Hey friends…

Yes, I know I promised an amazing surprise to one lucky person… (just read the  post ok!). it’s not a scam I promise HaHaHa.

Christmas is in the air and you know what? I’m not even in the mood to write today…LOL. It’s a snowy Sunday morning, and all I want to do is chill in my bed and watch Netflix all day…but NO I need to make sure that someone reads about the beautiful city of Venice today.

So it’s a typical  Friday and you have  4 options; which would you choose?

a. Work all through the weekend, because you’re a “Workaholic”
b. Hang out with some colleagues and do the same old weekend routine
c. Sleep in, fuss around the house, watch Netflix and wonder where the weekend went
d. Catch a flight, explore a new place and come home REFRESHED!

…Well weekend getaways are evocative, easy to plan and way more affordable than you think. Therefore, my answer is; sometimes, actually a lot of times, we all need “Option D”. I mean whether you are a student, full time parent, worker or whatever your profession is, we all get to that point where we just need to get away and  recharge our batteries, or simply get away!

Good news is that you don’t need to go faraway or break the bank, so if you are not a travel lover you can just choose to travel in your backyard and visit the closest city to you.

That been said, today I’ll be sharing insightful tips and useful recommendations for a budget weekend getaway to Italy’s most romantic city…Venice. The key word here is “romantic city” so my fellow singles, major tip when in Venice is TAKE YOUR EARPLUGS WITH YOU…hahaha!  make sure you have prepared your weekend playlist because you will feel the love in the air and you will need something to distract you from questioning your single status ?. I mean walking past swooning lovers , holding hands , and staring into each other’s eyes GOSH!

Venice…?romantic, historic, and gorgeous! The canals, the gondolas, the architecture, the very colourful islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello…what is not to love about this city???

So with a reasonable budget of maximum 150euros let’s explore Venice!

WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT!

• Wander and get lost; This is one of those cities you can drop your map and avoid following the crowd. Don’t be afraid to explore, discover and appreciate the stunning beauty of the tiny alleys and the canals.
• Take the tour to Murano, Burano and Torcello; For just 20 Euros  you can visit these beautiful islands. The entire cruise is about 5hours and you get to explore each town for roughly 45mins. I absolutely loved the colourful buildings and the glass blowing experience (see short clip below)

• Visit the major sights like Saint Mark Basillica, Doges Palaces, San Giorgio’s Bell Tower, museums etc…

• Experience the amazing Gondola ride through Venice!
• Make sure to view the city from the bridges like the Rialto and bridge of sigh

• Lastly, dine and wine like a local…my favourite! haha

TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

For the best options on getting tickets to Venice I will recommend using Hitlist they have great deals on weekend get away tickets for as low as 30euros for a return ticket. Regarding accommodation, truth is staying in Venice might be a bit pricey so most tourists stay around Venice Mestre station which is less than 15mins by train to Venice. But for budget hostels in Venice I totally recommend  We Crociferi. with prices starting from 20euros per night (depending on the season). This hostel is located in Cannaregio, and is connected by water taxi to the main sites in Venice as well as Lido, Murano, and Burano.

*Airbnb is another option, matter of fact the last airbnb I booked in Venice was fantastic, included breakfast, was situated 2 mins from the train station for just 25Euros per night.

When it comes to food, hmmm … there is no specific restaurant, I recommend you walk and explore as Venice has too many options to eat good local food. Prices are very reasonable with most restaurants starting from around 15euros, you are sure to enjoy good food.
Quick heads-up, restaurants in Italy have a strange system of taxes, so basically you pay for your meal, pay the normal tax, and an extra charge for the service, and guys can you believe one restaurant even charged me tax for the musicians that were singing while we ate ??…like seriously did I ask you to play music for me while I was eating??? ?

In conclusion friends no matter how much we love our jobs and how satisfying the returns may be, everyone tends to get stuck in the rut once in a while. So if you find yourself at that point it’s time to unplug from daily routines and take a short break!

Some cool  ideas for a weekend getaway include;

• Beach break
• Hiking in the mountains
• City escape
• Road trip in the countryside
• Out of town festival
• Shopping trip
• Private resorts with pools.

SURPRISE TIME!

So guys I’m turning 30 on the 3rd of Feb and it’s been an amazing journey so far…The official birthday celebration is scheduled to take place in Malaga, Spain. And I want to sponsor one lucky follower to party with me and also enjoy an amazing weekend getaway in Malaga with my friends and I…. It’s an all expense paid trip so just show up and enjoy your life ?

To be that lucky person all you need to do is to be a follower on my Instagram & Facebook  page. Please comment on this post on Instagram or Facebook so I can see you. And lastly be resident in the EU or the UK (I’ll sort you if you need a visa don’t worry). I will pick the lucky winner on the 31st of December. Good luck guys!

Wish y’all a Merry Christmas in advance and I hope you enjoy the holidays!