Polish Tourist Falls Into Canal In Venice, Blames Google Maps: "Be Careful"

An Instagram video showing a Polish tourist taking an unexpected plunge into a canal in Venice has gone viral. The clip captures Wiktoria Guzenda, engrossed in her phone, walking down stairs in the scenic city, only to lose her balance and fall straight into the water. The video later shows her nursing a scraped leg after the mishap.

"When Google Maps says 'go straight' but youre in Venice," a text insert on the video read.

Watch the video here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wiktoria Guzenda (@wika.we.wroclawiu)

Many users couldn't help but poke fun at the tourist's mishap, with one commenter quipping, "Soooo, what did she think would happen walking down stone steps into the water?"

Another wrote, "Maybe stop blindly following a gps and actually look around and use your brain."

A third user said, "Y'all, she obviously wanted to stop at the last step and ended up falling in. She was just wanting a cute video and likely cut herself on the sharp shellfish that post up along the Venice waterways. Poor girl lmao."

Some viewers questioned whether Google Maps was truly to blame, with one suggesting, "She clearly slipped – maybe she was stopping to take a photo!" Others chimed in, pointing out that Venice's waterways have claimed many unsuspecting tourists, often with hilarious results.

Why you shouldn't use Google Maps in Venice

Venice tour sites have highlighted that Google Maps can be notoriously unreliable in the city due to its distinctive layout. Unlike traditional cities, Venice uses a complex system of sestieri (districts) with unpredictable numbering, making navigation challenging even for the most tech-savvy travelers.

The challenges are further compounded by Venice's unique features, including dead ends blocked by water, narrow passages masquerading as streets, and bridges that are impassable despite appearing navigable on maps. Additionally, Google Maps doesn't account for changing water levels, which can suddenly render routes impassable. 

"Google Maps frequently directs tourists to routes that simply don't exist or are blocked by canals. Many visitors find themselves standing at the edge of a canal with no bridge, exactly where Google Maps said they should turn," Tour Leader Venice wrote. 

Many travel sites suggest ditching Google Maps in favour of a real tour guide, paper maps, or specialised Venice navigation apps.