Venice, Italy

This trip wasn't meant to happen. But when my sister flagged the idea of celebrating her 40th birthday in Italy, my Mum keen to go for the first time, and then not 1 but 2 wedding invitations in the UK right around the same time - it had to happen!

We met in the truly unique city that is Venice for a birthday celebration that took us to bars across the city into the night.

It's a fascinating place that it's literally a maze of winding lanes and canals across 100 small islands. We stayed in an AirBnb right in the heart of it all, complete with a roof-top area that gave us a great view over one of the many plazas.

After a boozy night one, we explored the vast city and took in giant attractions like:

• St Marks Square - The largest square in the city and a melting pot for tourists.
• St. Mark's Basilica - Venice's best-known church, and one of the most easily recognised in the world,
• Palazzo Ducale and Bridge of Sighs - A perfect example of Venetian Gothic architecture.
• Grand Canal & Rialto Bridge - The largest canal that sweeps through the heart of Venice with a bridge that marks the island's first settlement.
• The Arsenal and the Museum of Naval History - once was the largest and busiest in the world until the end of the 17th century.
• Plus endless churches and museums.

One of the best reasons to stay right in the heart of it all? After dark, the crowds die down, it transforms into a much quieter place allowing you to soak it all in.

On our last day, we walked to the city's entrance via the bustling food market, enjoyed a Venetian coffee and then picked up a rental car to explore some more!