You may imagine Italy to be a hot sunny country, but violent storms have been a feature of every summer break we have ever spent here.
After prosecco on our lovely wooden veranda at the end of our first full day, we played with the external blinds. They were huge – about 20 foot wide and 10 foot high and were great for providing evening shade for your decking. Leaving them down proved to be a big mistake.
About 2am the metal poles running along the bottom edge of each blind started to bang against the decking frame. The electric storm had clearly crept across the sea and come for a visit. As the ferocity of the banging intensified, we discussed the wisdom of using the remote control to retract the blinds, thus temporarily extending their reach into the rising storm, before being safely stored in their casing. Before a decision could be made, the electrics went off and this was no longer an option. The aircon stopped breathing and bright emergency lighting lit up the cabin. It was getting on for 3am. The air was running out and the blind edges were rising higher and slamming down more noisily with each gust of wind. The caravan was shaking and thunder bolts sounded like someone was coming for us with a shot gun.
Over the course of the next hour the four 6 foot metal arms holding the sides of the blinds in place snapped one by one and the material began to swing wildly in full 10m arks like billowing sails with a deadly boom edging. They twisted in the gale as sheets of rain slid horizontally over the decking. The now exposed patio tables, loungers and chairs danced around the veranda in the spiralling wind. A bolt of lighting stuck the caravan a few feet in front of us. Having until this point been glued to the full length bedroom window, we withdrew, figuring there was a good chance of the furniture or ripped-off blind booms crashing through it.
We then assumed brace position behind the bed until dawn, listening to the storm rage though the site, snapping trees and vaguely wondered where we might find any of our clothes which had ironically been left out do dry outside over night. We waited nervously for the rising sun to heat the remaining cabin air to the usual 30 degrees, as we remained trapped inside by the angry and dishevelled blinds.
At 6am, we were more than a little relieved when the electricity and cool air returned, and the emergency lights and storm went out. We hadn’t been impaled and weren’t going to boil to death after all, and could risk sleeping for an hour or so before inspecting the damage and trying to escape.
A mini-sleep later we tentatively pushed our way past the sagging blind remains and explored the fallout. Trees and shattered loungers littered the site.
How lovely to be able to explore Venice during these quiet times. Venice is one of my favourite cities and I especially loved Burano!
Burano is beautiful isn’t it? I’d only discovered it recently from other travellers’ photographs. Such a find.
Awesome post, I have been in Venice when I was a kid and I remember very little from that time but your post definitely refresh my memory
It’s quite a magical place to visit as a child with its watery streets and fairy tale buildings.😊
It’s a lot more planning in covid times, isn’t it. Love that you got to see so many spots in Italy. We usually don’t book before hand, but just go on a road trip, so for us it was getting used to having to book everything way ahead.
We used to travel planfree but I think travelling as a 4 makes this tricky (especially on a budget). We have a rescheduled US road trip planned for next summer and I’ve already pre-booked all the motels. 😂
I really enjoyed reading about your Venice family adventure. I can’t believe you got a gondola ride for 2 euros! I miss Venice so much. You made me laugh and I felt like I was there too. Lovely post.
I couldn’t believe the 2 Euro gondola either! Thank you for your kind words. You’ve got to keep smiling in these strange times.😊
Great post & I’m so pleased you were able to get away for your anniversary…who needs The Venetian when you have the real thing?! YOur trip looks great & I totally agree that making a 2 centre holiday just makes the whole break seem a lot longer. I do it all the time. Chioggia looks beautiful too, I love the idea of staying in mini-Venice. Venice itself is such a special place & as a frequent traveller who has yet to be confident to step on a plane again, I really appreciated you sharing your experiences. Think I will need to soon, just to retain my sanity!
Chioggia is definitely worth checking out as a less crowded version of Venice! So pretty! Hope to take to the skies again soon!
Can’t believe how quiet Venice looks!! Must’ve been soooooo nice and travelling during Covid requires soooo much more planning, it’s crazy!
Yes the all the planning then not being able to look forward to it just in case everything changes again is tricky! Was great to have the streets to ourselves though when it all came good.😁
Sounds like you were able to make a great save with your anniversary plans. I love how you went from the Venetian to actual Venice! Color me naive, but I had no idea you could camp around Venice. Your cabin looks lovely although the check out process sounds like a total nightmare. Yikes!
