Venice

                                                               (Piazza San Marco)

Let's all pretend we find ourselves in a starry eyed dream, where music penetrates your ears with O sole mio tones, cappuccinos are sipped in the mornings surrounded by a hazy veiling and with streets so winding that you eventually get lost in an enormous maze. This is Venice, my friends, in all it's beauty.

I've been in this gorgeous city three times and every time I was amazed by the explicit architecture, extraordinary setting and food that won't make you leave and forget..

When you arrive to the harbor for the first time, the whole town unfolds it's magical blanket. If there is a city in the world that wants you to wow you from the moment you laid your eyes on, Venice would be it. You would never guess something like this exists when you approach the city by car.
It's eerie and mysterious. It's untouchable yet it feels very cordial. People running in different directions, old grandmas are screaming at the waiters at 8 am and complain about the foam on their beers, and the boats take you for a bit of time to a place, that only dreamers are willing to entry.

Those boats. Or how they call it "vaporetto". They allow you to experience another form of sight seeing. You can look at the tops of the heads of beautiful churches, smell local markets full of fresh products and watch old fishermen trying to catch another pensive tourist on the hook of their gracious gondolas.
If you want to experience a real Venetian Palazzo, I'd recommend staying in Ca'Sagredo Hotel. Maybe because it was a low season, it felt very empty and almost like our own (funny fact, the profile picture of me and my son was taken there). We were there with friends and one of my favorite travel memories comes right from there. One evening we decided to stay in one of those beautiful renaissance halls, just four of us. Completely thrown into the past, surrounded by walls that spoke to us in whispers, staircases that echoed footsteps of many of those, who lived there before and with beautiful drop scene that reflected darkness of  Venetian water. Cherry topped with vino that was given to us as a gift by a nice lady in the restaurant we had dinner beforehand. Yup. Italian people rule.

                                                               (This was "our" hallway)

That restaurant. I wish I could remember the name, but I don't. But you can be sure I would find it if I was there. And if you'll stay in Ca'Sagredo, the staff will tell you all about it. I've been to Italy countless times but the meal from this place was probably the best I've ever had. There is something about restaurants that are known only by locals, so simple looking with only few tables. When you enter, you almost feel like at somebody's home. I had pasta with mussels. Simple as that. And I still dream about that taste. Sigh.
If you travel with a family and you need some extra space, The Red house would be a great choice for you.
Only thinking about it makes me want to go there. My mom went with us and we needed an extra space, so this worked out really well. Not only you are in a great area but also you feel like home. The owners are very nice people who are willing to help you with anything, give you good recommendation and on top of that they will provide with useful baby things such as baby crib, highchair, bouncy. I always adore such details in private houses like that because it means a lot for a parent to not to think about that necessary baggage.
And if you want something sweet and simple, I'd recommend Hotel Commercio Pellegrino. It's a 5 minute walk from St. Mark Square and also close to the waterbus stop which makes it easier when you have a few suitcases.

There is always something to do in Venice. You can go visit other islands such as Murano and Burano, or check out Peggy Guggenheim art museum. Or you don't have to do anything at all. Italians are masters in "dolce far niente", sweet doing of nothing. So sit back and enjoy the wanderlust.

All photos by me