Exploring Venice: My Best Friend's Wedding
- Roman Pantaleion
- May 2
- 10 min read
LIVING LA DOLCE VITA
Now for those of you in my age group, we are all familiar with the Julia Roberts 1997 classic, ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’. But rather than falling in love with my best friend and trying to destroy his wedding, I am hoping he stays married forever so that I never have to experience it again. Don’t get me wrong, I love love, I love weddings. In University all we ever talked about were finding husbands and where we would settle down in the world. But… well, you know that saying, “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”? It all went wrong, and not for him- but for me. I will of course add in all my travel tips and the amazing places we went to in Venice, but I will also be telling you how this trip almost killed me. So pack your comfortable shoes, dry shampoo and an electronic fan. We are headed to Venezia, Italy!

Things To Do: When I first visited Venice in 2016 after tourism, there wasn’t much to do on the islands, so you’d have to go to the mainland for any type of late night outing. But it would seem Venice now has a few bars open late that attracted locals and tourists alike. There are also night tours available for those interested in the nocturnal side of this beautifully historic city. Venice after dark is just as spectacular and I find more beautiful.
Places To Go: One of my favourite islands of the Venetian islands would have to be Lido. It’s beautiful, has a gorgeous white sand beach that none other than Josephine Baker herself visited. I find Lido to be the most residential of the islands. You see the children coming and going from school or the local McDonald’s for espresso and pastries and families removed from the thousands of tourists descended on San Marco. If visiting in the summer time I would recommend breaking out your bathing suit and hitting the beach. But keep in mind these are families and people living their day to day lives, so do not let your tourism get in the way of their daily living.
Food & Drinks: Venice is famous for its seafood. Most of their dishes seem to incorporate some form of sea life whether it’s clams or squid ink pasta. One dish I tried and loved was actually served at my best friend's wedding. A lemon zest clam risotto.
Accommodations: As I am a frequent traveller I sometimes mix between cost affordability and luxury. It really depends on my mood and budget. Being that I had recently spent a lot for my Birthday hotel in Barcelona I wanted to save a bit on this wedding trip, but of course still have some luxuries. An hours bus ride from Venice was Park Hotel Villa Giustinian in Mirano. I couldn't be happier with my stay here. From the beautiful landscapes surrounding the villa to the old Italian charm you meet walking into the lobby. Staying in Venice is amazing, but keep in mind filled with tourist and overpriced. For a more authentic or luxury experience stay at a hotel or villa on the mainland. Trust me the dating apps are more active on the mainland. Had I not been swamped with wedding activities I would have easily had multiple dates and was even able to line up drinks with a cute Italian guy on my commute to the Island.
The day before the wedding I actually had an amazing brunch at Brunch Cafe with the grooms ex wife. We absolutely loved the food and drinks. The cafe is what I would call a hidden gem. At the corner of a narrow cobblestone street. I ordered French toast, bacon and scrambled eggs and of course a cocktail. To be transparent when my friend found me I was at Al Prosecco (one of the best places in Venice to get Prosecco) having a lovely glass of bubbly. On this trip I actually discovered Venice is famous for its Prosecco and a local suggested I go to Al Prosecco. It did not disappoint.

Comments