My expectations were so low for Venice that we actually cancelled a night there and stayed one day less then originally planned. What a mistake! We had heard horror stories about overwhelming heat, tourists and a stinky city.

We stayed in an amazing area of the city away from tourists. The weather was great, in fact it’s never been very hot on this trip. The owner of the B &B is the calmest italian I’ve ever met. The B & B shares quarters with his wife and young daughter. It had beautiful white marble floors and a large balcony for breakfast. He gave us wonderful recommendations for dinner in the city as well.

After dropping off our bags we stopped for a glass of wine and snack along a small canal. Moments later a boat arrived with a band on it. The wine shop owner pulled out rugs and laid them along the canal for his guests to lounge on and listen to music. An hour or so later the band moved on to its next location. It was magical.

The entire visit to Venice consisted of great meals, back canal walks, a visit to St Marks Cathedral and falling in love with Venice.