The magic of taking a REAL mystery tour...
AS THE list of possible destinations flashed up on my phone screen, I longed for the agony to stop. I just wanted to know where I was headed.
I was already en route to Gatwick but still had no idea where I was flying to. What a way to start a family holiday.
But it wasn’t disorganisation on my part. Rather, it’s the result of booking a mystery break with a new website called surprisetrips.co.uk.
The idea is simple: you enter your desired travel dates, the number of people, a departure airport and budget, and the site then scours flight and accommodation options.
You can end up in any one of 77 European cities, although you can veto three choices. The destination is revealed when you reach the airport.
When my city was finally revealed, I was a little disappointed to discover that I would be flying to a place I’ve already visited – Venice.
Then there was a second hurdle to overcome. A decade ago, when I first visited the city as a teenager, it would have been just about acceptable to share a room with my parents. Now, as I’m approaching 30, it was a prospect I dreaded.
But luck was on our side – a triple room at Hotel Ambassador Tre Rose turned out to be a spacious family suite. It was by no means luxurious but the location, just a few steps from Piazza San Marco, was unrivalled.
We had no time to plan an itinerary so Google Maps became our interactive guide for everything from attractions to restaurants.
We also decided to head to nearby islands – places we had missed out on during our previous visit to Venice.
We went to Burano, which is famous for its colourful buildings, Murano for its glass, and even sombre Cimitero, where the Venetians buried their dead.
Lunch at Ristorante Dalla Mora on Murano was touristy but tasty and inexpensive. There’s something to be said about fresh-out-of-the-fryer fritto misto with a generous squeeze of lemon and an icecold beer, especially on a hot summer’s day.
But nothing beats a twilight cruise up the Grand Canal – something we also missed last time. After a gruelling day in the sun, it was wonderful to be caressed by a cooling breeze as the city lit up for the evening.
It gave me time to reflect. I wouldn’t have chosen to come back to Venice but I’m glad I got a chance to visit the places I missed a decade ago. And that’s a satisfying feeling.