This is a guest post from Kyntra of Married With Fernweh.
Just being in Venice is romantic. Performers are everywhere, the water and architecture are beautiful. On average 20 million people visit Venice every year and with the talk of this beautiful city sinking we felt that we should visit before it is too late. With so many tourists we decided to spend our days on other small islands and enjoy the city early in the morning and in the evening. We only spent one day in Venice, but felt that it was enough time to see what we wanted to see and enjoy the romantic ambiance. Many people stay on the mainland and take the train in, but to maximize our time we stayed directly in Venice. It is not hard to have a romantic trip in Venice, but add these 5 things to your itinerary and it will definitely add to the romance.
Watch the Sunset
This could be on a gondola, but more inexpensive option could be done on a vaporetto, Venice’s transportation system, and found it to be just as beautiful. Riding the vaporetto is easy, but make sure to stamp your ticket before the first ride because they do check. They have many different fare options that you can check here. We chose the Rolling Venice Card-3 days of unlimited vaporetto use for 22 euro available for travelers ages 6 to 29. I encourage to download the Rick Steve’s app and listen to his audio tour. We sat on the vaporetto and toured all of Venice by boat listening to the history of Venice. Taking a gondola would be a more romantic experience, but fairs begin at 100 euro for a 40 minute evening ride.
Visit Burano
Stroll down the streets of this colorful island, looking at the different options to buy lace made here. We took the vaporetto here and there wasn’t much to eat or do, but just walking around is mesmerizing. There aren’t a lot of people in Burano like there is in Venice or Murano and it being free from crowds made our experience much more lovely. It is only a 30 minute ride on the vaporetto, but make sure to check the time so you can get back before they stop running.
Share a Meal
Sharing a meal has always been a way of bringing people together. Having wine, pasta, and dessert in Venice amongst the most beautiful buildings, being serenaded is a very romantic experience. Try the lunch buffet at Taverna al Remer or Alle Testiere for delicious seafood!
Get Lost
The tiny streets of Venice can be confusing, but I don’t mind being lost in close quarters with my husband. At the end of every tiny street seems to be a bridge over water and gorgeous architecture all around. I would much rather spend the day getting lost in the canals than fighting the crowds at Piazza San Marco.
Visit Murano
Murano is a beautiful island and a great way to escape the crowds in Piazza San Marco. Many places on the island offer a free demonstration of how the shops create different items by blowing glass. They are easy to find as they will be waving you over as you exit the vaporetto. We became mesmerized as we saw how they create each item uniquely by blowing glass. Going into the shops and looking at all of the different pieces of art can be so much fun. We do not normally get souvenirs, but we decided to get something to remember our sweet experience in Murano. After looking at the different shops we had a picnic in Murano on the edge of a street with our feet dangling over the water. The whole experience in Murano was tranquil and lovely.
Take a Gondola Ride
Taking a gondola is the quintessential romantic Venetian experience. Riding a gondola is pricey, at 100 euros for a 40 minute evening ride. There are some alternatives such as the vaporetto mentioned earlier, but a closer experience would be the traghetto. It is a 2 euro ferry ride in a less luxurious version of a typical gondola and is controlled by two oarsmen. Locals step in and stay standing to cross the waters where there isn’t a bridge. Either way, make sure you take part in one of the most romantic experience of Venice; being on the water.
Piazza San Marco at Night
The most romantic thing to do in Venice is to visit Piazza San Marco at night and listen to the performers at the restaurants in the square. There are multiple restaurants with performers and they take turns playing music, so it is not overwhelming with many different sounds. Dance in the moonlight to the string quartet—you will not be the only couple doing so. This was my favorite ending to wonderfully romantic day in Venice.
Author Bio: Married with Fernweh is a blog about a married twenty-something couple sharing their adventures both close to home and abroad. Check out their guide to 24 hours in Venice.
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