People: The people in Venice were not necessarily mean but they definitely were not as polite as pleasant as people in other parts of Italy. Nobody really seemed to want to do anything that didn’t fit their job description. At the main train station (Venezia- Santa Lucia), I asked the lady at the train ticket booth, how I could get to my hotel and she promptly responded that she sold train tickets and if I wanted information, there was an information booth and tourist point outside. OK THEN! I asked her if she was from Venice and when she said yes, she was, I then asked her if she didn’t know her city and walked off, before she could answer. RUDE!

Sites & Signs: The signs in Venice SUCK! It is quite confusing and the map provided by the hotel wasn’t the best. But maybe we just sucked at reading maps—definite possibility. The city is sort of like a maze with piazzas and canals everywhere. It is definitely not uncommon to see a sign saying ‘SAN MARCO’ with arrows pointing in both directions. Ok, so where do I go? Once you do find what you’re looking for, it is well worth the confusion. Must-sees: Basilica di San Marco, Piazza di San Marco, Ponte di Rialto, Ponte della Accademia, Grand Canal. There are other museums and churches that are pretty (you are in Italy, afterall) but the sites I listed are the ones that I found most beautiful, my ABSOLUTE favourite being Ponte della Accademia—the bridge and the view from it is simply amazing.