If you’re traveling to Venice in the summer time like most people do, you will be met with massive crowds from the early morning hours until way past sunset. It’s inevitable, it’s Venice. There are many beautiful places in this world and Venice stands close to the top. Everyone wants to visit Venice at least one time in their lives. Like Rome, Paris, London, and New York, Venice is one of the most visited places in the world. The problem is Venice is much smaller than any of those cities with much less room to maneuver through narrow sidewalks and bridges. However, there are two factors that help make Venice tolerable, besides just the sheer beauty of the place. One is obvious; there are no motor vehicles in Venice because there are no places to drive those vehicles.
The only public transportation in Venice is via boats on the canals and waterways. The other factor is that there are many places on the main island of Venice that are actually deserted. Even though it is such a small island, it’s incredible that there are so many empty corridors, alleys and actual large sections that are basically deserted throughout the day. Many of these places are only a five minute walk from the most crowded spots on the island. Want proof? It’s in the pictures below. Pictures that were all taken in the middle of July, which is the busiest time of the year in Venice.
Most travelers who visit Venice uses it as a stopover to other huge destination in Italy like Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast. People tend to only stay in Venice for two to three nights at the most. Due to their little time, many people spend an entire day at the Piazza San Marco also known as St Mark’s Square. A large portion of the time spent at the Piazza San Marco is used up waiting in tremendous long lines to enter St Mark’s Basilica. With the loss of Notre Dame recently in France, there will probably be a rush to see places like St Mark’s Basilica more than ever, as it has become obvious how those cherished buildings could be lost so easily. Nonetheless, waiting in those long lines in the heat of the summer sun can be extremely painful. Yet, millions do it every year.
Venice travelers also spend much of their time at the Piazza San Marco for the shopping and the restaurants.There is such beauty in the Piazza from both an historic and aesthetic viewpoint. Sitting at a table sipping some fine Italian wine, some wonderful seafood, some delicious gelato is just a wonder in itself while being in Italy. Experiencing that wonderful Italian cuisine while sitting at a table outside staring at St Mark’s Basilica is overwhelming. You just want to sit there for hours never wanting it to end. Therefore people spend an entire day and night at St. Mark’s Square. It’s a breathtaking place to be. There is also incredibly easy access to canal rides and the water. Yet, it’s not for everyone.
We discovered a wonderful deserted section of Venice not far from St Mark’s Square. It is probably the easiest section of Deserted Venice to find. All one has to do is head east down the boardwalk along the water from Saint Mark’s Square. It is a bit of a walk, but it does not seem like that because the beauty that surrounds you is so overwhelming while you walk. The Deserted Venice really is set in motion once you get about a quarter mile east of St Mark’s Square. Many of the buildings are abandoned, their structures decaying from many years of facing the sun without any shade. The salt water air has taken its toll on these old buildings. Yet, even in their decaying state, the beauty of the architecture and the history that permeates from these grand structures is awe inspiring.
On the walk along the boardwalk in our deserted Venice section one will still find some hotels and cafes that are open. Many of them looked vacant. However tables and chairs were laid out in the sun for those who wanted a dining experience by the water without the crowds. These are the special places in Deserted Venice that many travelers miss. It’s is an incredible experience to sit at a table by the water in Venice and be the only ones eating in the restaurant. It is like being in an Italian movie without anyone saying cut.
While most people who hear the term Deserted Venice probably assume we are talking about the hundreds of back alleys on the inner sections of the island, it’s this incredible section of Deserted Venice that is so surprising. Yes, there are so many hidden alleys and deserted sections of Venice that are worth exploring besides the outer walkways. We will explore that in another article. However, it is simply shocking that so many people do not bother to simply walk down along the docks to these deserted areas. One word of advice is to remind any explorers to carry water in the summertime. It is so incredibly hot, it is very easy to get dehydrated very quickly. If your walking into one of the sections where there is nothing but abandoned buildings, you don’t want to get stuck without any water. Your never too far away from anything in Venice, but it’s still better to be safe than dehydrated.
Eventually as one continues to walk along the edges of the water, one will inevitably run into busier sections. Nonetheless, it’s those sections along the water that are so deserted because of closed business and vacant buildings that offer an experience that differs dramatically from the rest of the Venice travel experience. Take our advice, take a walk along the outer walk ways of Venice to breath in incredible views, and at times an isolation that is exhilarating and unforgettable.