It was the first time my parents visited Venice together. Although they had toured many cities, they were amazed at this exciting city on the sea.
Over time, my parents have told me so often about their “Night in Venice” that I want to share these memories with you today.
I hope you will be enchanted by the images of this city as I have and who knows, maybe you will see this great city with your own eyes.
10 years ago
Italy. Land of pizza and spaghetti, of “dolce far niente” and “dolce vita”, of ice cream and tiramisu, sun and sea.
Roads made of water
The beginning of every visit to Venice is also the end of the relationship with your own car. It doesn’t take any longer because the streets of Venice are filled with water.
To get to a part of Venice you first take the water bus or the water taxi through the world-famous Grand Canal.
Tip: For short distances, you can of course opt for a ride in an original Venetian gondola, a pleasure that is as expensive as it is unforgettable.
Since Venice was its own republic until 230 years ago, there is an unbelievable abundance of historical buildings that tell famous sagas and stories in the smallest of spaces. And so my parents also had a romantic boat trip along the famous and beautiful buildings of the city, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for almost 30 years.
They stopped near St. Mark’s Square and first looked for a place in a cafe in the sun to feel the vibe of this city and enjoy the famous Italian cappuccino!
Sleep like a grand duke
On the way to their hotel in the old town of Venice, past museums, the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, they had to stop again and again, there was so much exciting and interesting to discover in every small side canal.
The hotel was hard to find, just a modern door, a small sign, the address, a camera next to the doorbell. There was nothing to suggest that my parents would spend one of the most luxurious nights of their lives here.
A friendly, older Venetian opened the door and led my amazed parents through rooms full of antiques, red and green ceilings, curtains and carpets, Venetian masks, paintings and the scent of the Renaissance. Soon they felt like Tizian or Vivaldi and so the excursion turned into a very special dream that they were allowed to experience while awake and with all their senses.
Venice at night
Venice at night has something very special. The many water and the reflections of lights, the many people in the squares of the city, the music of the tenors and Italian singers who let you feel romance and love echoing from the bars with every note and much, much more that makes the night here so unforgettable .
After my parents had dinner near St. Mark’s Square (the most expensive pizzas of their life …) they strolled a little over the bridges and through the winding paths between the rivers.
Faces of the night
They walked past couples dancing waltzes (in the open air) and were caught by the sight of the colorful lights of the boats, bars and discos reflecting on the water. It must have been that moment when my parents fell in love with this city. They admired the illuminated buildings, the offshore Venetian islands and marveled at the herds of Canon and Nikon swinging Japanese tourists who were also captivated by the unique night atmosphere.
But already on the way back to the hotel Venice showed a different picture, a dark, mysterious, dangerous one. At the Rialto Bridge they barely escaped an attack and in the darkness of the winding alleys they met some gloomy figures.
When they arrived at the hotel, those moments were already forgotten. The room, which, like the whole hotel, was furnished with strong colors, thick fabrics and antiques, invited them to a deep, restful sleep and the breakfast that they had in the hotel’s inner courtyard garden was, according to the stories, more than princely.
The next day, however, they went on, towards new adventures. But wherever they were. They never forgot that night in Venice.
I hope you found it as exciting as I did as my parents got to know Venice and maybe you have become so curious that you will visit this great city soon!
All the best on your travels, stay healthy!
Your Jano
