Who: Justin Odneal and Samantha Maras of Aurora
Where: In front of the Grand Canal in Venice
Best meal: Any one of the restaurants along the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge will provide you with a meal and an experience that you’ll never forget. However, be ready to pay a hefty price for the fabulous location. For inexpensive, authentic Venetian cuisine, try smaller restaurants hidden among the many canals.
Best deal: Real estate is scarce in Venice, so hotels on the main island are very expensive, especially in the summer months when tourist season is at its peak. Stay at a hotel on one of the islands around Venice (we strongly recommend Lido), and you’ll find that you get a much better room for a much better price.
Best time to go: February is the ideal time to be in Venice for two reasons. First, what could be more romantic than a gondola ride on Valentine’s Day? It was so perfect that we got engaged! Second, February is the time of Venice’s world-famous Carnival. The population of the city doubles when tourists and locals come out wearing exquisite costumes, found only in Venice.
Best travel tip: A Rolling Venice Card is an absolute must-have. Pick one up at the tourist information office in or around the train station. The card saves you money on bus tickets, restaurants, museum entrances, hotels and souvenirs. Also, make sure to buy a three-day bus pass. It allows you unlimited rides on any of the water buses for 72 hours. Venice is an extremely confusing city to navigate on foot, and it is invaluable to be able to hop on a water bus whenever you find yourself completely lost.
