pjsparlor536

Planning to take a coffee and sit at St Mark? Beware of the hidden covercharge. If the sign indicates "8 Euro" for the coffee, that means 16 Euro for 2 coffees. However, when the bill arrives, don't get shocked to see 55 Euros for 2 coffees. The explanation? The place charges for sitting on their chair and listening to their orchestra! For more reasonably priced coffee or a spritz or a glass of prosecco there are many other fine campos in Venice - try Campo Santa Margherita or Campo San Polo for instance. You will not have the orchestras to listen to but they are still lovely spaces in which to sit and watch the world go by.

Is this true, wow something to look out for on our trip to venice in february

Infotrack

You will pay through the nose at any of the cafes in St. Marks, true.

kappa1

Just to clarify, you mean Piazza San Marco in Venice, at Caffé Florian? There is no orchstra in February (starts late March or April? Not sure) so nothinhg to worry about for your trip. I suppose Floran (And Quadri) has to pay the musicians. Also am not sure if you drink inside, it is charged too or not.

annhig

I think that there are several levels of charging at most italian cafes, which are exagerated in Venice.

cheapest - standing at the bar.

next -sitting inside.

next - sitting outside

dearest - sitting outside listening to the orchestra.

it's nothing new - we were charged for "music" in Saint Mark's square 25 years ago.

kappa1

There are many tourists standing around the cafeé terrace and the orchestra box listening to the music free. You could sit and listen to the music perhaps at special occasions. Some say being in Venice already is a special occasion ....

alan64

I don't think the extra charge is the issue (although it is expensive), but the fact that it may not be made very clear when people sit down to order.

pjsparlor536

thank you alan, that is what is disconceting to me, 55 euros is crazy expensive, I would be sick paying almost 90 dollars for 2 coffees~

So in February we won't have to worry about cover charges, is that correct?

annhig

So in February we won't have to worry about cover charges, is that correct?>> ????

don't know where you get that idea, pj.

you should expect to pay at least €1 per person for "coperto" in all but the most modest establishments. it covers the bread, grissini, jug of water [if you're lucky] that you will benenfit from.

this only applies if you are going to be eating a meal of some sort, not if you are having a cafe and cake, or "un ombra e tramezzini" in Venice.

pjsparlor536

quote kappa1 on Jan 14, 10 at 10:23am
Just to clarify, you mean Piazza San Marco in Venice, at Caffé Florian? There is no orchstra in February (starts late March or April? Not sure) so nothinhg to worry about for your trip. I suppose Floran (And Quadri) has to pay the musicians. Also am not sure if you drink inside, it is charged too or not.

annbig, just was taking kappa lead, about not worrying about huge cover charges in february....I am fine with a few euro coperto, but would like to be prepared if that surcharge is 20 euro or above~

kappa1

Ann,

OP was talking about the extra charge for the orchestra, not about coperto. You should understand that from reading the thread from the beginning.

Also,

> you should expect to pay at least €1 per person >for "coperto" in all but the most modest establishments. it >covers the bread, grissini, jug of water [if you're lucky] >that you will benenfit from.

>this only applies if you are going to be eating a meal of >some sort, ... in Venice.

Yes most retaurants charge coperto but I have learned reading tripadvisor.com's forum, thanks to a long time Venice poster but refuses to be named D.E. that there are exceptions. E.g. Restaurant UNO behind San Zulian church, not a modest one, just an ordinary restaunrant, fine food quality wise. They don't charge as they advertise, coperto. I have been there.

annhig

that surcharge is not a "coperto" as such, but specifically for the "music".

a "coperto" is reserved I think for meals, which even in the poshest places shouldn't be more than €4.

if the orchestras are battling away in saint mark's square and you sit at florian's you will be stung for the "music" charge even if you only have an espresso [about the cheapest thing you could possibly order].

if you have a full meal inside, you probably won't.

but you probably won't be able to afford to eat for the rest of the stay!

pjsparlor536

thank you thank you, you guys rock...now I can enjoy my campari and relax~

kappa1

And the orchestra charge is not exactly hidden. It is mentioned on the menu albeit discreetly but neverthless like service and coperto.

Lexma90

The last several times we've visited Venice, we've paid to sit and listen to music on one evening. So last fall, for 3 people, we spent 39 Euros, total, to sit a listen to the music for as long as we wanted, and each had one drink (as I recall, two coffee drinks and something else - maybe a glass of wine). The waiter was VERY clear that we had to pay an extra charge, and he must have told other people, as well, because we saw several groups get up and leave after we saw a waiter talk to them (prior to ordering).

If you aren't willing to pay extra, then just stand and listen to the music. There are other prices that I'm not willing to pay - like the 15 Euro Bellinis at Harry's Bar. But this one I'll pay, once in a while.

Peter_S_Aus

The two main cafes in the Piazza, Florians and Quadri's, have both been in business for over 150 years. Both cafes can provide a cappuccino at prices that are ruinous to the average tourist.

Base price – 3 Euro, to drink it standing at the bar.
Extra to have it outside on the terrace – another 6 Euro.
Extra because the cafe orchestra is belting out selections from Phantom of the Opera – 5 Euro.
Service – 12 ½ %.
Total – about 17 Euro. But at least, you are taking coffee in what Napoleon was pleased to call “The drawing room of Europe”.

The two cafe orchestras are something of a bizarre institution, a Venetian Battle of the Sounds. Quadri will blast off with “Colonel Bogey”, Florians see them and raise them one with “I'm getting married in the morning”. Quadri tops out, though, the full musical royal flush, with “If I was a rich man” from Fiddler on the Roof. And if I was a rich man, we'd take coffee at Quadri's on the terrace.

But I'm not rich.

primeranoche

pjsparlor536,

I don't think you'll get charged for music in February.

I once went to Florian's on Christmas Day for breakfast after Mass in San Marco and the caffe was almost empty. It was too cold to sit outside. I sat inside. I was only charged for what i ordered from the menu, plus the cover charge which was also posted on the menu. If there is a waiter in Florian's (or Quadri's) who doesn't speak English, I'd be amazed. So even if you don't speak Italian, you can ask if there are extra charges before you order.

I thought the cup of coffee I drank at Florian's one was, perhaps, the best cup of coffee i have ever had in my life -- and I have sipped coffee in Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, NYC, etc. It was just delicious. It wasn't the view. It was the coffee. The rest of my Christmas brunch treat consisted of a sliced salmon on lettuce, a brioche, a glass of prosecco. I believe my bill for everything was about 35 euros. (The exchange rate was a bit better those days, LoL!

I actually don't much enjoy Venice, but I had a great time at that meal. There was a fellow American tourist at a nearby table, looking sad. When I tried to make cheerful Christmas small talk, she said someone had just tried to snatch her purse in Piazza San Marco, and that had ruined her day.

I would still go back and pay whatever they charge at Florian's for that coffee.

kappa1

Primeranoche, as said above there is no orchestra in winter.

annhig

she said someone had just tried to snatch her purse in Piazza San Marco, and that had ruined her day.>>

lol - that sounds like a cause for rejoicing, IMHO. it would be sad if they'd succeeded!

primeranoche - I agree with your approach. sometimes a little splurge can make moments memorable.