Exploring Mestre: Best Aperol Spritz, Gelato, and Travel Tips

May 4, 2024

Venice, Italy

Americano @ MOAK Cafe in Venice Airport – added milk & sugar= delicious & creamy

Bar Macao in Mestre – Aperol Spritz and Toastone
Best Aperol Spritz I found in Venice/Mestre
Toastone = good, simple snack and goes well with alcohol + the sauce was delicious

Gelateria alla torre Al duca – Stracciatella gelato (sweet cream & chocolate bits)
Light flavor, yet the perfect combination of chocolate chunks and creamy gelato

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Mestre was a wonderful place to explore and try food, drinks, and desserts. (The food was better here than in Venice)

The Anda Venice Hostel hosts event nights. It is one of the best spots in the area to party.

Pickpocketing in Mestre is apparently worse than in Venice. It can happen anywhere, so always be cautious of sketchy behavior.

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Travel Pros:

• I packed a suit case as my carry on and a travel backpack as my personal item, so I did not worry about a checked bag getting lost.
• I packed my backpack as if I was checking my carry on, just in case that situation arose. This made it easier to freshen up after arriving at the hostel because everything I needed was already in one place.
• I used compression packing cubes, which helped me save space and keep my clothes organized.

Things I learned on my journey to Italy:

• Pack a travel-sized dry shampoo. I was lucky to arrive in Venice around 9am, however I was unable to check into my room that early. We had the day to explore Mestre, so the only thing I could do was freshen up (brushing teeth, reapplying deodorant, etc.) before going out with other people in my travel group. After an 8hr flight, a shower would have been ideal. In this case, dry shampoo would have helped.
• Don’t forget a travel pillow for long flights! I was missing mine and I couldn’t sleep during the flight.
• Keeping myself occupied on a long flight is easier than I expected. A 2.5 hour movie took me 4 hours with all the times I had to pause it. I had downloaded shows, movies, and audiobooks on my phone, and long flights usually have an outlet so I did not worry about my phone dying. My flight also had free wifi, so I was still able to chat with people via Whatsapp & iMessage. I am so happy I didn’t bring any unnecessary electronics.