Venice

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Introduction

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Venice is one of the most popular cities to visit in Italy. Built on over a hundred small islands situated within a lagoon, it contains one hundred and fifty canals, connected by hundreds of bridges. The islands of the Venetian lagoon were first settled during the barbarian invasions of the 5th and 6th centuries AD, when the people of the Veneto mainland sought refuge in the marshy region, and today the city remains largely the same as it was hundreds of years ago, part eastern and part western, and a pedestrians delight with the prohibition of cars.

The area it covers is roughly 450 square kilometres and although it might appear small at first sight, getting terribly lost in endless mazes of alleyways, back streets and squares leading off from the main parts of the city is quite easy. It's not only easy, it's also a great way to experience a side of Venice that most travellers miss out on. And once you have had your fill of walking, a glide down the canals on a gondola is really a must-do while in Venice.

Due to all the tourism, Venice has begun to decay somewhat since it's heyday although the charm of the city is possibly only enhanced by the obvious wear and tear. Venice is also one of the places in the world where the rising of seawater levels has been most noticed, with more occurrences of Acqua alta (high water) in recent years. Occurring several times a year, usually in the colder months, the lagoon water rises above the level of the squares and street, flooding parts of the city for a few hours. There are temporary raised walkways which are used when this flooding occurs and maps showing dry routes can be obtained at some tourist offices.

Neighbourhoods

St Lucia

Venice proper, the place everbody comes to see.

Burano Islands

• Burano Island is a small island near Venice. A ferry ride is all it takes to go there. Once on the island one can see world's latest cars, excellent roads and very small but vibrantly colorful houses. Burano is famous for lace works. One can see ladies sitting in front of small shops and creating fabulous designs.

There are fairly good hotels to stay and the beach is very clean.

Lido

Literally "beach", this is the row of sandbanks and islands that close off the laguna from the sea. It is where Venetians go sunbathing and for a swim. The Lido is ideal for families seeking affordable accomodation while staying in the laguna and not on the mainland.

Sights and Activities

Churches

• St Marks Basilica (and St. Mark’s Square) is the centre of the Venetian world and the Basilica itself hold the remains of Saint Mark, which were stolen from Egypt. The famous Horses of Saint Mark, which were sacked from Constantinople in 1204, are on display inside St Marks Basilica while replicas are on the original location on the outside of the church.
• St. Mark’s Campanille.
• Santa della Maria Salute Church.
• Chiesa Dei Frari is considered the second largest and important church in Venice after St. Mark's Basilica.

Palaces

• Doges Palace is an amazing palace with great art work and was the government center for the Venetian Republic.
• Palazzo Grassi: This stunning palace was built in 1772 in Classical Venetian architecture. Today the palace is an art museum.
• The Ca' d'Oro, also called the Plazzo Santa Sofia, is known as one of the most beautiful palazzos on the Grand Canal. This palace was built by the powerful Contarini family in 1430 in a Venetian Gothic style with a Byzantine touch. Today the palace is a public gallery.
• Ca' Rezzonico rests on the Grand Canal and was built in 1649 in a Venetian Baroque style. Today it is a history museum dedicated to 18th century life in Venice.
• Palazzo Malipiero located on the Grand Canal this 1740s palace has stunning design.

Other Sights and Activities

• Ponte di Rialto (or Rialto Bridge) is the oldest of three bridges spanning Venice's Grand Canal and one of the world's most famous bridges.
• Harry’s Bar.
• Palazzo Dandolo.
• Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
• La Fenice Theater.
• The Accademia Gallery is a pretty building with a decent collection.
• Venetian Arsenal was the original site were the Venetians built their navy. Construction of boats started in 800 AD and continued until World War II.
• Peggy Guggenheim Museum is a great collection of modern art, some it in the original place where the artist intended it to be.
• Campo Santa Margherita

Events and Festivals

The Venice Carnival, witnessed by thousands of tourists from all round the world, is one of the most beautiful Carnival Festivals in the world, held annually usually in the month of February in Venice.
The origins of the Carnival date back to the year 1296, when the Senate made the carnival official and declaring the day a public holiday. Masks are a central feature of the Venetian Carnival and the streets of the city is full of people with different varieties of colourful masks. Masks were used in the past so that no distinction could be made between the nobility and the common people and all could participate in the fun.

Weather

Venice has warm summers, with sometimes very uncomfortable humid weather. Average temperatures are around 28 degrees Celsius from June to September with warm nights. Winters are well above zero though occasional winds from the north bring colder weather and frost down to -8 degrees Celsius and possible snow. Precipitation is evenly distributed througout the year, with a bit drier conditions in spring and summer. Spring is probably the best time for a visit, with long warm and sunny days, but not too hot.

