Travel & Leisure
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.
Places To Go: One of my favorite islands of the Venetian islands would have to be Lido. It’s beautiful, has a gorgeous 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.
Foods & 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.
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.
The day of arrival, the grooms, parents, family and close friends sat together at a long table settled next to the canals on a warm evening to laugh and break bread. I sat between my best friend and his twin sister. After 14 years of friendship his family was like my own. We gossiped and drank lots of Pinot Grigio and played games to get to know each other. I ordered my favourite, spaghetti pomodoro as my best friend, Larry had what appeared to be a seafood platter. Everyone tried different pastas and seafood dishes accompanied with lots of bread and olive oil. The first night was beautiful.
Transportation: Getting from Marco Polo airport is quite easy with a number of buses to get you to Mestre or the island of Venice. Buses now have tap-to-pay options or you can purchase a ticket at machines outside of the bus station area. For non-Italian speakers the machines can be tricky. When you click the card option the following screen you must click the blue button with the blurred out currency to actually use card otherwise it’ll only accept cash. Employees are also more than happy to sell you bus passes via euros. Please ensure you research and planned strikes before visiting as on the day of the wedding there was a strike and I ended up hitchhiking with two couples from Venezuela. I appreciate the ride, imagine my cosmetology kit in one hand ready to do hair and my tuxedo in the other at the bus station over an hour being attacked by bees. It goes to show though that learning a bit of a country’s language is extremely helpful. Locals told us there was a strike and I translated thanks to my translation app what they said. My next language to learn will be Spanish.
Cellular Data: As I was just in Barcelona and American friend living there recommended an app called Airalo. Airalo made traveling with an ESim so much easier. I was able to get as much data as I wanted and easily top up when notified I was running low. I even got an Italian number which helped when needing to make local calls looking for a taxi.
The Locals: DJ… The eve before the wedding we boarded a Yacht and cruised around the canal. The sunset falling on the rippled water. We drank Prosecco and spritz’s and danced to DJ Babba79. He accepted requests and I just had to play a few of the wedding classics.
Venice for tourism is amazing and beautiful. Venice for a wedding is insane and yet still so beautiful. I can’t recommend visiting enough. From the friendly and attractive locals to the unique cuisine, history and beautiful architecture one can not get enough. Please travel lightly if you can, I’d recommend a duffel bag back pack as the wheels from our modern suitcases are ruining the historic cobblestones streets.
Fav Items to have in Venice: (these items are not sponsored nor endorsed. These are just items I think you’ll find helpful.)
The Actual Wedding Planner