Venice impressions.
Dec 11th, 2010, 02:56 PM
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Venice impressions.
Venice, It.
We recently returned from a 7day trip to Venice (Italy), and since I have gotten a lot of useful information from reading posts of other travelers on this forum, I thought I would make a contribution. It may or may not be helpful to others, and I’ll try to make this a little different from what I’ve read here.
We landed on a rainy Monday afternoon and boarded the Alilaguna boat for San Marco MVE. Disembarking, we found the Piazza under a foot of water (well, maybe 10 inches). I had anticipated the possibility of aqua alta, so had brought some latex boots for both of us. We walked as far as we could on the platforms, then jumped onto a sort of island to get out of the solid stream of traffic and put on our boots. We then sloshed our way in what we thought was the direction of our hotel, the water finding its way over the tops of the too short boots. Eventually, we found our way, and checked into the Suites Torre dell’Orologia. We had a nice suite, overlooking a narrow canal, with a bedroom, kitchenette, sitting room and bathroom. But we actually spent very little time there, so could have done with just a room. An internet reviewer of this hotel complained of a poor breakfast, but I found it more than adequate. The hotel had free wi-fi, but no computer for guest use. It was clean, quiet (except for the damn bells), and a good location on a calle called Baloni, very close to San Marco. Plenty of souvenir stores right nearby. With that as an introduction, I will make some random observations:
Sights:
Plenty of sights. An incredible concentration of art. Countless churches and of course the Basilica. Although we’re not really very art literate, we couldn’t help but be impressed by the quantity of paintings, frescos, sculpture, mosaics, gold, gems, and other stuff. We bought a “Chorus Pass” and used it for entrance to several churches, but missed many. But a lot of the churches were free to enter. The Accademia isn’t free, and in my opinion can be skipped by all but true art fans, but it does contain some interesting paintings of Venice showing it hasn’t changed much in centuries. There are plenty of spectacular paintings in the many churches. In fact, in my opinion, the churches were the most impressive and worthwhile sights of our visit. Of the ones we visited, these stand out in memory: Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari; Santa Maria dei Miracoli; Santa Maria della Salute. San Giorgio Maggiore is across the canal, requiring a boat trip which I think is available at a reduced price. It has a campanile which can be ascended by elevator and provides great views of Venice and the lagoon. We visited every church we encountered if it was open, and no matter how plain the exterior, the interior never failed to impress. Some, like Zaccharia, contain relics, but I was disappointed that they were not openly displayed dessicated corpses. If you buy a Chorus Pass, it comes with a map. You buy the pass at any of the churches it allows you to enter. I think it costs 10E.
We did the “Secret Itinereries Tour” of the Doges’ Palace. (I bought the tickets on Tickitaly, the site that came up on Google. A mistake, since they charge a huge commission—I paid 24 E for a 18 E ticket. Not the first time I was fleeced on this trip—read on.) If you’re on a budget, you could skip this tour, but it was interesting. The rest of the palace is interesting, with incredible art.
The Rialto: If you need some souvenirs, this is the place. Stands selling the same old t-shirts and other crap are set up in the middle of every available space, destroying, at least for me, the atmosphere of a very old city. Somebody should do something. The market is colorful—vegetables, and lots of weird sea creatures (dead), plus more cheap souvenirs.
The ghetto: not much to see here really, but we visited on Saturday.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection: Her palace has been turned into an art museum displaying the contemporary art she collected. If you are into this sort of art, probably a must see. I’d as soon spend the 10 E on wine, but my wife liked it.
Ca’ Rezzonico: A palace which gives a feel of the lifestyle of the rich in the 18th century. Much more impressive on the inside than on the outside. Worth a visit, good audioguide.
The Grand Canal: We rode the vaporetto down the GC twice. I would have thought there would be boat tours with guides and narration, but I didn’t see any offered. The Rick Steves guide to Venice gives some information, but it’s a little sketchy. Some building facades are obscured by scaffolding and fabric. On some buildings, big advertising banners clutter façades.
Murano, Burano, Torcello: Murano has glass factories, and if you want to buy some this may be the place. Burano has lots of shops selling lace, and colorful buildings allowing you to obtain the 10 millionth photo of a blue or pink building reflected in a canal. Torchello has a very old church, and is a peaceful place with a couple of restaurants, and a hotel. We wasted a day visiting these places.
So much for sights; on to practical matters such as eating and getting around.