Getting There

By Plane

Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is the city's international airport. It is located on the Venice lagoon, roughly 10 kms out of the city. The city can be reached either by road or by water.

Waterbuses take about an hour to reach San Marco and cost €10 one way. Private Water Taxis or Motoscafi can also be booked, but are far more pricey starting from around €90 for 4 people. A regular taxi would cost about €30 and take 15 minutes to reach Piazzale Roma near the Santa Lucia train station. Water taxis can be caught from there to the centre. Public buses are the cheapest option at €3 (incl luggage) and leave every 30 minutes. They take about 20 minutes to reach Piazzale Roma.

Venice Treviso Airport (TSF) is a small airport 30 kms from the city that is used by Ryanair. It is roughly a 30 minute journey by road to Venice.

Public buses to Piazzale Roma cost €4.50 one-way and take about an hour to reach the destination. Trains leave the Treviso train station every 30 minutes and take about 35 minutes, costing €2.05 one way. A regular bus service connects the airport to the train station. Taxis are the most expensive option, costing about €70 for the half hour journey.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Croatia

• Crossings from Venice to Croatia arrive in Mali Losinj, Porec, Pula, Rovinj and Rabac, check the Venezialines websites for details. Note that some crossings are only made during high season, meaning July and August.

Greece

• Minoan Lines between Corfu and Venice.
• Minoan Lines between Igoumenitsa and Venice.

Getting Around

Cars and Bikes are not allowed in all the historic centre. From Piazzale Roma you can just walk or travel with the public boat or the water taxi. Even though a water taxi may look tempting they are very expensive.

Public Boat

Public Boats are one of the main transport method around the Island of Venice and are very easy to use. They are a great a cheap way to see Venice from the water, and kids love a boat ride. There are large public boats that connect to the surrounding islands, which can make for excellent day or half day trips. The boats are set up on a color scheme, similar to most major city subway systems. Ticket prices start from €6.50 for a single trip, but the 12-72hr tourist tickets make better economic sense if you wish to travel around on the Vaporetto regularly.

There are also several smaller boats that look like the classic gondola. Unlike the tourist gondolas, these one will just cross the canal back and forth at certain points and only cost 2 euros. This can be a good way to have the budget gondola experience.

By Foot

Your main form of transport will be by foot. Remember that some of the alleys can become very narrow and extremely crowded during busy times of the year. Luckily there are signs in English to point people down the right alley in order to find major sights. The best thing to do is remember where a major sight is near your hotel and go from the sight back to your hotel. One of the fun parts of Venice is just walking around and getting lost.

Eat

There are numerous cafés and bars dotted around Venice, the most numerous near the busy tourist spots like Piazza San Marco. Many establishments will display a Tourist Menu with fixed price meals of between €13-20, which may be fine if you want all 4 or 5 courses, though the quality may be somewhat lacking. It's best to go off the beaten track in search of decent food - ask the hotel manager to suggest a local Trattoria or Ristorante.

For lunch, Venetians will usually just grab a pizza slice, wrap or sandwich, and a coffee, and eat either on the hoof or seated at the counter in the takeaways. These places are cheap and plentiful, and represent great value for a filling lunch alternative. For those less adventurous, there are several international fast-food outlets (Mc. D's, for instance) though these are tastefully toned down and not as easy to spot.

Pizza is a must-have. Large (12" +) thin crust pizzas come with an abundance of toppings, and are pure heaven. Expect to pay €7-15 depending on where you go, but don't pass up the opportunity or you may live to regret it!

Drink

Sleep

Budget

The cheapest accomodation is not directly in Venice, but in neighboring Mestre on the mainland. Around the airport there are several camping sites and small hotels.

• Camping Alba di Oro.

A complete overview of budget accommodation in Venice, including travellers ratings:

Mid-Range

To rent an apartment can be (for at least three nights) a good solution, cheaper than a hotel and comfortable like a home. There are many possibilities.

• Views on Venice is based in Venice and offers over 70 Venice Apartments for rent in central Venice.

Townhouse Suites are bed and breakfast places with more privacy, where you get your own set of keys to the gate, house and room, to go in and come as you like and you can use the kitchen, upon request.

• 3749 Ponte Chiodo - A nice place close to the Ca' D'Oro. Compact rooms having required conveniences but more useful is the easy access to several locations and being located on a less touristy street. Also, the owner is very helpful with great tips for walking routes around Venice.

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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