Venice is romantic whether you go with a lover or a friend. It’s one of those cities that is charming and small and begs to be explored. There are no streets, at least for cars. The only way to get around Venice is by foot or a boat of some sort. Doesn’t that take you back in time and bring out the romantic in you? Don’t settle for stories from your travel friends or pictures in a book, go and experience Venice for yourself.

But isn’t it crowded?

Yes, Venice seems crowded… How could it not be? It’s one of the most popular destinations in Europe (with good reason we think). The crowds are compressed into the narrow streets, and there will be many more tourists during the day and the summer. Try to visit Venice in the spring or fall… or even winter, and you’ll find fewer crowds. The number of tourists may be smaller than for London or Paris, but those visitors are sharing what is really a small town.

Don’t the canals stink?

I can’t speak for the height of summer, but in the shoulder seasons, we’ve never found that the canals stink. We love strolling along them, taking the vaportti (the boats that serve as buses in Venice) or having a glass of wine at a canal side restaurant.

Isn’t it a city full of just tourists?

Yes, it is… but look at it this way… it’s been a city for and full of tourists for centuries! A century or two ago, a young gentleman’s “Grand Tour” wasn’t complete without time spent in Venice.

Isn’t Venice sinking?

Yes again. St. Mark’s Basilica is only two feet above sea level. That’s the lowest part of town. It’s the first to flood, and if you go in the winter, you might just see where they put boardwalks down for locals and tourists to get around. Even during the dry seasons, you will see the lagoon lapping up over the steps on the docks at St. Mark’s at high tide. There are major efforts by Italy and the world to save Venice because it is such a special place for all of us.

So do we have you convinced that you should ignore all those nay sayers? That you’ll fall in love with the city if you go and experience Venice? Think of the iconic things there are to see and do in Venice…. You really need to add them to your travel experiences.

Take a vaporetto on the Grand Canal. There is nothing like a journey down that frenetic “S” shaped waterway to make you know that you’re traveling… and traveling someplace special.

Get off the vaporetto at St. Mark’s Square and just absorb the sight of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Feel the grandeur of St. Mark’s Square… and of course dodge the pigeons!

Walk the narrow streets to the Rialto Bridge. Yes, you might get lost… at least a little, but all streets really do lead to Rialto or St. Mark’s, so getting lost is part of the fun.

Venice is the sort of city that should be savored. There are so many things to see and do, but you can also fall in love with Venice without touring madly. Just stroll around, sit and observe, enjoy La Serenissima for what she is… a grand small city that shouldn’t be missed. Oh yes, you must experience Venice….. really.

You’ve saved the money, you’ve applied for the passport… wow, you’re practically ready to pack. But wait… just having made the decision to get a passport and go to Europe is only the first step. There are more decisions to make. Let’s think through some of this.

How much time do you have? One week will have you concentrating on an area or a city… two or more weeks lets you tour around a bit more.

What part of Europe do you want to go to? It’s not like you can just go to Europe. That’s like saying you want to see the United States. There are big areas to be covered, and you need to choose an area to see even if you have several weeks.

Do you just want to see it…? Visit the highlights like maybe London, Paris, Rome, and see the big sights? Or… do you have an agenda? Do you want to find family roots and do a little genealogy research? Is there a festival you’ve always wanted to see like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or The Gathering and Highland Games in Edinburgh?

Do you concentrate on one or two countries or try to do a grand circle of Europe?

Do you take a tour? Set up a Custom tour? Or do you want to take your first trip to Europe all on your own and find your own way?

So how will you answer these questions?

If you’re a student, you may be able to travel for the summer… good for you. You won’t find a better way to add to your education! If you’re retired, you can stay as long as your finances will allow… AND you can travel during shoulder seasons when there are fewer crowds.

If you only have one or two or three weeks, try for those shoulder seasons to maximize your experiences and minimize the lines. Try to limit yourself to a country a week. Even at that you’ll just be getting an overview of the area you choose to visit.

A tour can be a good idea and can take some of the anxiety out of your first trip to Europe. There are so many tours offered that you can easily choose one that goes to the area you want to visit for the length of time you want to spend, and you can even get tours that specifically go to those festivals or visit gardens or let you explore just castles. Your hotels will be taken care of and many of your meals too. It’s good way to build your confidence abroad.

If groups just aren’t your thing, being an independent traveler on your first trip to Europe is not difficult either. There is so much information on the internet that it’s easy to plan it for yourself and leave yourself more flexibility.

Just sit down with a pencil and paper and make the decisions one at a time, and that long awaited first trip to Europe will be a reality.

Since English seems to be the lingua franca around the world, we’ll look at it from that point of view. If you’re a native English speaker, that’s lucky for you, but to be a real traveler, you should learn a few words of that foreign language… hello, good-bye, please and thank you at the very least. It’s just the right thing to do.

Also learn how to ask (in their language) if they speak English… or try to ask your question in their own language. They will appreciate the effort. Often they will offer, “Would you like to speak English?” And if they don’t speak English, they will likely try to find someone who can.

Take a phrase book with you. You can point out a phrase if the local person you’re asking doesn’t speak English or understand your version of their language. Don’t just speak louder… that could be very annoying. Remember English is a second language to them!

Even if you’re trying, your accent might leave them scratching their heads or blushing as you’ve said something you didn’t want to. To be a traveler, you need a sense of humor… don’t take your too seriously and don’t get embarrassed. Point to the word in the phrase book. Have a good laugh with them and move on.

Just give it a try. People expect tourists to make mistakes…. even the French who have an undeserved reputation for not being helpful. You should be GRATEFUL that they speak a little English to help you… not to expect it.

When you’re speaking English to your new friends, speak slowly and avoid slang. Idiomatic expressions and slang in any language often translate into something may have] a completely different meaning!

If you travel to France and a French waiter comes up to you and says, “Bon jour, cafe?” Don’t stare blankly and say you don’t speak French. How hard is it really? He’s greeting you with good morning and asking if you want coffee. You should reply, “Bon jour, oui, merci.” See that wasn’t so hard. Just a couple of words you probably really did know already, and now your waiter LIKES you… even if you never utter another word of French!

Don’t be intimidated by signs in a foreign language… take a good look at them… think in an intuitive way. Does it look similar to a word you’re familiar with? If it says “farmacia” instead of “pharmacy”, take a guess… You just found that pharmacy or drug store you were looking for! Is there a pictorial sign to help? A green cross or a pharmacist’s scale would be a good clue. That may not be what you’re used to at home, but look in the window and think about it, and you can figure it out.

Remember, you travel to see and learn something new … so revel in that foreign language, learn a few words, buy travel insurance, and have fun!