Vaporetti: Some writing about Venice counsel that as it is small, one can walk anywhere and use of the “waterbus” is unnecessary. So, we didn’t buy a pass for the first three days. A mistake. Sure, you can walk, but you get tired walking. Furthermore, the vaporetto is sometimes more direct and faster. They run frequently; they stop on both sides of the grand canal; they go all around the main island; they go places you can’t walk. Here’s the thing, though: It’s damn expensive. A 48 hour pass costs 28 E. And a ticket good for only 60 min is a staggering 6.50 E. Consider this: I read that long term Venice residents can buy passes for the about 1 E per day. So, if you buy a 48 hr pass, you pay 14 times as much. In effect, you the tourist, already being overcharged for almost (almost?) everything, are subsidizing the ride home for some Venetian after a busy day of fleecing…you. (Yeah, I know, many of them aren’t fleecing anybody.) Still, if I ever went back, I’d buy a pass for my entire visit.
Restaurants: We felt we needed to eat from time to time, and so sought restaurants. There are about 700,000 restaurants in Venice. Most of them are bad. Long before we left, because I enjoy good food, I began to research Venice restaurants. I studied internet sites; I bought Chow! Venice; I had other guide books, too. So, the first night, we went to a recommended place near our hotel. Closed. After wandering around, we were lured into a tourist trap, where a mediocre meal cost 50 or 60 E. But it was food, and we were by then very hungry. The next day, we happened to pass the recommended place at around lunch time. We’d already eaten lunch, but I went in and asked in my best Italian (not great) to reserve a table for dinner. I was told a reservation was not necessary, just come and when I see you I’ll get you a table. Sure. We arrived at around seven and waited about an hour. But the food was pretty good, and only about twice what we’d have paid for a similar meal in the U.S. We had some pretty good food and some awful food in Venice. We found that restaurants recommended in guide books or on the internet were full. The best meal we had was in a restaurant I could not find in a guide book and which we just came across after we were turned away at one recommended in Fodor’s Italy guide. This was in, I think, Calle Lunga S. Barnaba. They only serve fish. But I can’t remember the name. Begins with an F. A lot of Venice restaurants are, in my opinion, a ripoff. Yes, I know everything has to be brought in to an island so it’s expensive. But the same can be said for Carribean Islands and other remote places. I’ve eaten much better food, cheaper, in the Carribean. So you’re hungry, you see a restaurant, and you check out the menu. Doesn’t look bad. Pastas for 10-12 E, secondi 10-20 E; looks like you could get a meal for maybe 20 E pp. Fat chance. You are directed to a table, and sit down. A waiter brings a basket containing some breadsticks wrapped in cellophane, and a couple of stale rolls. For these, and the privilege of sitting down, you will be charged 2 E pp. You order, say, spaghetti a la Bolognese. When it arrives, you will be hard pressed to find the meat in the meat sauce. And when the bill arrives, you will find that the Coke or glass of wine you innocently ordered costs 4.5 or 5 or even 6 E. On top of that, servicio is added, and your total bill, instead of the 25 E you expected is more like twice that. You begin to understand why there is a McDonalds in Venice. I thought I’d like to try the cichetti thing. Go to a bar, order a glass of wine, and then munch on some “bar snacks”. But when I went to places suggested in books they were packed full and there was certainly no place to sit. I’m sorry, but I don’t see the appeal of eating your dinner standing up.
Shopping: We didn’t really do much shopping. Prices are high, and with the unfavorable exchange rate, unless something unique catches your eye, why not buy the same thing at home for less? But we did see some interesting things while window shopping, such as old maps and documents, antiques, art, glass, some clothes, etc. One thing we saw a lot was men selling knock-offs of designer handbags on the street. Books warn that if you buy one of these and are caught, you can be fined thousands of euros. This is to discourage people purchasing counterfeit merchandise. But—these things are being sold openly all over, even on the Rialto bridge. It would be easy for the authorities to put an end to this illegal commerce by sending inspectors to confiscate the counterfeit merchandise. Why don’t they do this? Could it be that it’s more lucrative to fine unsuspecting tourists? Just another ripoff?
Language: Just about everyone speaks at least enough English get your money. But a few don’t, so having some Italian is useful. I spent several weeks memorizing words and phrases that occasionally came in handy. But I generally found that my Italian was answered in English. I need more practice, I guess.
People: Even the last week of October, Venice was crowded with tourists. The crowds swelled on the weekend, to the point it was difficult to move in some places. But during the week it wasn’t bad. One thing, you don’t have to feel self conscious about carrying a camera and a map. Just about everyone is. The Italians we encountered were almost always cordial and helpful. There were only minor exceptions.
