Memory Lane: Venice

After Rome in 2016, we made our way to Venice. We did the classic gondola ride, gliding through narrow canals and under stone bridges. Our gondolier did not sing or point out sights, just steady rowing as the city slipped quietly by.

We spent the day wandering through tiny alleyways, half trying to follow the map and half trying to get lost in the maze that is Venice. The Rialto Bridge was everything we expected, and the Bridge of Sighs still had that haunting charm you cannot help but pause for. We also lingered in Piazza San Marco, just taking it all in.

We loved the emptier streets early in the day, and we still remember grabbing a pizza slice for one euro, a simple little win that felt almost too good to be true. But if we are being honest, Venice did not land for us the way Rome or Florence did. It felt more hectic, with crowds pressing in and the whole place carrying a slightly frantic pace.

Still, we were glad we went. Venice is one of those places you want to see with your own eyes, especially with the knowledge that it is constantly battling rising waters and time. It may not have stolen our hearts, but it left an impression, and that counts for something.