Yes, Venice camping is a great way for families to see it. Keeps everyone happy to have a bit of pool action with your culture(despite the painful checkout)😊
This is a very detailed and helpful blog post 🙂 I really wanted to visit Italy this year, but because of travel restrictions, I didn’t manage to go. I completely agree with the fact of having A, B, C plans during these difficult times.
I hope you get to go soon.
Burano is just so beautiful! I’m dreaming about it for so long. It must have been nice visiting Venice without all the tourists 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
The space to walk around and see the buildings was great. And Burano is a real treat.
Brilliant post! I think you took as many photos of Burano as I did – I ended up having to make a whole blog post about it, haha.
Just too pretty! I think it needs its own album at least.😁
Venice is awesome at all times! I especially like your story of Chioggia’s lions. Thanks for the detailed information and lovely pictures!
Thank you for you kind words. Chioggia’s catty lions made me laugh.
Your adventure there look amazing! I have been to Venice it’s so beautiful! But I still need to visit Burano 🙂
Everyone needs to visit Burano.😁
This is a great guide for visiting Venice with kids! I haven’t been here yet but your post is making me want to book a trip there asap!
Hope you get there soon.😊
I dream of visiting Italy with empty streets, must be so surreal! Great post!
It was a real Covid bonus. Thank you.
Visiting Venice without the big crowds must be quite amazing. I remember visiting in the summer a few years ago and it was so packed. I was so sorry to read about the weather, but you seem to have had a great and quite eventful trip anyway! Great post to read, you made me feel like I was part of the trip 🙂
Thank you! I do like to throw in a story, and the weather did make for one at least. I remember visiting as a child and you could hardly elbow your way through the streets so it did make a refreshing change (albeit for worldly sinister reasons).
Lovely recommendations and incredibly thorough guide to visiting Venice with kids. I’ve never seen Venice so empty!
It did make seeing the buildings and taking photos a lot easier. No queues in cafes or shops either. In some ways (other than the dark metaphorical – and sometimes real cloud hanging over it) – perfect.
What an unbelievably comprehensive post, with SO many incredible tips for people travelling with kids! I don’t have kids so I’ve never actually travelled to Venice with children, but I can imagine this will be so helpful for those who are. I remember quite a few families travelling in Venice!
Thank you so much! Hope you get to check it our for yourself (with or without an entourage).😁
Such a great article! As a teacher I love all of the logistics and the learning opportunities that you suggested. Spot on with your picks!!!
Thank you – you’re right I think I may be channelling my inner teacher here.😁
How lovely it must be to explore Venice and Veneto when it’s less crowded! Your guide and tips make me wish I could go to Venice right now, thanks for sharing.
Loved reading your article from option A, B, C, to Vegas 20 years wedding celebrations placs and the actual adventures in Venice and prosecco lands! I’ve been to Venice few times with Ialian friends from Treviso & Veneto, but not with the kids just yet, cool to get your thoughts on travelling in the brave new world of 2020 and fully with you, this has been a great time to explore super crowded popular gems (we made it back this summer to Santorini and Algarve!). Great #CulturedKids material – I love Conegliano & Venice and hopeful we return soon, thanks so much for all your tips and impressions!
It was weirdly a great time to visit. Definitely lots to see for children – the fact that the streets are made of water was particularly exciting for them. I bet Santorini and the Algarve were amazing!
I hope to visit Venice someday. How awesome that you got to see so many lovely places in Italy!
I have Italian ancestors and it is my ambition to visit Italy one day and I’m sure the kids would love to come too! Venice looks spectacular. Thanks for linking up with #dreamteamlinky
You and your kids will love it! Hope you get to visit soon.
Awesome post with great advice and fabulous images! Thanks for sharing.
It’s great to see your link at ‘My Corner of the World’ this week!
Amazing! I know nothing about traveling all over the country, what a wonderful looking place to explore.
Sounds lush
It’s been yeeeears since I’ve been to Venice. It’s such a romantic place — I’d love to return with my husband someday! (Maybe the kids, too!)