Getting around: Venice is a difficult city to navigate. Difficult in about every way. I can’t imagine someone with a physical disability being able to travel far. Some bridges have had ramps installed, but most have not. Pavement is somewhat uneven stones. Streets are often narrow alleys between buildings. And it’s easy to get lost. There’s nothing like a grid; what seems like the same street can have several names; most streets are short, and many dead end into buildings or canals. A good map is absolutely essential. I brought a GPS (Garmin Nuvi 275) with a Venice city map as well as western Europe. It was really not useful, because the streets are close together and many are not named on the GPS map. It did help me one night when I forgot my map, though.
Comfort: There are a couple of parks with benches, but if you want to take a load off, you can sit on the steps of a bridge, go into a church and sit down, or buy something at a restaurant or bar and sit there. There’s a campo about every hundred yards, but noone has thought to put some benches in them. At least I never saw any. There are a few public toilets, once 1 E to use, now up to 1.50 E. All the restaurants, bars we were in had toilets, but only for the use of their customers. Some sights also had facilities.
In conclusion, Venice in my opinion is worth a visit. Two or three days is probably enough if you do some research and pick sights you think will interest you. I can’t imagine what it’s like in summer, because it seemed a little crowded even when we were there the end of October. The problem I see is that Venice, even though it is entirely dependent on tourists, is not “tourist friendly”. I’ve mentioned above the problems with transportation, restaurants, bathrooms, and other things. If they’re so damn interested in protecting the copyrights of handbag manufacturers, why aren’t they interested making sure visitors aren’t cheated? How about a Venice restaurant association with minimum standards, so you could look for their logo and know that at least you’d get a decent meal for whatever you were forced to pay? How about reducing the ridiculous Vaporetto fares, or making them equal for everyone? How about…well, you see.
We recently returned from a 7day trip to Venice (Italy), and since I have gotten a lot of useful information from reading posts of other travelers on this forum, I thought I would make a contribution. It may or may not be helpful to others, and I’ll try to make this a little different from what I’ve read here.
We landed on a rainy Monday afternoon and boarded the Alilaguna boat for San Marco MVE. Disembarking, we found the Piazza under a foot of water (well, maybe 10 inches). I had anticipated the possibility of aqua alta, so had brought some latex boots for both of us. We walked as far as we could on the platforms, then jumped onto a sort of island to get out of the solid stream of traffic and put on our boots. We then sloshed our way in what we thought was the direction of our hotel, the water finding its way over the tops of the too short boots. Eventually, we found our way, and checked into the Suites Torre dell’Orologia. We had a nice suite, overlooking a narrow canal, with a bedroom, kitchenette, sitting room and bathroom. But we actually spent very little time there, so could have done with just a room. An internet reviewer of this hotel complained of a poor breakfast, but I found it more than adequate. The hotel had free wi-fi, but no computer for guest use. It was clean, quiet (except for the damn bells), and a good location on a calle called Baloni, very close to San Marco. Plenty of souvenir stores right nearby. With that as an introduction, I will make some random observations:
Sights:
Plenty of sights. An incredible concentration of art. Countless churches and of course the Basilica. Although we’re not really very art literate, we couldn’t help but be impressed by the quantity of paintings, frescos, sculpture, mosaics, gold, gems, and other stuff. We bought a “Chorus Pass” and used it for entrance to several churches, but missed many. But a lot of the churches were free to enter. The Accademia isn’t free, and in my opinion can be skipped by all but true art fans, but it does contain some interesting paintings of Venice showing it hasn’t changed much in centuries. There are plenty of spectacular paintings in the many churches. In fact, in my opinion, the churches were the most impressive and worthwhile sights of our visit. Of the ones we visited, these stand out in memory: Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari; Santa Maria dei Miracoli; Santa Maria della Salute. San Giorgio Maggiore is across the canal, requiring a boat trip which I think is available at a reduced price. It has a campanile which can be ascended by elevator and provides great views of Venice and the lagoon. We visited every church we encountered if it was open, and no matter how plain the exterior, the interior never failed to impress. Some, like Zaccharia, contain relics, but I was disappointed that they were not openly displayed dessicated corpses. If you buy a Chorus Pass, it comes with a map. You buy the pass at any of the churches it allows you to enter. I think it costs 10E.
We did the “Secret Itinereries Tour” of the Doges’ Palace. (I bought the tickets on Tickitaly, the site that came up on Google. A mistake, since they charge a huge commission—I paid 24 E for a 18 E ticket. Not the first time I was fleeced on this trip—read on.) If you’re on a budget, you could skip this tour, but it was interesting. The rest of the palace is interesting, with incredible art.
The Rialto: If you need some souvenirs, this is the place. Stands selling the same old t-shirts and other crap are set up in the middle of every available space, destroying, at least for me, the atmosphere of a very old city. Somebody should do something. The market is colorful—vegetables, and lots of weird sea creatures (dead), plus more cheap souvenirs.
