Venice: Through the eyes of a local
It can be quite alienating to be a tourist, at times. You love and admire a culture and place so much, and desperately want to not stick out. But it is nearly impossible to blend in; it can be quite obvious you’re clearly not a local when asking for directions or staring at the GPS on your phone.
On a recent trip to Italy, as Italian as I hoped I might look or maybe dress, it was inevitable that I’d look like a tourist. As soon as I’d spoken a word of English, or even attempted my most passionate “grazie!” it became quite clear that I’m American, I am an outsider. As a descendant of Italian ancestors (from both the north – Udine, and the south – Terrasini), my desire to immerse myself and blend in was all the stronger.
That’s why, when you have an opportunity to discover a city through the eyes of a local, you seize the opportunity without hesitation. Even more so when you’re in a city such as Venice, Italy – where there are more tourists than locals – the best way to experience it is alongside someone who lives and breathes the history and culture every day.
On our last evening in Venice, we took a sunset photography tour led by Riccardo Tosetto of Shooting Different – Venice Photo Tours. A longtime local Venetian who also has a degree in art history, Riccardo began our tour by taking us to the neighborhoods away from San Marco Square (St. Mark’s Square) and the Rialto Bridge, which are, although iconic and immensely beautiful, almost always crowded with tourists.
Although the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square are not to be missed, it would be a mistake to spend all your time there. The surrounding neighborhoods and side streets are filled with mysterious alleyways, vibrantly colored façades and elaborately detailed doorknobs. Exploring another side of Venice is like beginning a new chapter of a book you already knew was going to be good, and now it’s even better.
We walk together at dusk, taking photographs. Venice’s secrets slowly unfold through the lenses of our cameras. Even the bricks and stones of the street speak and tell stories. Centuries ago, many streets in Venice had been canals, until only recently, when the government decided to fill them in for easier access. You can still tell, as Riccardo shares with us, which streets were once canals by looking closer at the stones — are they different shades? How are they aligned?
We turn corners, cross bridges and wind through the canals. I am, unabashedly, lost.
But what a delight it is to be lost. Like closing my eyes and spinning underwater, my sense of direction spirals away from me, gladly. There is a sense of privacy in the narrow alleyways of Venice, a hushed, peaceful intimacy that can be entirely lost in the more populated areas. We see the people who live here and walk these streets every day pass us by, and I wonder what it would be like to have lived here for generations. How have they seen the city change, for better and for worse?
Although, admittedly, it is also nice to know you aren’t truly, really, actually lost because you have a guide like Riccardo with you, who has walked this route countless times before.
I am here only for a small moment in time – just two full days is not much time in comparison to a lifetime, or in comparison to the city’s own lifespan, which is centuries old (400 A.D.). Although I have visited Venice once before this occasion, and I may return someday once again, it is impossible to fully emerge into and understand Venice’s immense history and the glorious culture of the local Venetians in such short a timeframe. The best I can do is experience it as much as I can in the moment, as if I were a local.
Maybe if I had the opportunity to live here for a year or longer, maybe there would be a chance to hear the stories I have not yet heard and walk the streets I have not yet uncovered.
But since I cannot do that, for now, this small taste of Venice led by Riccardo is as flavorful as nero di seppia – which if you don’t know, is a delicious and pungent Venetian dish made with black squid ink!
We pass by CÃ Dario, a haunted house which is not pictured in this blog post because it gave me goosebumps. Riccardo says he won’t photograph the building, and I can’t bring myself to photograph it either, because of a curse that has plagued the house for over 500 years.
We wind our way past restaurants where Italians are talking, eating, and drinking, in exactly the same way they are known for across the globe – with their hands. They are so expressive that you feel apart of the conversation, even from the street.
And suddenly, we are once again on the waterfront, where a few people are mingling as the sun goes down. We can see the bell tower of St. Mark’s Square from here. My eyes overflow with images of the diminishing sunlight on the water and the reflections of the colors of the sky.
The sun falls and night sets in over Venice. We try to capture what’s left of the remaining light on our cameras, a futile effort to make this day and our time in Venice last just a little bit longer.
At last, darkness really does come upon us. It’s a surprise, since I’ve become engrossed in the allure of my surroundings, the time has passed very quickly. For a moment, I have been able to pretend that I belong here.
Want more posts about Italy? Check out 5 Tips for Visiting Pompeii in One Day.
