Venice: A Floating Finale to Our Italian Adventure
Day 1: Arriving in The Floating City
Even teenagers can't maintain their cool when they first see Venice. As our train pulled into the station, our teens (11, 14, and 15) actually put down their phones voluntarily to take in the view. For Emile and me, it was a joyful return – we'd visited in 2006 with his parents – though we quickly noticed how much more crowded the city has become since then.
A water taxi whisked us to our apartment, providing the perfect photo ops for some Instagram-worthy shots along the canals on a gloriously sunny day. It's one thing to see Venice on social media; it's another to experience it firsthand.
After settling in, we headed to the iconic St. Mark's Square for a café break and snacks. Score one for Venetian cuisine – the authentic cannoli got unanimous approval from our typically picky teens! Emile and I tried our first aperol spritz before dinner (confession: not my favorite as it was too sweet). We then all enjoyed hunting for the perfect pieces of Murano glass before calling it a day.
Pro tip: Teens make excellent negotiators when shopping for souvenirs!
Day 2: Living the Venetian Dream
For our final day in Italy, we broke our usual early-morning pattern and let everyone sleep in (a rare treat for our teenagers!). After a leisurely breakfast, we embarked on what would surprisingly become one of our trip's highlights: a gondola ride through the city's scenic canals.
Let's be honest – we expected some eye-rolling about the "touristy" gondola ride. Instead, we got genuine excitement, especially during the "lean right!" moment going under a bridge when we all thought we might tip into the canal. Nothing like a potential dunking to get teens engaged!
The Doge's Palace turned out to be another unexpected hit. Maybe it was the medieval prison cells, or perhaps the slightly morbid history of the Bridge of Sighs, but our teens were genuinely intrigued. There's something about ancient dungeons that appeals to the teenage mind! The Chamber of the Great Council was breathtaking.
Lunch at Rossopomodoro (recommended by our tour guide) proved that you can never go wrong with authentic Italian pizza, even with discriminating teenage tastes. But the day's surprise success was our mask-painting session at La Bauta. Watching the artisans at work – women hand-making paper mache masks and others painting them – actually impressed our teens to get creative. Their artistic sides emerged as they designed their own masks, and yes, we bought some professional ones too. (Perfect for future Halloween costumes, as my younges pointed out.)
We wrapped up our Italian adventure with dinner at Trattoria Tre Spiedi, followed by our nightly gelato ritual. And because it was our last night, we added crepes – because apparently, you can never have too many desserts when you're a teenager!
Travel Tip: When visiting Venice, remember that the city itself is the main attraction. Sometimes the best moments come from simply wandering the quiet back streets, away from the crowds, getting wonderfully lost in this unique floating city.
Reflections on Our Italian Journey
As we packed our bags (somehow squeezing in all our Murano glass, masks, and other treasures - we always bring an extra canvas bag just in case for another carry-on), we reflected on our incredible journey through Italy. From Rome's ancient wonders to Florence's artistic masterpieces, and finally to Venice's magical canals, each city offered its own unique charm and unforgettable experiences.
Our teens surprised us with their engagement in history and art, their willingness to try new foods (well, most of them!), and their ability to find joy in simple pleasures like daily gelato runs (well, it is gelato so you can't go wrong). They even admitted – though not in so many words – that maybe their mom knew what she was doing when planning this trip.
While we're all ready for our own beds and Wi-Fi, we're leaving with phones full of photos, social media posts that will make their friends jealous, and memories that even the most skeptical teenager can't deny are pretty amazing.
Looking Ahead
But the adventures don't stop here! Although we bid arrivederci to Italy earlier this year, we're already looking forward to our next family journey. This New Year's week, we'll be trading Italian gelato for Caribbean beaches as we head to Barbados for our first island experience together! Teens are already planning their beach photos!
Have you visited Venice with your family? What was your favorite experience? Share your memories in the comments below!