They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I’m not sure that’s entirely true. Absence, for me, often makes me mistrust my memories. When planning our trip to Italy last fall, I quickly realised how close we would be to Venice. The Venice Film Festival coincided with this realisation and my instagram feed was suddenly filled with beautiful snapshots of boat rides along the canal, cafe lattes at Caffe Florian and majestic views over Piazza San Marco. Was the city really as congested and overwhelming as I remembered? It couldn’t be. It looked so beautiful in photos.
The more photos I saw, the more convinced I became that I was simply misremembering Venice. And that maybe I simply hadn’t enjoyed it as much as I might have because I didn’t indulge myself in enough lattes with a view. There was a simple way to find out for sure – go back. After a few days spent asking myself if I was crazy, and if it could possibly be worth it to revisit a city just for a cup of coffee at a specific cafe, I booked train tickets. We travelled from Florence to Verona and then, the morning after my birthday, to Venice.
It turns out that I misremembered nothing. Venice is still crowded, practically seething, with people. I’m sure navigating by boat along the canal is peaceful and lovely, but on foot it is an exercise in frustration. This time, at least, we knew where we were going and how to get there. My cafe latte at Caffe Florian was everything I dreamed it would be – including wildly overpriced. I don’t regret it. In fact, I don’t even really regret going back to Venice. I know for sure now that it isn’t the city for me unless I can enjoy it in the true lap of luxury – which will require someone else to foot the bill for my trip.
The interesting thing about visiting Venice for the second time was that, having taken in all the majesty once before, it was the ordinary things that stood out. Tiny apartment balconies dotted with potted plants; laundry hanging from high up clothes lines; shrines to the Virgin Mary on quiet street corners. The city is, after all, a place where people live and work as much as it is a holiday destination. I admire the way Venetians are somehow impervious to the chaos all around them, taking the constant onslaught of the spaghetti and chips brigade in their stride. I do not have their collective patience.
Just like last time, it was a relief to leave Venice. From now, satisfied by my one trip to Caffe Florian, I will be content to admire the city in photos.
Reading about your experiences in Venice is making me mistrust my own memories of the city – granted it was 10 years ago but I remember it as the highlight of my trip through Italy. Was I seeing it through rose-tinted glasses?
Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines
Hi Cee,
I absolutely love your pictures of Venice. You have a knack for noticing fine details that I admire. The trick with Venice is to stay in the city so you can experience it in the evening, after the cruise ships leave! Take a water bus to Murano or Burano during the day, and come back when it’s quieter. Also, use the water buses to get around in the city whenever possible, you can get a pass at a tourist office. I also highly recommend taking in a mass at the Bascilica de San Marco, it is magical and much quieter than regular tourist hours!
Sincerely, a fellow Manitoban with a passion for travel!
I’ve always loved seeing Venice (in photos I should clarify) and knowing that it’s busy… is definitely intimidating. I am not a fan of crowds, hence why we eventually left the city. I’ll have to ask Martin about his experience – he always mentions it’s his fave place to visit. And, my gosh, I LOVE your outfit. Can’t wait to see what you’ll be wearing in Paris!! xo
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I remember reading about your first trip to Venice and how crowded it was- it’s good that you were able to go back, even if it was to reconfirm the prior experience but this time allowing yourself to focus on other things.
Even though I’ve never been there and crowds are not my thing, I hope to someday make it there-
While I visited Venice nearly a decade ago (which has no right be that long ago) I am happy to say that I don’t remember it being overbearingly crowded or unpleasant to be in. It could have been the time of year, the day of the week or just that it was 9 years ago. I do love your photo of the laundry hanging out, it reminds me of a similar photo I took, which remains my second favorite of all the photos I took while in Italy.
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