Venice is amazing, historic and breathtakingly beautiful. It’s also radically overcrowded with tourists. Every day, thousands of visitors crowd together to see and take pictures of (mostly selfies) of Piazza San Marco, Rialto Market and the Santa Maria della Salute church.

As with other places burdened by overtourism, Venice gets hammered by far too many people trying to see and do far too little.

So the City of Venice has come up with a wonderful concept they call “Detourism.” That means to explore far more broadly, with an emphasis on discovering things off the beaten track, rather than to join the hoards crowding the city’s “Greatest Hits.”

That’s what Amira and I do when we live abroad. That’s what we do (and did) on our Prosecco Gastronomad Experience, which includes Venice. Yes, we see the major attractions (always in a way that avoids the crowds). But we also explore several Venetian islands, some of which are unrecognizable as being part of Venice. We find quiet spots to drink wine by the water, check out islands mainly populated by actual residents, rather than tourists, and and even spend time on a farm. (Yes, Venice has farming — a fact most visitors to Venice never learn.)

The Gastronomad way to travel is “detourism” — which means the opposite of tourism and also implies going off the beaten track where people don’t normally go. These little-known places are where you can find the true soul of Venice — or wherever you go — and experience the true joy of discovery.

We love the concept. We love the lifestyle.