Walk lost. That is the best advice I have ever heard on how to experience Venice. While we did occasionally become captured by the screen of our phones trying to find the “right” place to eat or see, the best moments, were the ones where we started out lost.
A city without cars is a beautiful thing. It does, however, create some challenges. On our first trip here I realized that my normal strategies for avoiding the tourist traps were broken. I like to be several blocks away from any major tourist destination before finding a restaurant but I felt like I could not get away from them in Venice.
I realized that the throngs of tourists move between the “must-see” sites. Encouraged by signs helpfully pointing from St. Marks to the Rialto creating a never-ending river of tourists. Trying to explore Venice by following the signs, you miss the real Venice and instead just see the sites joined together by a shopping mall. By walking lost, you find a completely different city.
We used the city “bus” (they are boats too!) system to explore Murano and Burano. Exploring the glass shops and restaurants in Murano we found La Perla Ai Bisate, a simple family restaurant with mostly tourists but we had a moment where we felt part of the city. Burano is a colorful little fishing village that could be an island in the Caribbean. We met a local artist who spends her day carving the brightly colored facades of Burano in to pottery.
We indulged and stayed at the St. Regis Venice. Staying on the Grand Canal was a special experience. We loved simply sitting on the terrace for a drink and simply taking in the city.
Venice is a great city to be in the moment. Walking lost is a perfect frame of mind to step out of the FOMO and discover the individual experiences that make travel so special.