The ghetto: not much to see here really, but we visited on Saturday.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection: Her palace has been turned into an art museum displaying the contemporary art she collected. If you are into this sort of art, probably a must see. I’d as soon spend the 10 E on wine, but my wife liked it.
Ca’ Rezzonico: A palace which gives a feel of the lifestyle of the rich in the 18th century. Much more impressive on the inside than on the outside. Worth a visit, good audioguide.
The Grand Canal: We rode the vaporetto down the GC twice. I would have thought there would be boat tours with guides and narration, but I didn’t see any offered. The Rick Steves guide to Venice gives some information, but it’s a little sketchy. Some building facades are obscured by scaffolding and fabric. On some buildings, big advertising banners clutter façades.
Murano, Burano, Torcello: Murano has glass factories, and if you want to buy some this may be the place. Burano has lots of shops selling lace, and colorful buildings allowing you to obtain the 10 millionth photo of a blue or pink building reflected in a canal. Torchello has a very old church, and is a peaceful place with a couple of restaurants, and a hotel. We wasted a day visiting these places.
So much for sights; on to practical matters such as eating and getting around.
Vaporetti: Some writing about Venice counsel that as it is small, one can walk anywhere and use of the “waterbus” is unnecessary. So, we didn’t buy a pass for the first three days. A mistake. Sure, you can walk, but you get tired walking. Furthermore, the vaporetto is sometimes more direct and faster. They run frequently; they stop on both sides of the grand canal; they go all around the main island; they go places you can’t walk. Here’s the thing, though: It’s damn expensive. A 48 hour pass costs 28 E. And a ticket good for only 60 min is a staggering 6.50 E. Consider this: I read that long term Venice residents can buy passes for the about 1 E per day. So, if you buy a 48 hr pass, you pay 14 times as much. In effect, you the tourist, already being overcharged for almost (almost?) everything, are subsidizing the ride home for some Venetian after a busy day of fleecing…you. (Yeah, I know, many of them aren’t fleecing anybody.) Still, if I ever went back, I’d buy a pass for my entire visit.
Restaurants: We felt we needed to eat from time to time, and so sought restaurants. There are about 700,000 restaurants in Venice. Most of them are bad. Long before we left, because I enjoy good food, I began to research Venice restaurants. I studied internet sites; I bought Chow! Venice; I had other guide books, too. So, the first night, we went to a recommended place near our hotel. Closed. After wandering around, we were lured into a tourist trap, where a mediocre meal cost 50 or 60 E. But it was food, and we were by then very hungry. The next day, we happened to pass the recommended place at around lunch time. We’d already eaten lunch, but I went in and asked in my best Italian (not great) to reserve a table for dinner. I was told a reservation was not necessary, just come and when I see you I’ll get you a table. Sure. We arrived at around seven and waited about an hour. But the food was pretty good, and only about twice what we’d have paid for a similar meal in the U.S. We had some pretty good food and some awful food in Venice. We found that restaurants recommended in guide books or on the internet were full. The best meal we had was in a restaurant I could not find in a guide book and which we just came across after we were turned away at one recommended in Fodor’s Italy guide. This was in, I think, Calle Lunga S. Barnaba. They only serve fish. But I can’t remember the name. Begins with an F. A lot of Venice restaurants are, in my opinion, a ripoff. Yes, I know everything has to be brought in to an island so it’s expensive. But the same can be said for Carribean Islands and other remote places. I’ve eaten much better food, cheaper, in the Carribean. So you’re hungry, you see a restaurant, and you check out the menu. Doesn’t look bad. Pastas for 10-12 E, secondi 10-20 E; looks like you could get a meal for maybe 20 E pp. Fat chance. You are directed to a table, and sit down. A waiter brings a basket containing some breadsticks wrapped in cellophane, and a couple of stale rolls. For these, and the privilege of sitting down, you will be charged 2 E pp. You order, say, spaghetti a la Bolognese. When it arrives, you will be hard pressed to find the meat in the meat sauce. And when the bill arrives, you will find that the Coke or glass of wine you innocently ordered costs 4.5 or 5 or even 6 E. On top of that, servicio is added, and your total bill, instead of the 25 E you expected is more like twice that. You begin to understand why there is a McDonalds in Venice. I thought I’d like to try the cichetti thing. Go to a bar, order a glass of wine, and then munch on some “bar snacks”. But when I went to places suggested in books they were packed full and there was certainly no place to sit. I’m sorry, but I don’t see the appeal of eating your dinner standing up.
