Peter_S_Aus

A trip report of sorts - although we did not go anywhere out of the usual.

If you sit at any of the cafes in the Piazza - Florians, Quadri, wherever - you'll see people take a seat, be presented with a menu, peruse said menu - and then walk away. It's a bit embarrassing, maybe, and the waiters have slightly pursed lips when that happens. The fact is that those places are not cheap.

So here's a little price guide, from Quadri a couple of days ago.

Quadri's "orchestra" was playing - the inverted commas around "orchestra" are quite deliberate, as the music is pretty bad - so there is a six euro cover charge per person on top of any other charge.

A coffee - americano, cappuccino, or latte-free cappuccino (which has a slug of almond milk froth, and is quite good) will cost nine euro. So all up, fifteen euro for that coffee, which does sound costly.

However, once you order that coffee, you've paid table rent for a great show. The music plays, people stroll through, maybe a wedding party walks past, maybe some street theatre, you can play a game of "pick the nationality" (stainless steel dentures = former USSR), and so on. One of the great shows on earth, in Europe's drawing rom, for only fifteen euro. Stay as long as you like - we relaxed there for an hour and a half.

That's a steal.

bobthenavigator

We always have dessert there after dinner. We may drop 50E in the process but count it as a highlight of the entire Venice experience.

Dukey1

That "drawing room of Europe" is magic at dusk and after dark regardless of what anybody says and the whole thing is priceless IMO and worth it.

annhig

We had an evening coffee at Florians years ago, and like you, treated it as part of the Venetian experience [and it's a darn sight better value than a gondola ride!]

i remember the orchestra being quite good, but that may be my memory playing tricks!

jelopez33

I really agree with all the previous posts, some things are priceless ....

Pepper_von_snoot

I would rather take my coffee, or a spritz even better, at Paradiso across from the Bienniale vapporetto stop.

There are also some nice cafes around Sts. Giovanni e Paolo.

Thin

Peter_S_Aus

Anne, if your musical taste runs selections from Sound of Music, then you'd like the orchestra at Quadri.

Thin, I can't comment on Paradiso. But we spent a while at St Elena, and discovered a pure Bay Tree hedge. Harvested some leaves, for the chicken stock that will go towards this evening's risotto.

Fodorite018

We had coffee and some light food at the Cafe Florian on our trip to Venice. We had family members that did an around the world trip for 2 years, but one was a paraplegic so they were not able to visit Venice. Seeing the orchestras there was something she wished she could have seen, so for us, we would have paid anything to do that so that we could show her photos and talk about it. Like you say, it is an experience and we enjoyed the table for quite a while with our front row seats

Pepper_von_snoot

Oh and lots of star jasmine around the Bienniele Gardens!

Thin

jelopez33

Peper: Any Link or full Address for Paradiso? Thanks in advance
J.E.L

Tommmo

Thanks Peter and al for the info...we'll consider that coffee in the square, though we are notoriously tight and will prepare most meals ourselves in our S.Stefano apt.
We get there in less than 2 weeks now and I'm going crazy with the wait!

lincasanova

mms.. sweet story.

taconictraveler

During our only ever (full) week in Venice, (a dream come true!) with our many-Venice-trips dear friends, they Insisted we stop and have a coffee in St. Mark's Square. We thought it was too expensive, but SO glad we did it. Pure magic.

ahiddenbird

Is there anywhere to experience something similar without spending quite so much?

kismetchimera

ahiddenbird, finding magic is a state of mind ..You will be able to find it anywhere in the world that has a picturesque sight.

I have found a magic moment years ago when I was visiting my daughter in in Daytona.
We stopped at a picturesque restaurant in Saint Augustine that was perched on a hill facing the beach..the sea gulls were flying around, the sun was shining, the sea looked beautiful and even the cool beer tasted great, amazing because I am a wine drinker and don't really care about drinking beer at all.
Everything looked beautiful and alive ..it was for me a magic moment..I still remember that happy relaxed feelings that I felt there.

I have had many magic moments in my life and I am very thankful about that.

tuscanlifeedit

ahiddenbird: The charges at the Piazza San Marco cafes are high because it is a unique experience. There's nothing similar.

However, there are delightful experiences all over Venice, although not that many at night.

If we aren't feeling flush we buy a gelato and just stroll through P.San Marco very very slowly.

annhig

a gelato on the Zattere can be very pleasant on a sunny afternoon, or lunch on one of the restaurants along there, though that can be quite pricey too.

but there are so many wonderful things to enjoy in Venice, not all of them planned for.

best to leave plenty of time for strolling and impromptu delights.

Dukey1

Venice is one of the most expensive cities in Europe yet people continue to go there. Absolutely amazing.

Cathinjoetown

Peter,

I like your rationale, very much.

kappa1

Venice can be very expensive for a place to sleep or to have a sit-down dinner but gelato is one of a few things that are not. Bought at one of the ice cream stands ( as, for example, mentioned above, at Nico on Zattere or elsewhere ) a scoop is about €1.50 or maybe less. It costs double in France ( not only in Paris). Also a slice of pizza I buy at a stand by Frari church is again €1.50 or less. Delightfully cheap.