Venice

Introduction

St. Mark's Square

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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

Sights and Activities

Churches

• St Marks Basilica (and St. Mark’s Square) - Is the center 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 - 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.
• 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 - This palace rests on the Grand Canal and 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 Venetian 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

Weather

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

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.

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

Drink

Sleep

Budget

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.

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

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