I know .. I railed on about Rome and the mass market tourism and this is a city that has almost literally been destroyed by the swarms of tourist in the summer . The prices for homes and apartments here are so crazy that almost no Venetians can afford to live in their own city .

They commute here by train and bus everyday through the Piazzale Roma. The place is full of tacky Murano glass knockoffs made in China and souvenir shops selling tacky magnets of the Rialto. Gondola rides are 80 euro for a 30 minute ride and there are so many it’s like a Disney ride on a track. They were so overwhelmed by the number of tourists and the damage they were doing they literally outlawed cruise ships from docking. Now, cruise ships put Venice on their itineraries but have to dock 2 hours away in Trieste or Ravenna

Yet , get off the beaten track, walk down a narrow alley that ends at a canal or an ancient palazzo or take a stroll at night in deserted streets and this place is downright hypnotic.

The views everywhere are beautiful and the architecture is stunning.

We stayed at the Danieli. A former palazzo built in the 17th Century and one of the worlds most famous hotels . Luckily, I used points so we essentially stayed for free. Who knew all those nights In Cincinnati would pay off.

The food though not Bologna is excellent especially if you have a local friend like Rosanna who knows where to send you.

It’s really hard not to be blown away by the vistas and canals you find here. It may be the most beautiful city in the world and that’s enough for me.