At the age of nine I had the opportunity to visit Venice while visiting family in Italy. Being so young, its a bit hard to remember everything, but I could remember Venice very clearly. Throughout this trip I have repeatedly told everyone “just wait until you see Venice!” and once we got there today, they knew I was not lying. Venice is a beautiful world of its own. If romance was a place, that would be it. The tiny allies and beautiful gondolas had me swooning the whole time.

We spent our six hour day in Venice touring it up and down and all around. I am the type of person that wants to be able to capture the beauty I see, so I couldn’t stop myself from taking photos the whole time (while also appreciating the beauty) ((I am a photo major I cant help it)).

One of my favorite things about Venice is what it is known for. Masquerade Masks, handmade glass and seafood. Although I am not the biggest fan of glass, I made sure to buy some seafood and a mask. We did not have that much time for lunch, so my friends and I found the most convenient little vendor that sold seafood in a cone… and it was one of the best things Ive had on the trip. Calamari and shrimp – cant get better than that. I also bought my mom a steampunk themed mask and I cannot wait to give it to her when I get home.

What really made this trip special was the gondola ride. Having to constantly rush around, you do not have that much time to think about the things you are doing, so being able to sit down and appreciate what is around you is something we all needed.

As sad as it is to spend only a short amount of time in one of the most beautiful places, I am so grateful that this is my second time coming here.