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Live Venice Like The Locals!

By Paula DuPont

Produce vaporettos gliding by before the sun comes up.  Golden rays complementing morning caffe & cornetto at the walnut dining table.  Pesto and tagliatelle purchased at the local grocer and featured for lunch after exploring the Doge’s Palace.   Wine by moonlight with whispers of quiet life on the canal.   The peal of many nearby church bells as the morning alarm clock.  That’s what Venetians experience, and exactly what our family was able to live during our stay in Venice several years ago.

We could have done all the typical things in terms of accommodations and sight-seeing – and it would have been just fine, probably even a lovely experience.  But instead, we chose a different path.  A path we hoped would lead to a greater appreciation of this beautiful city and the people who live here, and one that would allow us to really be able to live as the locals do.  We rented an apartment.

Now … if I’m to be completely honest I must confess that I do speak Italian, which makes things a little easier.  But apartment rental is accessible to anyone who wants to do things a little differently, authentically and romantically – as the Venetians would.  I booked through the online agency Initaly.com, which I’ve used with great success in other cities and villages.  But I’m sure others exist!

Of course our approach wasn’t without some issues.  Anyone who’s ever navigated a foreign city – especially one where water interrupts each turn – has experienced our frustration!  Simply arriving at the apartment was a feat in itself, complete with seemingly absurd walks up one set of stairs with rolling luggage only to climb down a different set of stairs 100 yards away.

But once we arrived, and settled into our third-floor apartment complete with marble floors, antique armoires, tapestries – and modern bath & kitchen -- in the Castello district, ten minutes from St. Marks and about 20 minutes from the Rialto, the stress fell off and anticipation kicked in.  Within short hours we learned that:

• Our closest vaporetto stop was San Zaccaria;

• The grocery down the block and across the canal had any delicious food and beverages we would need;

• The streets surrounding us were real streets, where actual Italians lived, worked, and shopped;

• It’s really fun to wander, without purpose, and just soak in the surroundings; and

• When the wandering becomes too much for the pre-teens in tow to handle, a well-timed cono di stracciatella or gianduia can make everything better!!

Our trip included many of the usual highlights like St. Mark’s, the Lido, and the Bridge of Sighs.  But we also branched out and were delivered by private vaporetto (a perk of the apartment) to the island of Murano where we watched glassmasters at work and coveted the stunning creations.   Each of us purchased a small pendant which we cherish as a beautiful memory of this great city.  From there we went to the sleepy isle of Burano, land of the pastel-colored homes and cobblestoned alleys where we savored a seaside meal, Italian style:  many courses, leisurely pace.

But I think we all agree that at the end of a trip filled with delicious foods and fabulous scenery, one experience captures our accomplishment of living like the locals.  On our final day, after a busy morning that stretched into early afternoon at the Doge’s Palace, we decided to “go home” for lunch.  On our way, we purchased the makings of a truly Italian pranzo di mezzogiorno:  just-made pasta, fresh pesto, prosciutto, soppressata, cotto, olives, and ciabatta.  As we sipped our vino – or aqua minerale for the underage set – the pasta boiled, the salumi were decoratively displayed, and we sat to enjoy our simple meal at the open window facing the canal.  Around us we could smell the scents of Italy:  the sea, fresh bread, basil, and lemon.  And we could hear other families – Italian families – enjoying the same midday pleasure.

This article is brought to you by Direct From Venice, an online store specializing in Murano glass jewelry.  We look forward to a visit by you to our site at www.directfromvenice.com