Venice! Such a uniquely beautiful city. I was shocked by how quickly I fell in love with it.
A Giant Maze
I only spent two days exploring the city, but I loved every minute. Venice is not large, but every inch is taken up by tall buildings, which makes the streets very narrow and not very straight. I didn’t have any plans, except for a well worth it gondola ride, so I spent my time wandering through the maze, stopping at interesting shops or just admiring the view. Most of the time I had no clue where I was, but I always felt safe, even in the narrowest alleys. I was also surprised by how few people were there. It helped that there were so many streets, people were able to spread out more, but even in St. Marks Square, the most popular destination, it was never super crowded. I’m sure this has to do with the time of year but I took full advantage of the quiet.
Overall
I didn’t expect to love Venice so much. There is no other city like it, and while movies accurately depict the water filled streets, being there in person gave me a whole new appreciation for the little island.