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Desiree | Venice Lifestyle & Travel

@savvyvenice

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✨ The Art of Belonging-Venice after 26 years
Culture•Curiosity•Connection
✨Download Venice Vibes ⇣

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🚶‍♀️Want to bring a little of the Venetian way of life into your own daily routine?

⛴️My Venice Vibes guide is linked in bio.

And if you know someone navigating a new chapter, share this with them—they might need the reminder that one small decision can change everything.🚀

Turn the Story bell 🔔 on to get more scoops.😉

#venicetravel #jjyapchallenge #slowlliving by @savvyvenice

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4 months ago

☀️When I moved from California to Venice, the changes weren’t dramatic.

They were subtle.

How people greet.
How they dress.
How they pause for coffee.

I didn’t try to change who I was.
I stayed curious — and let the culture shape me little details at a time.

That’s where real change happens.

If you’re culture-curious too, you’re in the right place. 🤍

#savvyvenice #changeyourperspective #standaretopost by @savvyvenice

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8 months ago

⛴️I moved to Venice on a whim.

No plan. No Italian. No idea what I was doing.

Just a one-way ticket and a feeling that wouldn’t leave me alone.

I didn’t come here for slow living. I didn’t even know what that meant.

But 26 years in a city with no cars, no shortcuts, and no fast lane?
It changes you.

Venice taught me — slowly, over time — that the best things can’t be rushed. They have to be felt. 🤍

If you’re feeling that pull toward something you can’t quite explain… trust it.

The life I have now didn't happen by accident.

It happened because I changed my habits. 30 of them are in my guide — link in bio.

Follow for more from someone who’s still learning. 😉

Turn the Story bell 🔔 on to get more scoops. by @savvyvenice

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8 months ago

🥂One of the things I’ve learned from living in Venice is that you can accomplish what matters without rushing through every moment.

The locals have taught me to enjoy the life I’m living, not just the next thing on my list.

That’s the spirit behind my Venice Vibes guide: little Venetian ways of living that you can bring into your own everyday life, wherever you are.

Comment VIBES and I’ll share the guide with you.💌 taken in Grand Canal Of Venice, Italy by @savvyvenice

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🌟A full schedule doesn’t mean rushing through life or Venice.
My day in the life view from morning to evening.👀

#venice #savvyvenice #jjyapchallenge #adayinthelife by @savvyvenice

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2 days ago

🙊When I moved to Venice, I thought learning Italian would be my biggest challenge. And it certainly wasn’t easy!

But I soon discovered that speaking isn’t the same as belonging. It’s also about learning the little social rules, knowing how to greet people, and picking up on all the things nobody thinks to explain.🍴

🙉After 26 years in Venice, I’ve learned that belonging doesn’t happen overnight. It comes from observing, listening, making mistakes, and showing up again and again.

Follow along for more personal stories and cultural insights from my life in Venice. 🛟 by @savvyvenice

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3 days ago

☎️One of the little moments that made Venice feel more like home? Answering a phone call and carrying on an entire conversation in Italian—with my husband looking on in SURPRISE!

After all the years of learning, listening, and figuring things out, I was finally doing something that once felt so difficult without even thinking about it.👯

Sometimes, you don’t notice how far you’ve come until someone else does.

What was a small moment that made you realize you’d changed? I’d love to hear your story.👀

If you love those little Italian touches that make everyday life feel a little more special, my Venice Vibes guide is for you!

I’m sharing the Venetian ways of living that I’ve come to love over 26 years here, so you can bring a little La Dolce Vita into your own life, wherever you are. Comment VIBES and I’ll tell you more! 💛

#notesfromvenice #jjyapchallenge #belonging by @savvyvenice

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4 days ago

🌎Ah, that makes the story even more interesting! These are people who understand what it means to live between cultures, whether they’ve returned to Italy or come back to visit. The connection comes from having experienced life beyond the place you call home.

Even on a busy day, I always make time for friends.

Today, I spent time with people who have lived in different countries, experienced other cultures, and know what it means to adapt to a different way of life.

Some have returned to Italy; others are here visiting. But we share something in common: we’ve seen what happens when you step outside the culture you grew up in.

There’s something special about sharing stories, comparing experiences, and understanding each other without having to explain everything.

Sometimes, that’s what makes an ordinary day meaningful.

Have you ever lived in another country?
How did it change the way you see home?🏠 by @savvyvenice

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5 days ago

Saturday night, taking it all in. ✨

A week of art, hidden corners, an afternoon on an island, and the quiet beauty of San Michele and the northern lagoon after midnight.

A feast for the eyes, the senses, and the soul. Venice and its surroundings never stop surprising me. 🤍

What has your week surprised you with? ✨
Drop it in the comments. 😉 by @savvyvenice

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6 days ago

After 26 years in Venice, these Italian words have become part of the way I see life:

Piano piano — little by little.

Godersi — savoring what’s in front of you.

Abitudine — creating a life through the things you repeat.

Appartenenza — building a sense of belonging over time.

If these ideas resonate with you, you may enjoy my Vibes Guide, available through the link in my bio.

Denim Espadrilles @maxandco
#slowlife #veniceitaly #jjyapchallenge by @savvyvenice

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7 days ago

🏁Starting over in Venice meant learning how to build friendships from scratch.

I came with lifelong friendships behind me, so learning a different rhythm of connection took time.

👯‍♀️But 26 years later, I’ve learned that good friendships don’t always happen quickly. Sometimes, they grow through familiarity, trust, and simply showing up.

Have you ever had to start over and rebuild your circle?⚒️ by @savvyvenice

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8 days ago

🫣I know this is a hot take, but I have to say it.

After 26 years in Venice, I think one thing locals understand about life is the art of really enjoying the experience you’re having, rather than constantly thinking about what comes next.

It’s not about rushing from one place to another or trying to fit everything into a day. You take your time with the meal, the conversation, the people you’re with, even the journey itself. You notice what’s around you.🏎️💨💨

I see this every time I’m crossing the Giudecca Canal on the vaporetto. I’m not thinking about getting to the next thing. I’m just enjoying the ride, the view, the people, and the fact that this is simply where I am right now.

Visitors naturally have a list. There’s nothing wrong with that. But sometimes, in trying to see everything, we miss the experience right in front of us.

Maybe that’s the Venetian lesson I’ve carried with me all these years: you don’t have to experience everything to have experienced something deeply.

🚢And honestly, that’s a way of living I want to take with me wherever I go.

#jjyapchallenge #venice #slowlife by @savvyvenice

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9 days ago