Oh I think the idea of Venice is brilliant. Historically it must have been incredible, when the palaces were actually in use and not simply museums. But at this point the entire economy of the city is based on tourism. Any trace of authentic life sunk a long time ago.

I can understand it feels like this, but I assure real people live and work there, and there is a real local culture and authentic life.

I lived there and I lived in many other cities like Paris, London, Munich, Krakow, Bangkok and Bali.

Venice is one of the most authentic cities of them all.

The language is alive and evolving.

It's a bit like the fight club, real locals recognize each others, while the tourists think it's just a Disneyland.

Quite fascinating!

Peoples' "authentic life" is finding a job, finding housing, finding a school for the kids, interacting with neighbors, dealing with trash pickup and water bills, etc. A tourist can never experience that. Even if you experience the flooding with real Venetians, you're not going to deal with the water damage for weeks afterward, or attempting to get insurance claims paid. But that's "authentic life."

Charming restaurants, quirky bookshops, etc., that's not "authentic life." That's frivolity. Sharing frivolities with the locals doesn't give you any insight into their "authentic life." Tourism is always Disneyland. It's always fake. It's just different versions of Disneyland for people of different temperaments.

(It's funny you mention Bangkok. I was born in Bangkok. What exactly is less "authentic" about it than Venice? How can a city even be less "authentic" than another city?)

Au contraire: fantasy and frivolity are essential to an "authentic life". Regardless of where you were born and what station you were born into.

I can confirm. When my wife was working at the University of Padova, she had a colleague from Venice. We'd go visit him once in a while and he'd show us around some of the more 'normal people' places. I mean, yes, it's very touristy, but "real people" do live there.

Where is the city called Bali?

I meant Bali the island, sorry

When I visited Venice, around 15 years ago, at first I was not impressed. I'd seen the fake version at a theme park, and somehow it felt like more of the same.

But then I saw a couple traces of authentic life. We ran into a local walking her dog, and my friend (who speaks fluent Italian) chatted her up. On one of the smaller canals I saw a road sign -- not seemingly aimed at tourists or even gondoliers, but at ordinary Venetians trying to get around.

All of a sudden, the whole city felt amazing.

> Venice is actually a great place to live if you don't prioritize for comfort but appreciate other aspects of life.

Perhaps, if you're prioritizing access to hordes of tourists.

You live with what you have. Tourists are both invading and bringing money, both a curse and a blessing.

Some cultures seem more fit than others to deal with it.

Some are overwhelmed, others learn to manage.

Right -- and I would absolutely put Venice in the overwhelmed category. When I travel I try to experience the local culture as much as possible and I simply wasn't able to find it in Venice. I walked around the city for hours (which is a lot, Venice is very small) and the parts that weren't overwhelmed with tourists or part of the university were completely lifeless.

Most of the locals live on the mainland, anyways. Venice itself is a living museum at best.

And yet there it was, right in front of your eyes, right in the middle of the tourists.

When I walk in Venice I constantly meet locals I know, going around their daily life.

It's hard to see this unless you are with some of them.

And even if you see it, it won't tell you anything unless you are part of it.

It's fascinating to see how two different "species" of animals coexist and barely interact on a meaningful level.

I'm not saying it's a good situation but it's not a living museum, people live, work, love and fight there.

We can't dismiss them because we don't see them.

I believe that they exist. It's just Venice ranks shockingly low on the list of cities I would like to live in given it's cultural and historical significance.

You say there are other priorities that make Venice attractive -- like what? You still haven't made that clear. The nice parts of the city are completely given over to tourism, the hidden corners feel abandoned and listless.

I guess it's subjective but here's my list:

- no cars. This alone raises the quality life by an amazing degree.

- 100% walkable.

- you meet people you know all the time. Feels like a village.

- international. Many interesting characters live there. A village but an international one.

- beautiful and decadent.

And of course there's also a long list of negatives such as expensive, uncomfortable, wet, touristy etc....