Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Does the canal water in Venice smell bad?

Does the canal water in Venice smell bad?

Old Jul 29th, 2003, 06:37 PM
  #21  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Not only do the canals not smell but, if you get up early in the morning, you will see the entire city filed with garbage collectors. Truly amazing. I can't even imagine what a huge municipal job it is to clean that city every day, with all the tourist. I'm from San Francisco and we could take a lesson from the Venetians!
laurelt is offline  
Old Jul 29th, 2003, 06:39 PM
  #22  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Not when we went in November - and it flooded the entire city every day! We had to walk on platforms around the city "streets/alleys" and water did not smell.
JustinH is offline  
Old Jul 29th, 2003, 07:01 PM
  #23  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Last time we were there in August - when if it's going to smell, it's going to smell. Everything was fine, except on some of the tiny back-canals, where there was a bit of a tepid smell, but nothing that detracted from our enjoyment of Venice, one of the most magical places on earth.
StCirq is offline  
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 03:24 AM
  #24  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,098
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A number of years ago there was a period of time when Venice suspended the periodic cleaning of side canals--for budget reasons. There were odor problems for a while because of this. But that period ended some time ago. When they drain a canal to clean it, there will be some odor of wet mud and sediment. The vast majority of sewage produced in the city is piped to the mainland for treatment. Otherwise, you have normal ocean smells--people who aren't used to the ocean might find that unusual.
RufusTFirefly is offline  
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 03:30 AM
  #25  
ira
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You are welcome, df. Glad to have been of service.

BTW. You are required to post a full and complete trip report, including where you ate, what you ate and what it cost, within 30 days of returning from a trip or the forum administrators send a signal to yur computer that melts down the motherboard.

Beware.
ira is offline  
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 07:23 AM
  #26  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
LOL, Ira. And remember, df, you musn't offend anyone in writing your trip report, so don't say anything bad about any place you went, and tell us about every meal but not every bite you ate, and be sure to put in the personal experiences that make the report more touching, but don't make it too long, just give us the highlights, but don't forget the picturesque details..... hehehe
QueenMab
QueenMab is offline  
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 09:25 AM
  #27  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 436
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I often wonder if the people who think that Venice smells bad are people who do not live near water, such as a lake or ocean. I have gotten a whiff from the canals, but they smell like ocean water to me which is not a bad smell, but I live near the ocean and go often and am accustomed to that particular odor. I have been to Venice 4 times before and am going in August for my 5th trip in as many years. I have never smelled a "bothersome" smell.
marty is offline  
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 09:59 AM
  #28  
rsm
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Wife and I were there last July and that was my concen also but did not find any offensive odors. Venice without a doubt one of the most fascinating cities on this Planet. Will return in 04. Have a great time.
 
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 04:02 PM
  #29  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I was in Venice in April and the city was totally GLORIOUS! Oh to have been able to spend more time exploring all those little alleyways. (Going back next April I hope.) Anyway, I filled an empty water bottle with water from the Grand Canal. This was done at departure in front of the train station. I was stunned at how clear the water was (there were a few pieces of algae in it.) I am a clinical microbiologist and my mission was to culture the water upon return. I did and guess what, there was no growth of any bacteria at all. Of course I did not culture for viruses. The water must be salt water which would not support the growth of some of the bacteria or viruses you would find in contaminated water. There was a very slight smell a couple of times in our room which overlooked the Grand Canal but certainly nothing more than what I have experienced anytime near the water in many places. I can tell you that in Philadelphia (my soul mate US city), in the summer there are incredibly bad sewage smells wafting forth from the manholes......... Do not pass up the opportunity to go to Venice for any reason whatsoever. It is magical. The history alone makes your heart and soul soar. And those handsome gondolieros, sigh.
sharandana is offline  
Old Jul 30th, 2003, 04:45 PM
  #30  
Intrepid
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Smell or not..don't plan on falling in!
 
Old Aug 2nd, 2003, 11:21 AM
  #31  
Hel
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think it's one of those things that people like to say to make them sound as if they know what they are talking about, even when they don't. Venice is magical (and I've been to places that smell a lot worse!). Go - you'll love it!!
Hel is offline  
Old Aug 2nd, 2003, 01:31 PM
  #32  
lyb
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hel,

I think you're absolutely right about >>I think it's one of those things that people like to say to make them sound as if they know what they are talking about, even when they don't.<<

Recently on this board, a woman who was in Venice at the same time as I was (not together, but the dates she gave were the same as when I was there) stated in her message that the smell of the canals was awful. When I pointed out that I was there at the same time that she was and the canals didn't smell and I was there with a group and no one thought it smelled, she responded and obviously thought she'd be very smart and insult me by making a comment about the fact that I was in Venice with an organized tour. It made me laugh because I don't know what difference it makes, tour or no tours. Unless she somehow thinks that tour operators shoot their tourists with some kind of hypnotic drugs that prevents them from smelling. Anyway, I do think that canals smelling is something that people have heard before and when they don't know what to say, they just repeat. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if they did at times. I was there in the first week of July, it was hot and there was NO smell.

Richard, I hope you did go to Venice and enjoyed it. It truly is a "magical" place.
lyb is offline  
Old Aug 2nd, 2003, 04:08 PM
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 661
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I, too, had heard this for many years, and was never very excited to go there. We went last summer (my husband put it on our itinerary), and it was one of the highlights of my life. No, it did not smell. I dream of Venice, and hope to go back someday. I know that everyone else has used the word "magical", but I can't think of a better one. It truly is. I am still in awe of how anyone could have ever conceived of such a city. There is nowhere else like it----truly fascinating. Take your wife----and be sure to take her on a gondola ride at sunset..............
chicgeek is offline  
Old Aug 3rd, 2003, 04:23 AM
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,098
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My guess is that most people who think the canals smell bad are from Kansas or some such place and haven't a clue what the sea smells like. I've been to Venice on 4 seperate occasions, and never had a whiff of anything that wasn't normal sea smells.
RufusTFirefly is offline  
Old Aug 5th, 2003, 04:10 PM
  #35  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
YEP, SIX VISITS AND NARY A BAD WHIFF.

People either love Venice madly or have a dozen reasons to be cynical about it.

I suspect they are also cynical about mom and apple pie. Go and be blessed.

Poppa is offline  
Old Aug 6th, 2003, 06:07 AM
  #36  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can't be friends with someone who doesn't love Venice.

As for canal smell...Venice is very much alive and kicking and they've been doing much dredging of the canals in recent years which provides nice relief from this problem. However, the job isn't complete and certain neighborhoods in July/August remain pretty stinky. These aren't heavily touristy neighborhoods, though.

Many tourists don't realize that Venice doesn't have a sewage system. The canals are it and this is the way it's been for centuries. There is talk of creating a sewage system. All we can do is hope.

Regarding tourists who avoid Venice because they might smell some fowl odor...THEY SHOULD STAY HOME because Venice doesn't need such shallow people walking its precious pavement. Potpourri for brains? You bet.

I'll take Venice's canal smell anyday to NYC's sidewalks, buses, and subways, which wreak of urine every day of the year.
NYCFoodSnob is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
muskoka
Europe
75
Apr 30th, 2015 02:01 AM
faithonholiday
Europe
139
Oct 31st, 2014 04:53 PM
missypie
Europe
37
Oct 31st, 2004 08:10 PM
amrach
Europe
9
Jan 23rd, 2004 01:27 PM
dflawyer
Europe
18
Jul 11th, 2003 06:40 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -