small alleyways just beg for trouble”, luckily this isn’t that kind of movie. I followed the alley to the right and then to the left to see a group of what appeared to be college kids at the water’s edge (college kids, cheap happy hour, a good sign). I saw another bunch of college kids making out on the right and left (ah, to be young again). I made a sharp right into a charming wooden bar. I had found it – Taverna al Remer!

Looking at the “free food table”, my hosts exaggerated a bit in my opinion as I saw a few plates of crostini, potato squares, croutons (spicy nuggets) nothing to get excited about. I walked out toward the water’s edge to take photos from this secluded spot across from the Rialto Market and in view of the Rialto Bridge.

Not wanting to give up since I came this far, I went back into the bar and ordered a glass of red. The bartender asked what kind, I said “surprise me”. He asked if I was going outside, I said “sure”. He picked a red and said “you need to stay inside” as he gave me a taste of the red. It was quite good and putting it in a plastic cup would only do it a disservice so I happily stayed inside. My glass of red was €5 and he asked if I wanted the food option, I said ok – that was an additional €2.

I took my plastic plate and was happy to see a full table with a pasta dish added. I was behind a young girl who was filling her plate in the “pyramid of buffet food” with the pasta and with each scoop hoping she would stop to leave me some. Luckily her food building skills are not quite U.S. caliber so there was a bit of pasta left. I added some pasta to my potato square, (very) spicy croutons and crostini (olive or chicken spread?).  I found one chair and a table and parked myself to watch the incoming people – young and old, local and foreign. With all the pasta gone (I left enough for the two guys behind me), I was able to reload with the other options.

Once the food table was cleared, I finished my food, which was filling enough to be a cheap dinner and walked out to the dock to see my final sunset in Venice with a satisfying smile on my face.

The Happy Hour starts at 5:30 p.m. (and ends at 7:30 p.m.) and from the looks of the trash bins and students on the dock, you should get there early (I arrived at 6:40 p.m.) to enjoy more food as it get restocked.

Jennifer, an Australian who, like so many, fell in love and became a local, introduced herself and gave me a lanyard with headsets to wear around my neck so she could narrate as we walked and within the boat. I’m not usually a fan of this type of device but in this case with people in and out of the boat it was needed.

We walked down to the taxi stand to find our private driver for the tour. Boarding the water taxi, Jennifer told the two couples from New Zealand (our Kiwis) that they could stand outside in the back as they requested it and were there first. It was raining so I was ok with this as I preferred to be dry inside as I didn’t have a plastic raincoat opting for my trusty umbrella (which doesn’t quite work well on boats, just saying). Once inside, I took off the headset so I could listen to Jennifer who was seated across from me. With only nine on the tour (the maximum number), it was a very private experience.

The taxi departed San Marco en route to the quieter canals as Jennifer explained the history and pointed out different points of interest. I would go outside up front and squeeze in between the roof and the inside area to take photos (yes, I was getting wet doing this but hey, one must suffer for art!). Another guest decided to stay outside up front (he had a plastic coat). Others watched the city go by through the windows. Normally if it were a sunny day, there would be room for all of us to stand outside with the guide inside but sadly, this was a cold, windy and rainy day. But don’t fret, even in the rain, Venice is truly stunning and the history transports you back to the day of the Doges.

Touring through the canals, we passed churches, statues and the last workshop for gondolas (you could see a guy inside working on a gondola). After the canal tour, we drove on the Grand Canal for points of interest there like the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, one of the Biennale Arts Festival pavilions and a few bridges.

From there we went across the Grand Canal to San Giorgio Maggiore. We would exit the boat and enter the church where the Biennale piece for Together by Jaume Plensa was on display. Walking past the different parts of the exhibition we found the lift to the top of the bell tower for fantastic views of the island of Venice (the rain stopped but the dark clouds remained) and surrounding islands. Despite the clouds, the views were still good.

After our time at the top, we went outside for our Venetian photos. Jennifer said that locals will come here for their wedding photos so that St. Mark’s and Venice is properly in the background. Those in St. Mark’s square are not local to the area.

We wandered into another art installation next door by the artist Magdalena Abakanowicz while we waited for our taxi back to San Marco. Her large scale installation of 110 burlap figures in the crowd was very interesting and emotional as I read more about the artist and her work.

With this introduction to the canals of the city, I would later find myself walking past the gondola workshop on a sunny day while eating gelato. I also learned that my AirBnb guesthouse in Dorsoduro was a canal away from the tour path so it was good orientation to that area of the city, one that is filled with artists and locals and a sought after area to buy albeit expensive.

Back at San Marco, we said our goodbyes and went our own way swallowed whole by the crush of the tourists.

The Walks of Italy Private Boat Tour of Venice is a great way to get yourself oriented in the maze of the city especially on your first day.  I’ve been in Venice many times before but this tour gave me a refresher plus the opportunity to return on foot to a few new locations during my stay. The two hour tour cost €98 per person which when compared to a 1/2 hour gondola ride (€80 pp) is a great value in my opinion.

And because your Venice boat tour by water taxi with Walks of Italy will most likely be on a gorgeous summer day, I give you this view of the Grand Canal that happened on my last day in the city.

Thank you to Walks of Italy for allowing me to be a guest on the tour. 

As always, opinions are uniquely mine.