Shopping: We didn’t really do much shopping. Prices are high, and with the unfavorable exchange rate, unless something unique catches your eye, why not buy the same thing at home for less? But we did see some interesting things while window shopping, such as old maps and documents, antiques, art, glass, some clothes, etc. One thing we saw a lot was men selling knock-offs of designer handbags on the street. Books warn that if you buy one of these and are caught, you can be fined thousands of euros. This is to discourage people purchasing counterfeit merchandise. But—these things are being sold openly all over, even on the Rialto bridge. It would be easy for the authorities to put an end to this illegal commerce by sending inspectors to confiscate the counterfeit merchandise. Why don’t they do this? Could it be that it’s more lucrative to fine unsuspecting tourists? Just another ripoff?
Language: Just about everyone speaks at least enough English get your money. But a few don’t, so having some Italian is useful. I spent several weeks memorizing words and phrases that occasionally came in handy. But I generally found that my Italian was answered in English. I need more practice, I guess.
People: Even the last week of October, Venice was crowded with tourists. The crowds swelled on the weekend, to the point it was difficult to move in some places. But during the week it wasn’t bad. One thing, you don’t have to feel self conscious about carrying a camera and a map. Just about everyone is. The Italians we encountered were almost always cordial and helpful. There were only minor exceptions.
Getting around: Venice is a difficult city to navigate. Difficult in about every way. I can’t imagine someone with a physical disability being able to travel far. Some bridges have had ramps installed, but most have not. Pavement is somewhat uneven stones. Streets are often narrow alleys between buildings. And it’s easy to get lost. There’s nothing like a grid; what seems like the same street can have several names; most streets are short, and many dead end into buildings or canals. A good map is absolutely essential. I brought a GPS (Garmin Nuvi 275) with a Venice city map as well as western Europe. It was really not useful, because the streets are close together and many are not named on the GPS map. It did help me one night when I forgot my map, though.
Comfort: There are a couple of parks with benches, but if you want to take a load off, you can sit on the steps of a bridge, go into a church and sit down, or buy something at a restaurant or bar and sit there. There’s a campo about every hundred yards, but noone has thought to put some benches in them. At least I never saw any. There are a few public toilets, once 1 E to use, now up to 1.50 E. All the restaurants, bars we were in had toilets, but only for the use of their customers. Some sights also had facilities.
In conclusion, Venice in my opinion is worth a visit. Two or three days is probably enough if you do some research and pick sights you think will interest you. I can’t imagine what it’s like in summer, because it seemed a little crowded even when we were there the end of October. The problem I see is that Venice, even though it is entirely dependent on tourists, is not “tourist friendly”. I’ve mentioned above the problems with transportation, restaurants, bathrooms, and other things. If they’re so damn interested in protecting the copyrights of handbag manufacturers, why aren’t they interested making sure visitors aren’t cheated? How about a Venice restaurant association with minimum standards, so you could look for their logo and know that at least you’d get a decent meal for whatever you were forced to pay? How about reducing the ridiculous Vaporetto fares, or making them equal for everyone? How about…well, you see.
Dec 11th, 2010, 05:34 PM
#3
Thanks for your report. Very interesting perspective. Venice is high on my list -- but it sounds as if I'd better do a lot of research first.
FYI, the restaurant charges you described (bread, service, beverages ...) were the same in Rome, and I suspect are standard throughout Italy. I found fantastic food in Rome at reasonable prices. But I suspect you're more particular than I am ;-)
FYI, the restaurant charges you described (bread, service, beverages ...) were the same in Rome, and I suspect are standard throughout Italy. I found fantastic food in Rome at reasonable prices. But I suspect you're more particular than I am ;-)
Dec 11th, 2010, 06:42 PM
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Hi Checker,
Sorry you had such a bad experience with restaurants and transportation in Venice. Was the good restaurant you ate at La Furatola?
Where did you read there were 700,000 restaurants in Venice? Just curious...
As for the transportation I agree the prices are crazy for short term travelers. But there is no 1 euro day pass for locals, either. Anyone can get a carta Venezia card, which costs 40 euros and once you have it, you can buy single tickets for 1.10 euros. Once you get past the 40 euros "buy in" it is a great deal. Too late now for you, but for azzure, you can book vaporetto passes online before you go and save a lot of money.
Sorry you had such a bad experience with restaurants and transportation in Venice. Was the good restaurant you ate at La Furatola?
Where did you read there were 700,000 restaurants in Venice? Just curious...
As for the transportation I agree the prices are crazy for short term travelers. But there is no 1 euro day pass for locals, either. Anyone can get a carta Venezia card, which costs 40 euros and once you have it, you can buy single tickets for 1.10 euros. Once you get past the 40 euros "buy in" it is a great deal. Too late now for you, but for azzure, you can book vaporetto passes online before you go and save a lot of money.
