As many of you dream of future travel, and even dare to pencil in dates down the distant road, we received some welcoming news from our friends at The Red House Company, a Venice, Italy rental apartment agency.
We booked with them several years back when we visited Milan for the World Expo, and decided to add on a week in Venice to celebrate our May birthdays. They rent out apartments in both private homes and historic buildings across the city.
[View from our Red House rental in Venice, just a five-minute walk from Piazza San Marco]
For centuries, Venice has attracted tourists for its canals and historic buildings dripping with detail. Getting lost in the maze-like city (or even coming to a dead end as a tiny street meets a canal) and moments later spotting a black gondola gliding along the water is a visual treat.
Here’s the note that founder Marco Malafante sent us, straight from one of the loveliest cities in the world, which will hopefully see a return to tourism (but not in over-touristed numbers).
Hopefully this recent break in travel will preserve a city much on the fringe of permanent destruction due to floods and mass-market tourism.
Dear Friends,
As we are navigating through this pandemic, the situation is changing and improving in Italy and in Venice. It has been announced that the major airways will restart at the beginning of June their flight to our city and in most Italian destinations.
This is a good sign as you can now decide if you want or not take your holiday.
The shops are opening in Venice and restaurants are mostly open or will re-open by the beginning of June. Museums are opening this month and despite the social distancing we can now resume our life cautiously in most, if not all, aspects. Schools remain closed and will not re-open this school year.
We have been checking all the rental apartments and everything is fine. We are ready to welcome you back to Venice when you feel comfortable travelling.
Public transport still operates every 20 minutes and very few water taxis are around. Dolphins have been spotted wandering in the lagoon near the sea access and some big jellyfish have made their appearance and are now gone.
Cruises have been mostly cancelled and no big ships are in sight. This is also good. I have, eventually, been able to book a barber session for my children and I and we will have a serious cut! Overall Venice is quiet, pretty empty and sunny.
Yesterday, Caroline and I had our first drink and pastry in a pasticceria for the first time in three and a half months. It was nice, how we appreciate these simple things it is incredible!
I think that if we act responsibly it will be all fine soon.
If you’re interested in a trip to Venice, you may want to read this Euro News piece on how the city is looking at reworking its tourism model following the pandemic.
What’s your next travel destination, and are you beginning to plan for it, or waiting to see if a potential second Coronavirus wave comes around?
