Two Days in Venice: A Private Island, Three Islands, and the Best Dessert of the Entire Trip
I will be honest with you: Venice was not a city I was desperate to visit. It was more of a "I should probably go before it's underwater" situation. We flew in from Dublin, it made logistical sense, and I went in with fairly neutral expectations.
I came out liking it more than I thought I would. Not enough to rush back, but enough to say it was worth it — with some caveats.
Here is what actually happened.
A Note on the Food Before We Start
Venice is a seafood city. Sardines, anchovies, cuttlefish, red snapper. I am not a seafood person. I like salmon if it is raw, shellfish, and fish and chips — but only as a vehicle for tartar sauce. Keep that in mind as I talk through the food, because my experience is filtered through that lens. If you love fish, you will probably love Venice's food scene far more than I did.
Getting There: The 3 AM Wake-Up and the James Bond Moment
We had a 5:45 AM flight out of Dublin, which meant a 3:00 AM alarm and a 3:20 AM hotel departure. My Oura Ring confirmed what I already knew: zero sleep that night.
One thing worth noting for anyone flying out of Dublin early: the taxi back to the airport is metered, not the flat rate you pay on the way in. It was significantly more expensive. Factor that in.
Venice customs moved faster than expected. US citizens had a separate line from EU passport holders, and we were through in minutes.
Coming out of baggage claim, there was a man holding a sign with my name on it. He took my luggage, walked us exactly where we needed to go, and loaded us onto a private water taxi.
The James Bond moment: a small wooden boat, luggage handled, flying down what can only be described as a highway on the water. People kept comparing private Venice transfers to James Bond. They are not wrong. It was genuinely one of the coolest arrival experiences of my life.
Because the JW Marriott sits on its own private island, we went around Venice rather than through it — great views at 9 AM, well worth the slightly longer ride.
You could take the vaporetto (water bus) from the airport with your luggage and then catch the complimentary hotel boat or walk to your hotel. I chose not to, on no sleep with bags, at 9 AM. Time is money — especially on a trip where you only have a few days per destination.
Where We Stayed: JW Marriott Venice
The JW Marriott Venice sits on Isola delle Rose, its own private island about 15 minutes by boat from the main island. Multiple pools, landscaped gardens, and a level of quiet that Venice itself simply cannot offer.
We were upgraded to a junior suite using Marriott nightly upgrade awards. Soaking tub, huge private terrace, walk-in closet. It was glorious.
Our room was not ready when we arrived (totally expected), so we were taken to the cafe for food and coffee. This is where the hotel did something that genuinely impressed me: a member of the food and beverage team came out specifically to talk through Brian's tree nut allergy. She walked him through what he could and could not eat, explained cross-contamination context, and told us she would be at breakfast the next morning to help again. She was. In a country where food allergies are not always taken seriously, this level of care stood out.
A welcome fruit platter was waiting in our room when we finally got up there — a thoughtful, allergy-safe anniversary touch. (Most hotel welcome gifts contain tree nuts, so this was genuinely appreciated.)
Marriott nightly upgrade awards are often easier to use internationally than domestically, and more likely to be honored on shorter stays. If you have them sitting unused, the JW Venice is a property worth spending them on.
Day One Evening: The Food Tour
We had a food tour booked for the evening — ambitious after an early morning flight, but worth it.
On the boat over to Venice, there was a group of six who realized mid-ride that they had accidentally double-booked two tours for the same time slot and were not sure if the cancellation had gone through. Brian called it immediately: "They're definitely going to be on our food tour." He was right.
Travel Advisor Note
This is exactly the kind of thing that does not happen when someone is managing your itinerary for you. If a tour needs to be canceled or changed, your advisor handles it before you are on a boat in Venice realizing you have a problem.
The tour itself was great for the guide, the company, and the experience of understanding what Venetians actually eat. The food highlights for me personally: deep-fried stuffed olives (highly recommend), burrata with roasted peppers (very good), the pasta (solid), espresso with a splash of grappa (fun), and gelato at the end (fantastic). The sardines and anchovies I did not touch. No regrets.
Our guide was wonderful. After the tour ended she walked us to her favorite bar, stayed just long enough to get us situated, and headed home. We had prosecco and beer in the now-rain-free evening and just enjoyed it. That spontaneous end to the night was one of the better moments of the whole trip.
Back at the hotel: no cold water in the entire main building. Scalding hot only. Called the front desk, confirmed it was a building-wide issue, waited about 45 minutes, eventually showered, went to bed. Even a five-star private island resort is not immune to a plumbing situation.
Day Two: Three Islands
We had a tour of three islands via vaporetto the next morning and needed to be at the water bus by 9:00 AM. The hotel shuttle did not run early enough to make that comfortable, and I was worried we would not make it. We did, just barely, after eating a genuinely good breakfast — lots of fruit, cheese, cold cuts, cappuccinos, and the same food and beverage team member from the night before making sure Brian could eat everything on offer.
