'Venezia like a local' in just one day!

I always prefer to visit cities that are outside the norm, but Italy is one of my favourite countries and Venezia (Venice) was calling for my attention to escape for a day trip. Mindful of the mere 30 million visitors to Venice every year, I wanted to try and do things a bit different to the usual tourist way and following an alternative itinerary as much as possible like a local. Why visit Venice? 1. Stunning architecture ⛪ 2. Vibrant and fiercely independent Venetian food scene 🍽️ 3. Uniqueness and independence 🛶🌊 4. Ideal for day trips ✈️ 5. Budget friendly if you know where to look! 👀💶 Landing at 9:20am at Marco Polo airport, I took the bus over to the Piazzale Roma, one of the only places where motorists are allowed in Venice. I headed straight to the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge, Picture 2) for views of the Grand Canal (Picture 1), Venice's iconic focal point for travel and tourism, and the provider of motor-free Venice's only form of public transport, the Vaporetto (water bus), on which I used to get there. I then hopped along to the Basilica di San Marco (Picture 3), unmistakably famous for its' domed exterior and golden mosaics. Taking a lift up to the top of its companion, the Campanile (literally Bell Tower in English) will give you a glimpse of The Floating City and all of its densely packed terracotta buildings. In a distinctly overcrowded food scene, it's impossible to sort the good eateries from the bad. Luckily, I came across Bacaretto Cicchetto, as I was keen to try Venice's answer to Antipasti Cicchetti (Picture 4 & 5). This consists of whatever Chef has available on the day, and mine consisted of Italian meats and cheese, baby octopus, Venetian-style sardines and creamed salted cod on polenta bases. Served with a glass of Aperol Spritz, originating from Austria Hungary's occupation of Venice in the 19th century and gradually adapted by the Italians into the drink we know today. Simply delicious. I then ventured out further along the canal towards the Laguna di Venezia, passing unmissable buildings such as the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute and the San Giorgio Maggiore. My proudest life hack of the day... no visit to Venice is complete without a trip on a gondola, granted. However I'm very budget-conscious and I found a great way to get around this while keeping with my plan of sticking to a Venetian-style itinerary... the Traghetto (Picture 6). Traghettos have around 10 seats and are used by locals to hop from one district to another, so rides are usually around 2 minutes long. They only cost €2 instead of the gondola's flat, non-negotiable €80 fee for 30 minutes. It was a great quick experience and I felt just like I'd rode a gondola As the sun was starting to set, I ventured through to the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, built in a gothic style symbolic of the era and a pioneer of beauty and elegance (Picture 7). I headed out for dinner at a local restaurant for Lasagne (not a traditional Venetian dish) and made my way back to the Grand Canal for city views in the evening. The Grand Canal offers a different kind of beauty in the evening, as the city's vibrant food and drink culture shines and watches over the bustling tourism scene. Back to the airport I went, having had a great experience in Bellissima Venezia (beautiful Venice) and feeling a sudden urge to return once again. #celebrateit