Dec 12th, 2010, 12:28 AM
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checker, I enjoyed your jaundiced trip report, which reminds me of many things I just take for granted as the way things are done in Venice.
Yes, transportation is expensive but the weeks pass for 48E gives a great deal of freedom and works out cheaply per trip. Vaporetto travel does amount to a tourist tax, but I am always happy to pay it. And just imagine if every campo had a few benches, they would be full of tourists - hardly a beneficial addition to the atmosphere or look of the place.
As for food, I agree with many of your comments although we rarely have a bad meal now we know what to look for. Was your fish restaurant Quattro Ferri?
In short, you may find that Venice haunts you, including the "non-grid" road system, and you will want to go back to get to grips with the maddening details.
Yes, transportation is expensive but the weeks pass for 48E gives a great deal of freedom and works out cheaply per trip. Vaporetto travel does amount to a tourist tax, but I am always happy to pay it. And just imagine if every campo had a few benches, they would be full of tourists - hardly a beneficial addition to the atmosphere or look of the place.
As for food, I agree with many of your comments although we rarely have a bad meal now we know what to look for. Was your fish restaurant Quattro Ferri?
In short, you may find that Venice haunts you, including the "non-grid" road system, and you will want to go back to get to grips with the maddening details.
Dec 12th, 2010, 01:24 AM
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I enjoyed reading this - found it very entertaining and amusing!
Venice is definitely 'unique' in many ways, but I am very glad that I have been three times. It's not high on my places to return to, because of some of the things you state, and because there are so many other places to see!
Venice is definitely 'unique' in many ways, but I am very glad that I have been three times. It's not high on my places to return to, because of some of the things you state, and because there are so many other places to see!
Dec 12th, 2010, 02:24 AM
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Thanks for the report and your impressions sounds like
you mostly did the standard tourist activities in a short
time with some good and bad experience.I also did not like Venice my first time squeezed in with all the tourists but
I kept coming back and...
I have come to truly love Venice with repeated visits a magical water no car city full of art and history.Unlike you ,I think one of the most magical places to visit is Torcello where it all started with 9th century Mosaics and also like to visit for 10 euro art/church pass the 80 or so churches in Venice off the beaten path with amazing art.
www.eurocheapo.com Venice good city guides budget tips
you mostly did the standard tourist activities in a short
time with some good and bad experience.I also did not like Venice my first time squeezed in with all the tourists but
I kept coming back and...
I have come to truly love Venice with repeated visits a magical water no car city full of art and history.Unlike you ,I think one of the most magical places to visit is Torcello where it all started with 9th century Mosaics and also like to visit for 10 euro art/church pass the 80 or so churches in Venice off the beaten path with amazing art.
www.eurocheapo.com Venice good city guides budget tips
Dec 12th, 2010, 05:46 AM
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Well, for three alternative viewpoints for Venice - which we love.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-teenagers.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-teenagers.cfm
Dec 12th, 2010, 06:48 AM
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I think there are some things that hit people hard on a first trip to Europe. I also think the OP didn't spend enough time asking for advice here, because many of the things he didn't like could have been avoided.
Dec 12th, 2010, 08:09 AM
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I spent 3 days in Venice at the end of a 12 day Med. cruise. I find most of his comments are true. I would not care if I ever returned to Venice. I think that the time of year he went and myself, have much to do with our feelings. It is mostly damp, foggy, a little sun, and flooded. Who can enjoy that? I think had it been spring, we would both have a different feeling about Venice. I do think it is a bit of a rip off, specially the restaurants. The joke for me was "I cant wait to get back home to good italian food." I live on the East coast and we love our Italian food. I was somewhat dissapointed for a tiny place of pasta for $20.00 and unflavorable. I do remember where we ate but they were all medocre at best. Most of the wait staff were rather abrupt to say the least. not over friendly. I had a great cruise and loved Rome I would return there in a heartbeat. I think once you experience Venice for a few days at the most that is it--7 days way to much. Positano was another fav but the sun was out, it was gorgeous. Again timing is not so good in October/Nov. for Venice.
Dec 12th, 2010, 08:34 AM
#13
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Things may have changed, but when we were in Venice, we found that the vaporetto was not worthwhile except for the one day when we went to Murano. We then purchased a 24 hour pass and also used the vaporetto to the Isola San Giorgio Maggiore. The 24 hour pass presumably was good the morning we left, but no vaporettos came for 30 minutes (can't remember if it was just a Sunday or a holiday) so we walked to the train station.
Dec 12th, 2010, 08:46 AM
#14
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During my first trip to Venice, I fell in love with Venice. I already knew from reading before I got there it wasn't known for food and that transportation was difficult. So, I didn't have high expectations for this....but I adored Venice anyway. 
