I’d like to say that I fully researched Venice before I went there but I didn’t.
I wanted to see Venice without any preconceived ideas.
It is of course astonishing to think that people built this place hundreds of years ago with little or no technological help.
I have no idea what these photos are of but I’m sure someone will tell us in the comments or maybe not?
What I can say is that this was not an easy trip. We arrived in the middle of a heatwave and left in the middle of a storm.
The first problem was the heat and humidity. It was like being trapped inside a furnace with no escape.
Second problem bridges everywhere with many stairs.
The first bridge you encounter is the equivalent of a mountain for anyone who is not fully fit.
My wife Linda has mobility issues and she has difficulties breathing.
Venice is not built for people with any disability. There is zero wheelchair access anywhere that we could find.
There are many ancient buildings in various states of disrepair that are rather sad looking considering that they were once very prestigious places.
I know people who would gush excitedly about Venetian architecture but they probably haven’t been there in person.
Seeing another bridge is like seeing another mountain to climb.
Another bridge another challenge to overcome.
I suppose the only way to think about this whole fiasco is that we survived it.
Another example of how badly organised Venice is when it comes to transportation.
We took the train from the mainland onto the islands that make up Venice. All super modern and up to date with cheap train tickets.
Walk down to the quayside and a crowd of taxi boat operators from the 16th century will tell you how great their service is until they see Linda’s walking issues and suddenly they all disappear.
I get it. It’s difficult to get into the boat and getting out is even more challenging. We saw a rather large woman go down trying to get out of a boat and her husband looked horrified that she might fall back into the boat.
The boat owners don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting injured plus it slows down their ability to make money.
The quayside is ancient and dilapidated and not built to modern safety standards.
It might be authentic but it is incredibly dangerous.
It was not a good experience to be honest in fact it was touch and go if we would all make it out alive….seriously.
Linda was getting progressively worse and we had no alternative way to get out of there except for walking which was really hard for her.
Listen I’m not saying we walked miles. The total distance covered was probably less than a mile but in that heat and humidity it was like climbing Everest.
I’m fairly fit and it done me in as well.
Fortunately in the early evening the heavens opened and the rain poured down cooling the air. At least now we could breathe and move a little easier.
A 3 minute walk to a restaurant took us 25 minutes. When you cannot control your body temperature it is just a matter of time before you die.
Thunder and lightning was never so welcome. We got out of Venice and headed back to our hotel.
Venice was an interesting experience and one that I will never forget but for all the wrong reasons.
Key points to take from this article.
Don’t visit Venice in a heatwave.
Don’t visit Venice if you have mobility problems.
Do your research before going.
Venice needs to get a lot better in terms of how it caters to people with disabilities. It’s just appalling.
My idea of just getting a unbiased opinion about Venice by not researching it as I usually would was a mistake. Huge.
Below is a map showing the city and its surrounding areas.
Would I visit Venice again? Yes in spring or fall but never again in summer. It’s just unbearable and once you are on the islands you are stuck unless you get a miracle like the thunderstorm that saved us.
Remember to hydrate regularly during heatwaves and stay indoors unless you absolutely have to go out.
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Edit: typo
