Venice: Skip the Carnival and visit off season. Like now.
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Travel adventure never gets old, and Paris' location in the heart of Europe makes it the ultimate launchpad to many destinations. Followers of this blog will notice that I try to keep a Paris connection by sticking to places that are accessible "3 hours (or less)" from The City of Light, whether by plane, train, or car. Even so, I've omitted many trips we've taken, near and far, and have so many photos of Paris I can post from anywhere.
Well before I started the blog - and before mass tourism transformed The Floating City into a different kind of carnevale thanks in large part to Instagram selfies - Venice was a cherished destination in Italy, as was Rome, where my Tante Maria, in a heartfelt shared (final) pearl of wisdom, advised: "Keep your adventures discrete and guard your joy."
However Venezia is worth sharing. It has a magic about it that is palpable. By slipping away in spring or fall we'd avoid the summer throngs, opting for smaller palazzo-style hotels along quieter off-the-beaten-path canals. Or, as we once did with English friends, join them in their weathered fresco-covered-ceiling marvel that might double as a film set.
If you've never experienced the lure of Venice, September’s golden light, thinner crowds, and cooler weather is the perfect pretext to surrender to its spell. Not that you need one. - BPJ
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