If you did read my first series of posts about Venice, last year, you will know how passionate I was about it. La Serenissima is beautiful in spite of the massive influx of not so respectful tourists she gets every year.
This time I went there at the end of September and, comparing with 2017, there was not much of a difference in the amount of tourists. It can get overwhelming, but hey, Venice is so beautiful, that you can still enjoy it.
This time we stayed in Rialto (literally 1 minute from Rialto Bridge), as opposed to where I stayed on my 1st visit – San Marco, and stayed for a longer time, that gave us room to better explore other neighborhoods (Burano and Murano still not on my plans) at a more relaxed pace.
On the vaporetto to Rialto Sunset and Venice are a perfect combination You get to see lovely examples of architecture along the ride Rialto bridge stunning The view from my room
We stayed in Venice from the 21st to the 24th of September, giving us 3 days, enough to explore it. After a nice meal at da Mamo, a small restaurant close to where we stayed, with a friendly staff and ice food, we had a deserved rest and wake up refreshed. The first full day in Venice would be busy as we intended to see as much as we could. I went again to the Doge Palace, this time not so focused on the photographs, and enjoyed seeing it again, and seeing spots I had missed the last time. I will not be elaborating much, this (and maybe another) post will just be a nice collection of photographs, with maybe a whole post dedicated to Cannaregio and San Giorgio Maggiore, as this time I got to see them in detail. Enjoy!
Dinner at Mamo Trattoria I woke up to this view Piazza San Marco The Gondolas and canals Basilica San Marco My son admiring the busy gondoliers Getting to the Doge Palace The ceilings, never cease to amaze me details on doors And another stunning ceiling And another Magnificent View from the interior of the Bridge of Sighs The prison View from the interior of the Bridge of Sighs A different angle of the Bridge of Sighs The magnificent staircase
After leaving the Doge Palace, we tried to climb Scaderia del Bovollo but sadly it was closed for a fashion event. We decided to spend the rest of the day strolling around Venice.
Me and my son – preparing for a busy day Scaderia del Bovollo You can never get tired of the Gondoliers What a charming atelier and again Piazza San Marco Gondola parking lot Santa Maria della Salute Chiesa di San Zaccaria The interior Strolling around the Fondamenta Nuove

And so another day passed, quite nicely, but crowded. Next day we would be going to climb the tower and see panoramic views of Venice, go to San Giorgio Maggiore (theme of another post), explore other neighborhoods.
View of Basilica San Marco Another panoramic My favourite view from the Tower Santa Maria della Salute Another great panoramic The balcony of Basilica San Marco The huge lines to get to Basilica San Marco Say cheese!!! How crowded it was
We did spend quite some time in Castello neighborhood. It dates back from 13th century, it is the largest of the neighborhoods (sestieri) and for sure it is local and authentic, not crowded, charming. There you can really experience Venice as a local.
Castello neighborhood Castello neighborhood – Arsenale di Venezia Castello neighborhood Castello neighborhood – Arsenale di Venezia Castello neighborhood Parrocchia di San Giovanni in Bragora Strolling around A cute shop selling typical, genuine masks The interior One of the many cute details Isn’t it lovely? Close up
Back to San Marco Another cruise coming Florian, with live music Sunset at Piazza San Marco

Time to watch sunset in Rialto and and end this perfect day with a nice 3 course dinner in the lovely Trattoria Agli Artisti in Ruga Giuffa.
Back to Rialto Another angle of Rialto Bridge Bye bye 2nd day

Melanzane Our fantastic 3 course dinner for 18 Euros and great food Cute little place
And the last day came, we left at 10h00 to the train station to leave our luggage and explore Cannaregio (another post). Bye, bye Serenissima, I so much love you
Bye Rialto, see you next time Busy times Gorgeous light and beautiful day Cuteness overload Stunning Look at that charming corner Approaching the train station Approaching the train station
Please respect Venice. Please respect the locals. There is actually people living there you know? Peeking through windows, making a lot of noise after hours, criticizing the local culture, habits, food, buying from illegal vendors/stalls, littering, vandalizing monuments, insisting on climbing statues and monuments when it is forbidden and stated, taking photos where it not allowed, is not really respecting and preserving the beauty of the places you go to (that applies to any country, city where you go). Collaborate to preserve those places you so like to see, instead of helping ruin it. Be a responsible tourist.
Thank you for a virtual trip back to our beloved Venice; especially in this bleak mid-winter time of the year. Your photos are like dear friends, familiar, heartwarming and beautiful.
You make a very important point too; ‘be a respectful tourist’.
Thank you, Dalila
Thank YOU for Always leaving a kind comment