Dec 12th, 2010, 09:58 AM
#15
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....The ghetto: not much to see here really, but we visited on Saturday...
We found the Ghetto fascinating. If you were in Venice for a week, why did you go to the Ghetto on the Sabbath when the synagogues are closed to visitors?
We found the Ghetto fascinating. If you were in Venice for a week, why did you go to the Ghetto on the Sabbath when the synagogues are closed to visitors?
Dec 12th, 2010, 12:07 PM
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I sighted some sobering monuments in Canneragio, in the Ghetto, a sequence, a story.
Monument No 1. A tablet, let into the wall, generally detailing the things that Jews were allowed to do in Venice, and providing for a reward for anyone denouncing people (i.e. Jews) for blasphemy. The reward to be funded from the property of the blasphemer, punishment fully detailed, secret denunciations invited. It is dated 26 September 1704, but I find it hard to believe that such persecution was still happening at that time, but two hundred ant thirty years later it certainly was. Every Jewish child in the Ghetto would have understood fully the significance of that tablet on the wall. The restrictions on Jews only ceased in 1797, with the arrival of Napoleon, barely two centuries ago. The Lion of Venice has been hammered off this tablet, and I can imagine the enthusiasm with which this little piece of civic vandalism was conducted.
Monument No 2. A tablet, listing the names of Venetian Jews who died in the 1915-18 war, patriotic Italians, who happened to be Jewish, and supported Italy in spite of Monument No 1.
Monument No 3. A tablet, immediately opposite No 2, erected by the remnants of the Venetian Jewish community, abhorring the deaths of 200 Venetian Jews, 8000 Italian Jews and six million European Jews in the Holocaust. The Venetian Jews branded as undesirables, in spite of the patriots named on Monument No 2.
Monument No 4. An apology by the Mayor of Venice, in Hebrew, Italian and English, to the 200 Venetian Jews who were carted out of Venice on the fifth of December, 1943, and the seventeenth of August, 1944. Signed by the Mayor, Mario Rigo, I believe in 1979, well after the erection of Monument No 3, but an apology none the less.
Monument No 5. A structure made of horizontal timber boards, bound with vertical steel straps. The names of the 200 Venetian Jewish victims are engraved on the boards. The whole effect is of a cattle truck, and is most profound - I spent a time reading the names, Elena Serini, aged 14, Scandiani Diena, aged 81. I have no idea what their story is, and possibly this is the only monument they will ever have.
Monument No 6 is not meant to be a monument at all, but I can’t help but see it in the sequence. It is a small kiosk in the Ghetto, to contain the three or four security guards on duty there all the time. That’s a monument to intolerance, and can too easily lead one back to Monument No 1.
Monument No 1. A tablet, let into the wall, generally detailing the things that Jews were allowed to do in Venice, and providing for a reward for anyone denouncing people (i.e. Jews) for blasphemy. The reward to be funded from the property of the blasphemer, punishment fully detailed, secret denunciations invited. It is dated 26 September 1704, but I find it hard to believe that such persecution was still happening at that time, but two hundred ant thirty years later it certainly was. Every Jewish child in the Ghetto would have understood fully the significance of that tablet on the wall. The restrictions on Jews only ceased in 1797, with the arrival of Napoleon, barely two centuries ago. The Lion of Venice has been hammered off this tablet, and I can imagine the enthusiasm with which this little piece of civic vandalism was conducted.
Monument No 2. A tablet, listing the names of Venetian Jews who died in the 1915-18 war, patriotic Italians, who happened to be Jewish, and supported Italy in spite of Monument No 1.
Monument No 3. A tablet, immediately opposite No 2, erected by the remnants of the Venetian Jewish community, abhorring the deaths of 200 Venetian Jews, 8000 Italian Jews and six million European Jews in the Holocaust. The Venetian Jews branded as undesirables, in spite of the patriots named on Monument No 2.
Monument No 4. An apology by the Mayor of Venice, in Hebrew, Italian and English, to the 200 Venetian Jews who were carted out of Venice on the fifth of December, 1943, and the seventeenth of August, 1944. Signed by the Mayor, Mario Rigo, I believe in 1979, well after the erection of Monument No 3, but an apology none the less.
Monument No 5. A structure made of horizontal timber boards, bound with vertical steel straps. The names of the 200 Venetian Jewish victims are engraved on the boards. The whole effect is of a cattle truck, and is most profound - I spent a time reading the names, Elena Serini, aged 14, Scandiani Diena, aged 81. I have no idea what their story is, and possibly this is the only monument they will ever have.
Monument No 6 is not meant to be a monument at all, but I can’t help but see it in the sequence. It is a small kiosk in the Ghetto, to contain the three or four security guards on duty there all the time. That’s a monument to intolerance, and can too easily lead one back to Monument No 1.
