Well, its not long now till I am married (Dec 8th) and I can announce that I have booked a trip to Venice for our honeymoon :) I have been once before but it is my favourite city in the world - I cant wait!

We plan to go in January of next year, while this is winter in Europe the prospect of visiting Venice in summer (peak tourist season) does not grab me, I know it will still be busy in January but it wont be as manic. Also living in Africa I dont feel the need to go to a sunny destination as Jan will be peak summer in Cape Town.

The only thing I will need to be aware of visiting at this time of year is the potential for flooding, known as the Acqua Alta (High Water in Italian). This is caused by high tides, low atmospheric pressure and a strong wind blowing in from the shallow Adriatic Sea which blows water into the Ventian lagoon. This has nothing to do with Venice sinking (which has actually slowed down and is set to stop completely if measures from the Italian government are successful), but instead mother nature going through its winter motions.

I just need to make I pack a pair of wellie boots!

• Take a trip on a gondola: For the short trip it'll cost about €80 and will last 30 minutes or so - the time really flies though, the full trip can cost up €200 but lasts more than an hour and is a real experience so I have heard - due to time constraints I only took the 30 minute option... but boy what an experience worth every penny.
• St Marks Square, Piazza San Marco: This is one hell of beautiful place, the square is lined with small shops and cafes, there are many monuments that can be found all over the square and add to the feel of the square and the city. One of the many buildings open to the public, the Basilica di San Marco is a must see but be warned of the long ques.
• Bridge of sighs: The bridge of sighs is not a tourist attraction of such, but is famous non-the less. For more information on why, check out europeforvisitors.com.

If you plan to stay in Venice be ready to pay top price - there is a reason for this though. Venice is in essence an island, due to this the cost of transportation of all every day items are significantly higher. Having said that it is possible to find some reasonable hotels in Venice that wont require a remortgage :) I managed to find a site with some good recommendations for 3* hotels in Venice.

 

Italians take their food very seriously - In venice its a little more relaxed than the gastronomic areas like Tuscanny, but the local food is still of a very high quality! Breakfast is a typical continental affair with rolls and selection of fillings with strong Italian coffe - lunch can be a serious affair if you head into a restaurant, my advice is to look at some of the smaller snack bars that can be found on most of the streets in Venice. Dinner in Italy is one chance to taste some of the best foods you may ever get to taste - thats a bold statement I know, but you wont be dissapointed, have a browser through some restaurant reviews!

 

I only spent one day in Venice but what I saw of it confirms to me that it has to be one of the most historic cities and beautiful ones you will ever get to visit.