Venetian Delight: Canals and Culture with a toddler on-board

Venice, Italy | May 2024

As much as we enjoyed the serenity of Lake Como and the thrills of Gardaland, deep down we knew that the most special bit of our trip was reserved for the last. Like every other trip, we were hoping to leave Italy on a high, and visiting Venice at the last did just that for us!

Vrunda has lived through her teens, fantasising about visiting Venice. And ever since we've known each other, our hearts know how many times we have tried to plan for it and we had to cancel it or plan for something else. But as they say, right things happen at the right time, and maybe Ayaansh was the one destined to take us there!

After driving around the shorelines of Lake Como, the plains of Gardaland and the historic wonders of Verona, we finally returned our car at the Venice airport. While we said goodbye to the most amazing driving experience we had, we were gearing up to embrace the picturesque canals of the beautiful city of Venice. Taking a water taxi from the airport to the city meant we made a rather expensive, but a completely justified choice. Entering the city, watching the broad waters of the Adriatic sea converge into the Grand Canal and further into narrow canals of Venice was magical in its own self.

Either Dadda is holding me to protect me, or he's making sure I do not turn around before he takes a picture...

Staying close to the Rialto bridge already meant we had easy access to most of the popular sights in the city, but getting an apartment that overlooked the Grand Canal meant that the most delicious piece of the cake was ours for four days!

Two adults making a little boy hold an umbrella...so what if the boy asked for it himself...

Rialto Bridge

Every now and then, we love keeping free time in our itinerary, since it allows us to explore a new place at our pace without bounds and without time constraints. Venice is a place you want to get lost in, and our leisurely strolls around the Rialto Bridge gave us generous amounts of that. The place is as touristy as it can get, with souvenir shops and eateries overflowing with people. And yet, the sweet sound of the water in the canals, the hustle bustle of tourists walking around, the numerous cafes along the canal and the gorgeous evening skies, they all creep closer to you, creating a place in your heart in a loving (sometimes overwhelmingly though) way.'

The Grand Canal, the Rialto bridge, and a toddler thinking what cartoon to watch today...

She's wanted to come here for years. Little did she know I would be the one to bring her here...you're welcome, Mumma!

St. Mark's Square, Basilica and Doge's Palace

One of the most popular things to do on the list has to roam around the St. Mark's Square, the largest and probably the only major square in town. Being home to the famous Basilica, and Doge's Palace, this place exudes culture and history unlike any other place. A drizzly morning stopped us from exploring as freely as we would have liked to, but a warm cup of coffee, sitting under a patio umbrella in a 17th century cafe compensated more than enough! Some people however are blessed a little more, and they prefer enjoying a nap in a stroller, while the rest of the world breathes.

Island Tour: Torcello, Murano and Burano

While walking in Venice adds more to the charm of the city, taking a Vaporetto (water-bus) is yet another experience one must have, while in the city of canals. For a city where roads are canals, and cars are boats, the vaporetto comes across as the most convenient way to explore the island and the islands around.

As if Venice wasn't beautiful enough, it is surrounded by the gorgeousness of a bunch of neighbouring islands, Torcello, Murano and Burano are few of which.

Sometimes, things not going as per plan comes across as a boon, and in this case, missing our guided tour due to a mis-communication meant we had all the time in the world to explore the islands ourselves!

A family run cafe in the otherwise scarcely populated Torcello, the astonishing ancient glass work on the world famous island of Murano, or the colourful homes on the fishing island of Burano, nothing was short of amazing. At the end, a day well spent!

Climbing a rock does not seem to be my forte...throwing rocks in the water could be though...

Play areas are fun...the only place where I mind my business while Mumma and Dadda grab a bite...

Photoshoot and Gondola Ride

One of our favourite things to do while on a holiday is to get a photoshoot experience by a professional. It gives us the opportunity to explore otherwise unexplored places with a local. However more importantly, it helps create a beautiful album of professionally shot photos, for a family where the husband is unarguably clumsy at taking pictures.

We had a fabulous experience with our photographer cum guide, a born Venetian and an extremely knowledgeable person. Learning about the history of the place, hearing anecdotes from the ancient past as we strolled through the narrower streets of Venice away from the crowds, what we got out of the experience was definitely more than the pictures. And to top it all, it ended with the most beautiful Gondola ride along the little canals of Venice, finally ending at the Grand Canal, as we sat quietly, absorbing the untouched beauty of the city, the serenity of the evening breeze and the warm glow of the setting sun falling on our faces. If this life isn't beautiful, I don't know what is.

Our time in Venice was filled with lot of fun, memories and mostly gratitude. From the iconic landmarks to the hidden gems, from the quaint little cafes to the majestic city squares, from queuing up to have the best gelato in the world to trying our every possible version of the Tiramisu, every ounce of the city had something special to offer, and all we could do was to accept it with our arms wide open. Like Ayaansh says, he feels he can fly when he has his arms open.

As we said good bye to Venice, what came along with us was a boat load of memories, a box full of fulfilled dreams and most importantly, a very happy wife!

Planning these trips with Ayaansh has turned out to be more fun that we thought. And the amount of fun and adventure surpasses all the challenges of travelling with a toddler and we cannot wait to do it all over again!

From here and beyond!