Dec 12th, 2010, 12:32 PM
#17
checker, I'm sorry that you didn't fall in love with Venice. in the 5 visits I've made there, I've had exactly the same sort of experiences and frustrations as you, but somehow for me the magic overcomes the tourist nonsense.
one thing that I think it is necessary to recognise if the frustrations and "rip-offs" aren't going to sour your view of the city - this is a place unlike any other. it is a living city, but also a historical monument, an open-air museum as well as a place where people live. and it is overwhelmed by tourists, who both provide its life-blood, but are killing it with their numbers. yes you were ripped-off, [it's a right of passage in Venice] but not everywhere, and you found the vast majority of locals were helpful and friendly. go again, and you would find yourselves being ripped off less often, and that there was more to see in the Ghetto than you had found the first time.
to everyone else, don't be put off. Go, before it sinks!
one thing that I think it is necessary to recognise if the frustrations and "rip-offs" aren't going to sour your view of the city - this is a place unlike any other. it is a living city, but also a historical monument, an open-air museum as well as a place where people live. and it is overwhelmed by tourists, who both provide its life-blood, but are killing it with their numbers. yes you were ripped-off, [it's a right of passage in Venice] but not everywhere, and you found the vast majority of locals were helpful and friendly. go again, and you would find yourselves being ripped off less often, and that there was more to see in the Ghetto than you had found the first time.
to everyone else, don't be put off. Go, before it sinks!
Dec 12th, 2010, 12:46 PM
#19
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Getting around Venice cheaply.
Fact is, it will cost you. Either 6.50 euro per trip, or less for the 24, 48 or 72 hour vap passes. Or otherwise, spend 40 euro on a resident’s card. This card lasts for five years, and allows you to but the 6.50 tickets for 1.10 euro. If you take more than say eight ferry rides, it pays off.
Everyone thinks that Venice is a rip off (or could think that way.
So consider this - every
Fish
Potato
Tomato
Brick
Light switch
Toilet cistern
Poker chip
Chicken
Lettuce
Brick
Roofing tile
Scaffold tube
Tuba
Coffee bean
Hair dryer
Shoe
Rubber boot
Fragment of gold leaf
Menu folder
Bottle of beer
Kilogram of flour
Sheet
Mattress
Chair
(getting the message here?)
has been brought by boat and then carried by hand.
This costs a bit, and we tourists fund it - either gladly or with resentment.
Fact is, it will cost you. Either 6.50 euro per trip, or less for the 24, 48 or 72 hour vap passes. Or otherwise, spend 40 euro on a resident’s card. This card lasts for five years, and allows you to but the 6.50 tickets for 1.10 euro. If you take more than say eight ferry rides, it pays off.
Everyone thinks that Venice is a rip off (or could think that way.
So consider this - every
Fish
Potato
Tomato
Brick
Light switch
Toilet cistern
Poker chip
Chicken
Lettuce
Brick
Roofing tile
Scaffold tube
Tuba
Coffee bean
Hair dryer
Shoe
Rubber boot
Fragment of gold leaf
Menu folder
Bottle of beer
Kilogram of flour
Sheet
Mattress
Chair
(getting the message here?)
has been brought by boat and then carried by hand.
This costs a bit, and we tourists fund it - either gladly or with resentment.
Dec 12th, 2010, 01:07 PM
#20
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My first visit to Venice was in March. Not crowded, not warm or sunny. Grey and foggy, damp and wonderfully atmospheric. Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge were the only areas even remotely busy. We had some great meals and some lousy breakfasts.
Second visit was at the end of May. Much busier, way more junk vendors, sparkling water and beautiful sunshine. Loved it all over again. Had some fabulous dinners and some lousy pizza near the Accademia Bridge.
Still haven't done a gondola ride and I can't wait to go back to see all the rest. For me, a total of 7 days hasn't been enough. Just goes to show, not everyone loves the same things.
I am just surprised when people complain that they are ripped off just because things are done differently and they didn't know to what to expect, such as the high price of sodas in Europe and service and coperto charges. Travel is an experience after all.
Second visit was at the end of May. Much busier, way more junk vendors, sparkling water and beautiful sunshine. Loved it all over again. Had some fabulous dinners and some lousy pizza near the Accademia Bridge.
Still haven't done a gondola ride and I can't wait to go back to see all the rest. For me, a total of 7 days hasn't been enough. Just goes to show, not everyone loves the same things.
I am just surprised when people complain that they are ripped off just because things are done differently and they didn't know to what to expect, such as the high price of sodas in Europe and service and coperto charges. Travel is an experience after all.
