Venice – a beautiful Italian city. The canals, the gondolas, the romance. It is a city rich with history and culture and one of the best cities to visit in Europe.

When visiting Venice, there are a number of things to see and do – St Mark’s Square, a gondola ride, the Grand Canal, The Doge’s Palace, the Rialto bridge. Crossing over the many bridges in the city, you pass over the canals and wander the streets leading you through the beauty that is Venice.

While Venice is a beautiful city which rises above the water, it’s a city that remains standing because of tourism.  The many sights that the city has to offer won’t let you see what lies behind it’s canals, squares, and tourist shops.  To experience Venice, you must get lost in its people and culture.

Leaving St Mark’s Square, you can walk along the water on the Riva degli Schiavoni.  While this is a popular spot for many people to walk along, most don’t get much further than three or four canals down before turning around.  However, continuing down this long promenade, the name changes a few times but so does the scenery.

Wandering deeper into Venice, you discover a side of the city which resembles your own town – grocery stores, kids playing in the streets, schools, and parks.  It’s not a part of Venice that many people choose to discover or even realize that it exists.  However, it can be the most enjoyable part of this city.

While daring to go deeper into this city, I saw parents and kids playing in the park.  I saw locals hanging outside the store chatting.  I got lost in the canals and found streets that were quiet and empty.  Everywhere I turned, I found a found a dead end – another canal.  Yet in these dead ends, I discovered the real city.  Away from the crowds in St Mark’s, I found a quiet “peace” of Venice.

Near the back of the main island of Venice, you find the Giardini Pubblici – a public garden.  Never would people imagine that they could see so many trees in Venice.  Walk along the water, listen to the sounds of the trees, or just enjoy the scene on a bench.  Experience the side of Venice that many locals see beyond the usual Venice attractions.

While many people come to Venice for the beauty, romance, and it’s unique design, I discovered that there is more to Venice than the canals and grand squares.  For all of it’s history and sights, there is a culture and people which still thrives today, deep inside the city. My travel tip is to get lost in this city and sample the flavour of  Venice off the beaten track.

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