The Venice that Venetians Keep to Themselves

Many labels come to mind when I think of Venice: magical, mysterious, one-of-a-kind, legendary – it’s not an easy place to define. On my first visit, in scorching midsummer many years ago, I wandered the dark narrow alleyways fully intrigued. To dodge the crowds and the heat, I would walk around at dawn when it was refreshingly quiet and desolate.