Venice (Jan 22-24, 2017):
History of Venice in a few lines:
Origins:
Founded in the 5th century AD by refugees from the mainland fleeing Germanic invasions (such as the Huns and Lombards), Venice settled on the marshy islands of the Venetian Lagoon, seeking safety and isolation, thus laying the foundation for a unique city built on water.
Middle Ages and Renaissance:
The Most Serene Republic: Venice established itself as an independent maritime republic and became one of the greatest naval and commercial powers in the Mediterranean. Known as "La Serenissima," it dominated trade routes between Europe and the East, especially during the Crusades. Its wealth was based on the trade of spices, salt, and silk. It reached its zenith during the Renaissance, becoming a vital center of art and culture.
18th and 19th centuries:
Decline and Unification: Venice's prosperity declined with the shift of trade routes toward the Atlantic and the rise of other powers. In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the city, ending the more than 1,000 years of independence of the Republic of Venice. After a brief period of French and Austrian rule, Venice joined the newly formed Kingdom of Italy in 1866.
Present:
Today, Venice is one of the world's most famous and visited cities, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its economy relies almost exclusively on tourism, drawn by its iconic canals, gondolas, Gothic architecture, and rich artistic history. The city faces significant challenges, such as mass tourism and rising sea levels (acqua alta), which threaten its unique existence.
Recommendation: Be in good physical shape 😅. The little bridges between islands might seem silly, but at the end of the day your legs will feel it, and the next day you'll be so sore you'll have to pay for them at the hotel like any other guest.
We recommend taking the ferries (vaporetti) to go to the 3 "big" islands (Murano, Burano and Torcello).
Overall summary: It's worth visiting, although it's very crowded and everything is extremely expensive. When we went, there was no entrance fee, but now it seems you have to book access and pay depending on when you request it. Plan ahead.
Don't eat near the Rialto Bridge, it's a guaranteed scam for tourists and there were plenty of pickpockets waiting for someone to let their guard down.
The city isn't cheap, but you have to eat, so look for recommendations from the locals.
Anecdote: On our first day, when we arrived, we saw a crowd of people staring at a spot on the Grand Canal. Firefighters and paramedics were pulling a body from the water. A tourist had committed suicide by jumping into the canal, and no one could save him. It left us with a bad feeling, although we enjoyed the trip immensely. It was our first trip outside of Spain together, and we cherish the memory.
We had a great time after several bouts of hypothermia 😂 It was so cold!!!
We made this trip using an auction app (which went bankrupt)... we did have to make the trip from Barcelona, which we didn't mind because we had been wanting to go skating there for a while, so we killed two birds with one stone.
The hotel was in Mestre, about 10-15 minutes away, but the bus stop was right outside. The hotel was fine, although not as centrally located as in Venice itself.
The total package cost €180. Flights + hotel (2 nights).
Flight: with Ryanair.
Hotel: Hotel Centrale.
Information obtained from the web https://www.exteriores.gob.es
Passport/ID: You can travel with either of the two.
European Health Insurance Card: It's necessary, it's very easy to order online and they'll even send it to your home, it's free. Request.
Vaccines: There are no mandatory vaccinations for entry.
International driving permit: There's no need
Payment/exchange card: Your usual ones since the currency is the euro.
Roaming: Yeah.
GPS: We were using Google Maps, but the coverage was terrible because we were driving between buildings the whole time, and on top of that, it was a bit cloudy. I recommend bringing a separate app as well. Maps.me With the downloaded map, it's the one we almost always use now.
Another destination in Italy: 