Torcello
The oldest and quietest of the three islands. Not many residents, a lot of history, and we climbed a bell tower. There was also a very cute cat, which I mention because it matters.
Burano
My favorite of the three, and the one I would most strongly recommend spending real time on.
Burano is the colorful island — rows of houses painted in vivid, saturated shades that do not look real until you are standing in front of them. The reason: it was historically a fishermen's island, and each house was painted a different color so the fishermen could find their own home when they came back. I love a piece of history that is also just deeply practical.
We had lunch here — gnocchi with scallops for me (good), risotto with cuttlefish for Brian (a regional specialty, neither of us loved it immediately, Brian finished it and warmed up to it by the end).
Burano is also known for lacemaking. We watched an 86-year-old woman making lace by hand — she has been doing it since she was 10 years old and has never taken a break. That is 76 years of one craft on one island. It is remarkable and a little bittersweet at the same time.
I bought a small painting of the colorful houses. I did not buy any lace.
Murano
Murano is where Venetian glassblowing has been centered for centuries — glassmakers were relocated here in the 13th century to reduce fire risk to Venice. We watched a glassblowing demonstration, which hit differently for us because of a specific connection: Dale Chihuly, who is from Tacoma (my hometown), came to Murano to study glassblowing. There is a glass museum in Tacoma dedicated to his work. Seeing where that tradition came from added a layer I was not expecting.
I bought a glass cat sitting on top of a fish tank, a glass gondola with a gondolier, and some Murano glass earrings.
Murano is larger and more commercial than the other two islands. Worth visiting, but Burano is the one that will stay with you.
Give Burano more time than you think it needs. It is small and walkable but worth slowing down for.
Day Two Evening: Harry's Bar
Dinner on recommendation from a friend, at a restaurant that exists in a category beyond just a restaurant.
Harry's Bar has been open since 1931. It is the birthplace of the Bellini. It is fancy enough that a guest taking a flash photo was quietly informed by staff that some clientele preferred not to be photographed.
I had a Bellini (obviously) and a ham and cheese pasta that was technically an appetizer but that I ordered as my entree and that was delicious. Brian had a whiskey sour and the ragù pasta, which he kindly shared with me.
The dessert: the Cipriani Vanilla Meringue Cake. Thin vanilla sponge, light vanilla cream, and meringue that tasted exactly like a marshmallow. I think about it regularly.
Total for two: €200. The Bellini alone was 22 euros. Honest take: the Bellini is good, but probably not 22-euro good. The dessert absolutely is. I would go back, but specifically to take someone who had not been before — someone like my mom, who would love a Bellini and would lose her mind over that cake.
Go for the history and the experience. Order the Bellini because you should. Get the Cipriani Vanilla Meringue Cake no matter what.
Final Thoughts on Venice
I liked Venice more than I expected to. I do not feel a strong need to go back, but if I do, I am only staying at the JW Marriott. Being able to take a boat to a quiet private island and escape the crowds was essential to enjoying the city rather than just enduring it.
A few practical things before you go:
Venice is extremely crowded, even in shoulder season. Early mornings and late nights are when the city actually breathes. Build both into your itinerary.
The Venice tourist fee is real. Depending on your travel dates, you may need to pay an entry fee or get an exemption. Google "Venice tourist fee" for current details. This started in 2024 and shows no signs of going away.
Private water taxi transfer from the airport is worth it. Especially if you are arriving tired or with luggage.
Use Marriott upgrade awards here. The junior suite is a meaningful upgrade and the awards are easier to use internationally.
Do the three islands. Torcello for history, Burano for beauty and lunch (and the lacemaker), Murano for glassblowing and souvenirs.
If you are not a seafood person, plan your meals in advance. Venice's cuisine leans heavily toward the sea. It is not impossible to eat well, but it requires a little more research.
Why Work with a Travel Advisor for Venice
Venice is logistically more complicated than most cities. Getting from the airport involves boats. Getting around involves boats. Getting to the outer islands involves boats. Knowing which hotel matches your travel style, which restaurants to book in advance, and how to sequence a few days here so you actually enjoy it instead of managing it — that is where working with an advisor pays off.
Transfer coordination: Private water taxi from the airport, vaporetto passes, hotel boat schedules — I handle all of this before you arrive.
Hotel selection: The JW on the private island is extraordinary but not the right fit for everyone. There are canal-view boutiques, quieter neighborhood options, and everything in between.
Dining reservations: Harry's Bar books up. So do several other worthwhile restaurants. Locking those in before you leave home is part of the plan.
Tour booking: The three-island vaporetto tour is one of the best days you can have in Venice. The right operator and the right timing matter, and I can help you book something that does not feel like a cattle call.
Whether Venice is your first stop on a European adventure or the whole trip itself, I would love to help you put something together. Let's talk.
Get in Touch