Who are you, and why should I trust you about Venice?
I’m Erla Zwingle, a freelance journalist. I’ve been writing for various magazines on many subjects for about forty years, and I’ve lived in Venice (married to an amazing Venetian man) long enough to have seen more than one cycle of drama, flood, construction project and civic “improvement”. I write this blog the way I report anything else: with curiosity, facts, photos and the occasional opinionated aside.
Is this a travel guide or a “how to do Venice in 2 days” blog?
No. There are plenty of excellent travel guides for that. This blog is more like sitting at a kitchen table with someone who actually lives here, listening to stories about the boats, the people, the politics, the trees, the floods, the arguments and the many surprises that make up real life in the city.
Who is this blog for?
If you are fascinated by Venice and suspect there’s much more to it than gondolas and Instagram sunsets, you’re in the right place. Readers include Venice lovers, armchair travellers, people planning longer stays, former residents, and anyone who wants to understand how a fragile, beautiful, sometimes infuriating city actually works.
How is this different from the usual “Venice is so romantic” content?
You’ll still see canals and palaces, but you’ll also see vaporetto routes, protests, infrastructure, neighbourhood events, bureaucratic tangles, stray cats, strange regulations and local habits. In other words: the parts that are usually edited out, but which explain why Venice is the way it is.
Are your posts mostly personal opinion or researched pieces?
Both. Many posts are built from what I see and experience in daily life, but I also read local papers, follow public meetings, talk to people and dig into the background where it’s needed. When I give an opinion, it’s usually on top of a pile of facts.
The archive looks enormous. How do I actually use it?
Think of the archive and categories as a map of Venice’s life over the last fifteen-plus years. If you’re curious about a particular theme, use the categories and tags in the sidebar – for example Venetian-ness, History, Problems, Venetian Food, Boatworld, Tourism in Venice and many more. Choose a topic, then wander through time using the archive and “Recent Posts” list.
Are the older posts still relevant?
Yes. Some details (like timetables, regulations or specific construction projects) will inevitably change, but many posts explain patterns, attitudes and problems that repeat themselves over the years. Reading backwards is often the best way to see how Venice got from “then” to “now”.
How can I find out when you publish something new?
The simplest way is to subscribe by email using the form on the site. When a new post goes up, you’ll receive a message with the details in your inbox, and you can unsubscribe at any time if you change your mind.
Can I reuse your photos or articles elsewhere?
Please don’t copy and paste posts or images and use them as your own. If you’d like to quote, reprint or license material, there’s a “Material Reprint – Licensing Center” in the Footer menu with more information on how to request permission properly. In short: ask first.
Do you offer tours, books or paid resources about Venice?
At the moment, this blog is simply a free window onto life in Venice – not a tour company or shop. If that ever changes and I create books, guides or other ways to go deeper, I’ll say so clearly on the site. For now, your best “extra” is to read, explore the categories, and subscribe so you don’t miss new stories.