Venice has a 'pizza' our hearts

As the cherry blossoms began to unfurl across London, the three of us followed our hearts (read: appetites) south to Venice. Just in time for Easter, the Italian sun was beginning to break through the European winter, and we couldn't wait to get stuck into blistered wood-fired pizza, decadent truffle-infused pasta, and an ungodly amount of tiramisù.

We spent three nights in a cosy, boutique apartment within a 16th-century palazzetto – essentially a 'mini palace' with ornate Renaissance architecture, just on a smaller, residential scale. The apartment was tucked away on a quiet street in San Marco, making it easy for us to venture out to find St. Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, and explore the city's winding canals.

Our highlights

• The Doge's 'Hidden Treasures' tour. The Doge's Palace is an epic Gothic palace originally built in 810. Regular tickets for €35 give visitors access to the palace and museums, but for an extra €5, you can also access one of the special 45-minute guided itinerary tours. The Hidden Treasures tour gave us a more intimate peek into the palace's lesser-known areas. From our guide, we learnt about the history of the doge election process and the odd lengths the Venetians went to in order to avoid corruption. We also learnt about the scandalous secret lives of the palace nuns – about as far away from virtuous as one could imagine.
• Glass workshop in San Marco. On the morning of day two, we joined a two-hour workshop led by artist Fabio Prizzon, who'd spent the last twelve years perfecting his craft as a Murano glassmaker. In a small group of six, we tried our hand at crafting intricate glass ornaments and coasters. In true Italian style, there were minimal rules aside from 'don't touch the 1000°C flame'. It was chaotic, fun, and a unique experience all round.
• On our last day, Zac suggested a gondola ride from the Grand Canal. Although it wasn't cheap (€30pp for 30 minutes), it was a great way to see Venice from a new perspective.

Our lowlights

• Tourist trap restaurants along the Grand Canal. Before visiting St Mark's Basilica on day one, we made the mistake of dining at a classically touristy restaurant. A simple breakfast set us back €90. After that, we stuck to eating brekkie at the Airbnb, buying fruit and yoghurt from the local co-op.
• St Mark's Square crowds. Even though we visited during off-season, the piazza was overwhelmed with tourists and tour groups. Sadly, a growing disdain for tourism is reflected in Venetian attitudes, where locals are being priced out of the city by rising living costs. We learnt the Italian government is introducing a €5 day-tripper tax to curb the damage that overtourism has caused to the city.
• Beware of the birds. Unfortunately for Ellie, Venetian pigeons are out for blood. They're in full attack mode in search of food near cafés and restaurants, and they aren't shy about crash-landing onto tables full of people. The least they could do is ask first. Jaclair didn't even need to think about sprinkling bread crumbs – battalions of pigeons swarmed Ellie's chair regardless.

The food (and drink)

• Bistrò 1473: Zac's penchant for picking restaurants was on point the whole trip. His coveted technique of literally searching for "tiramisu" on Google Maps led us to Bistrò 1473. The wait staff at this quaint San Polo restaurant were thoughtful and attentive. We dined al fresco with blankets and enjoyed lobster spaghetti, truffle tagliolini, caprese salad, and a Tagliata steak. You know the tiramisù is gonna be good when the menu has written descriptions for all other desserts except this one.
• Terrazza Aperol: In search of a nice café or wine bar to sit down and enjoy the sun, we accidentally stumbled upon this official Aperol cocktail bar on Campo Santo Stefano. We enjoyed a sunny Saturday afternoon sipping on spritzes, playing Monopoly Deal, and people-watching in the piazza.
• Gelateria Paolin dal 1760: We visited this café and gelateria twice on Campo Santo Stefano. It made the perfect rest stop for coffee between museums and sightseeing.
• Birraria La Corte: For our last lunch of the trip on Palm Sunday, Zac picked out a San Polo brewery with seating in the piazza. The pizza was as good as it gets. Jaclair ordered a classic Margherita, while Zac and Ellie shared lamb ravioli and a Diavola (salami) pizza.

Verdict

Over the weekend, we were blessed with a kiss of spring sun and got to watch Venice come alive with pre-Easter festivities. More than anything, we couldn't help but agree that Italians just have 'it' figured out. The rituals of food, the culture, art and fashion, and the enviable laid-back attitude... all proof that life is meant to be savoured and not rushed.

L'arte di vivere, or 'the art of living', is about finding intention in everyday moments, something that Western society often forgets. In Italy, being busy isn't seen as a badge of honour; it's a sign you've missed the point.

My favourite part about visiting Venice was how the simplest pleasures were enjoyed the most. Sitting in the sun. Shopping where the locals do. Swatting pigeons. Sharing downtime with two people I love. While the city's off-the-cuffness was a departure from our group's usual Type-A tendencies, maybe the unpredictability is the lesson: we could all stand to slow down and appreciate life's small moments more often.

Easily 5/5 bułkas.

Favourite trip quotes

I do my best work in Swiss airports

Simply fading away

Credits

Thank you to our loyal reader, Holly, for inspiring the title of this blog.