Venice in May: Enchanting and 100% Worth Visiting at Least Once

I took a highlight reel trip to Italy with my mom and my sister earlier this month and when Venice was added to the itinerary I have to admit, I didn’t feel either here nor there about it.

I don’t post on Facebook or Instagram anymore (the reason why warrants its own blog post), only LinkedIn and Pinterest. But when I thought back to the IG and FB posts and stories from my friend’s college study abroad adventures of Venice, my mind immediately went to influencer-like pictures at the popular, insta-worthy gondola rides with men in striped shirts and paddles.

All is to say, I had kind of low expectations. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Between the classical orchestra groups playing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” in St. Mark’s Square, visiting the likes of 300 year old cafes that Shakespeare and Hemingway wrote some of their greatest works in, the beautiful city of canals etched itself into my memory in a way few other places in the world have.

For that reason, I’ve come to the conclusion that Venice is too special to miss for first time or even second time (me) Italy goers. This isn’t going to be one of those travel itinerary blogs that breaks down how to maximize 72 hours in Venice. It’s a city built for wandering after all.

I just wanted to make my POV known in case it’s helpful for people making travel decisions.

Before we get into things, I figured I’d share where we stayed since the location was perfect and the design was divine. We stayed at the Hotel Montecarlo, which was a gorgeous 17th century building and a 30 second walk to Piazza San Marco. I’d ten out of ten recommend it to anyone with a shorter stay in Venizia (between two to three nights).

Our room felt like a true Queen’s quarters with gilded furniture, delicately detailed light fixtures, and comfortable textures of velevet and silk. It was the perfect retreat from the busy square and alleyways.

In our room we even had two different windows we could fully open and when we did, we had a view of St. Mark’s cathedral. Stunning!

There are ornate details everywhere, on everything.

And I mean everything. Down to the wallpaper patterns, decorative wood paneling on the walls, and gilded mirrors and pearly chandeliers back in our hotel room.

The architecture is detailed.

Take St. Mark’s Basilica. I’ll give you a moment to breathe it all in and love it all out.

I mean seriously, have you ever seen something so opulent, and intricate all at the same time?

The only thing that rivals it for me, and it’s still my favorite church to date, is La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. It was a “cathedral for the poor, “ and its ode to nature’s role in spirituality through an architecture that leans into organic forms with towers scaling to 170+ meters and columns inspired by tree branches gives you a sense that you’re in a place that’s far too pure and good to be of this world. I’ve tried to put words to it, but struggle to with how moved I was when seeing La Sagrada for the first time. It rendered me speechless, and for anyone who studies shintoism, this building might be something you treasure too.

But back to St. Mark’s because it struck a different chord in me. Not one that would make me want to go to church like La Sagrada did, but it definitely fired up my selectively indulgence for the boujier side of life. St Mark’s was built to assert Venitian power through it’s lavishly covered in gold mosaics, whimsical colors, and imperial grandeur.

Peep the marble mix — precious red porphyry marbles, and green and white and black Aquitania marbles adorn the place. The elites were definitely deep in their money doesn’t exist era. 💸👀

He’s got the wholllllllle world in his hands. 🎵

The Murano glass artwork is detailed.

Venice gives off major French vibes.

The Republic of Venice was conquered and more or less dissolved by Napoleon near the end of the 1700’s, so experiencing parts of the city can feel French. Take Caffè Florian for example. The coffee house is sits nestled in the inner square, the Procuratie Nuove of Piazza San Marco and is the oldest coffee house in Italy (and also the world). While Florian was established in 1720 pre-Napolean take-over, it was the a breeding ground for the conception of new social ideals during the French revolution by political figures, poets, artists, and aristocrats.

The ancient cafe is serving powdered wig with a side of pasta. In Marie Antoinette’s words, “Let them eat noodles.”

It’s romantic.

I went to Italy on a girl’s trip with my mom and sister, so we’re officially three for three when it comes to visiting destinations for lovers (without our lovers) like Venice, Santorini, and Paris. 😆

But with that aside, Venice is dreamy.

When it’s raining, it’s cozy.

When it’s sunny, it’s radiant. It truly glows from the inside out.

It charms you with areas to get lost and stroll.

The __________ are dreamy.

It’s not The Venetian, Las Vegas.

It’s real. It’s really built on and it’s a way of life.

The symbol for the city is a winged lion.

Need I say more? For those who loved Aslan the lion from Geoffrey Bles’s the Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe, this is sure to make your heart smile. Sure there are religious undertones to its association with St. Mark , but the winged lion symbolizes Venice’s power and protection over the Venetian Republic across land and sea.

The food (and the food views) are divine.

Just don’t order the moscotto. Mad and I ordered some because we were coming off of ordering it all the time in Florence, and they served some syruppy cough drop after-dinner desert drink that was not moscatto.

It’s a city built for curious wanderers.

A new pope might be elected while you’re there.

😉

The airport’s name is Marco Polo.

Need I say more?

Also, getting from Hotel Montecarlo to the Marco Polo airport was easy to coordinate and took a whopping five minute conversation with the receptionist. He asked us to notify him twenty four hours in advance of when we needed the water taxi. He booked it. The hotel valet brought all of our bags to the boat which was only a one minute walk, we stepped onto the taxi for a thirty minute ride and paid by credit card once we arrived at the docking station at the airport.

After we smelled all of the perfumes in the duty free shop, we boarded our 10.5 hour flight back to Hotlanta, Georgia. I watched one of my fav rom coms', Rumor Has It. Shirley MacLaine’s portrayal of a witty, unapologetically blunt, and refreshingly unfiltered grandma, who makes it known she doesn’t want to be called “Grandma,” has to be one of my favorite movie characters. Laughing at her chain smoking and zest for life distracted me from leaving a place I had found new love for.

Would I go to Venice again before seeing other parts of Italy like Lake Como, Portofino, Milan, Sardinia or Siciliy? Probably not (unless my job took me there…speaking that into existence), but I feelso blessed to have experienced its magic.