Bored with her life, dutiful housewife Rosalba takes a sudden opportunity for freedom when shes unexpectedly separated from everyone during a family vacation. After a tour bus leaves without her, her husband and children dont notice until it is too late. Virtually penniless, she finds a place to stay in a cheap, run-down hotel and makes friends with a waiter who serves her cold food. Deciding to stay, Rosalba finds work with an elderly florist, and moves in with the waiter. The beauty of Venice, together with her new-found freedom lead her to romance and self-discovery, while her husband hires an amateur detective to track her down.