Romance in Venice

If you are looking to spend some quality time with your sweetheart there is nothing quite like a romantic holiday in Venice. As the home of Casanova, history's most famous lover, Venice provides an unmatched backdrop in which you and your loved one can loose yourselves in each other.

Romantic Venice is not extravagant. The greatest pleasures are the simplest.

~ Lose yourselves in a hand-in-hand stroll through Venice's winding streets and stunning architecture, taking it all in. Venice is best when caught between acts, after the daytrippers rush off to beat afternoon traffic and before cruise ships dump dazed newcomers off in Piazza San Marco with three hours to see all of Venice before lunch. Those visitors may never get to see Venice in its precious downtime, when gondoliers warm up their vocal chords with scorching espresso on their way to work, and mosaic artisans converge at the bar for tesserae shoptalk over a spritz.

~ Hire a gondola at sunset and steal a kiss under the legendary Bridge of Sighs. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogations rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was designed by Antoni Contino and was built in 1602. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. A local legend, however, says that lover will be granted everlasting love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge.

~ Mingle with the locals over an aperitif at an outdoor cafe. Most would tell you to stay away from the touristy San Marco Square in Venice. But these historic cafes in the famous piazza are definitely worth a visit. For a coffee lover, or a people-watcher, visiting one of the famous historic cares is the perfect compliment to the beautiful setting that surrounds you. Here waiters are dressed smartly in black pants, bowties and white dinner jackets to deliver what is sure to be the most delicious drink you've ever had. You'll be rewarded with time to linger, a priceless view and, from April through October, musical accompaniment.

The possibilities in romantic Venice are endless. You will find that Venice is always magical, whether the canals are shrouded with mist in the early mornings or the city is drenched in the glow of the late evening sun.

Contact one of our travel consultants at info@thetravelstation.com today to discover the sights and sounds of Venice.