The Way We Travel | Our Day in Venice

By Richard Sandoval | #thewaywetravel

 

We took the train from Florence to Venice, Italy a peaceful ride that gave me time to relax and watch the countryside roll by. As always, my mind wandered, imagining the lives of the people in the small towns we passed. After a couple of hours, we arrived in Venice a city I had only seen in pictures and in some of my favorite films. To finally be there was surreal.

2025 The Way We Travel | Venice, Italy

Exclusive photos by Richard Sandoval

Let me back up for a moment. When we first started planning our trip, we considered staying in Venice for a few days. But after speaking with our travel coordinator, we realized it might be more complicated than expected. She reminded us that Venice is essentially an island no cars, everything moves by water taxi or on foot. Still, armed with our iPhones and a strong sense of adventure, we felt confident about tackling the city in a single day.

We arrived early, around 9 or 10 in the morning, with plans to take one of the last trains back to Florence that evening. As you might guess, we were hungry upon arrival but the excitement of seeing the gondolas and iconic waterways kept us moving. We decided to head toward the Rialto Bridge but were quickly sidetracked when we spotted a gondola tour with no line. The driver offered us an extended tour of the canals for about $150 for the three of us. It turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

As someone raised by a single mother, luxury travel wasn’t part of my upbringing. So to be in Venice, floating through canals, felt like a dream come true. I had done my homework watching a few Stanley Tucci episodes exploring Italy so I had a general idea of what I wanted to experience: visit a local food market, stop by the fish market, and explore the Piazza San Marco.

Of course, when you’re really hungry, your food choices aren’t always the best. We grabbed a slice of pizza early in the day not our finest moment, food wise. But we did eventually find a cozy restaurant for lunch, thanks to a recommendation from a local shop owner. They were just about to close for the afternoon, so we timed it perfectly.

Let me offer some practical advice for anyone planning to visit Venice: there are only water taxis, and nearly every street includes a bridge. If you’re bringing luggage, be prepared we saw countless people dragging bags over cobblestones and bridges. We were lucky to have just our backpacks, which made it much easier to explore comfortably.

I was pleasantly surprised by the luxury shopping options. I hadn’t expected to see so many high-end stores lining the streets. It added a whole other layer to the experience.

We spent the rest of the day walking, taking photos, and just soaking in the magic of Venice. I kept thinking how incredible it was that life had brought me to this moment a feeling I tried to hold onto as long as possible.

As the sun set and evening arrived, we made our way back to the train station. Walking through the dimly lit, empty streets felt both cool and mysterious. I should mention, this trip took place during the first week of February definitely the off-season for tourism, which is when we usually prefer to travel. We’ve found it’s the best time to find good deals and avoid crowds more on that in another post.

Navigating the quiet alleyways of Venice at night felt like stepping into another world. And while we were only there for a day, it was perfect a magical experience that suited the way we travel.

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