I am very fortunate to say that my current home is on the shores of Lake Garda, thanks to the work we currently do. I agree with San Marco Square. It is a place you go where you know you will pay over the odds for anything. All the restaurants give you plenty of time to look at the menus and assess the pricing so why people sit down and then complain about the price later amazes me.

I love the area around Dorsoduro and Cannaregio as well as the area of Giudecca which is very much a residential area. 🙂

Lucky you Tamason! So close to Venice! Are you near Lake Garda? I lived in Munich (and London) and travelled everywhere in Europe for most of the 80s.

I’d recommend avoiding Venice in high season and not eat nor drink in San Marco Square. It’s like the N. American tourists in Athens complaining about the old ruins and rocks. They should stay at home if they want all mod-cons.

Last time we stayed in a central but residential area B&B where school kids played and ate where they ate (birthday party took place). Such a different much quieter experience, including the 50 steep stairs to the B&B, builds stamina and they had THE best cappucino too.

I am glad to know I am not alone with this. Although as you say, Helen definitely has a way of drawing you in.

I absolutely love Venice, has always been one of my all-time favourite cities. I am luck enough that I first visited when I was 13 and have able to return every year pretty much since, and now, we live just about two hours away in Northern Italy. I don’t understand people who visit and then say, ‘it really wasn’t what I expected. I didn’t really enjoy walking over all those bridges, it was full of tourists and everything cost so much!’ I almost feel disappointed that this is the impression they are walking away with.

Her sketches show a shabby beauty that draws me in, much like my other favourite city – Venice, which intoxicates me with its beauty.

One of my fav travel writers is http://www.laurafraser.com/ – All Over the Map and An Italian Affair are highly recommended.