nytraveler

I don;t think any of them are tourists traps.

They are things you can get only in Venice, have high costs and pass them on.

If you don;t want to do them - that's fine - but don;t call them tourist traps (to me those are the tacky restaurants right near major attractions with menus in 14 languages and soggy pizzas for $30).

The 3 things you mention are expensive - but you get what you pay for. Have eaten at Harry's several times and always enjoyed it - finding the food better than some other well-reviewed local restaurants - never mind the wonderful views.

T4TX

have been in Venice twice and both times did all three. On our second visit I protested each (no. 1,2,3)as being too expensive and my husband's response was ..... as was coming here.... and was glad my husband insisted.

AS a previously posted the bellini's at Harry's Bar are tiny, but good and the ham and cheese sandwiches were outstanding. And our waiter was very entertaining, telling us stories about the bar and its patrons. Good time.

adventureseeker

nytraveler,

You're right...the term "tourist traps" was a bad choice.

Icon or Institution is much better.

Travelnut

I wonder how many people scoff at taking a gondola in Venice but enjoy a canal cruise in Amsterdam or a Seine cruise in Paris..?

NeoPatrick

I can't imagine much worse than spending a week in Paris and spending the time washing my car, cleaning my apartment, going to buy necessities, and cooking and cleaning because that's what the locals do. I'd much rather be joining the tourists taking a cruise on the Seine, going up the Eiffel Tower, and visiting the Louvre. I've just never understood this "avoid the touristy" thing.

jjkbrook

Venice 5 times, several weeks total, have never done any of these things, never even been the least tempted, except maybe by the gondola, but its just so phony, associated in my mind with groups of Japanese tourists, rather than a mysterious couple gliding through a quiet side canal...

Venice as a whole is more interesting and impressive than any of the must dos and must sees.

plafield

Cafe Florian at night, was magical. We paid 15E for an ice cream sundae, then 10E for 2 coffees, plus the 8E table fee. But we sat for 2 hours, people watching, chatting with folks from all over the world, listening to wonderful music and even dancing to a tune or to. Very romantic, and quintessentially Venetian vacation. Totally worth it.

Harry's Bar: we skipped it. I don't drink alcohol and without the Bellini, why bother?

Gondola ride: we skipped that too. It was in the mid 80's when we were there and the people we saw in the gondolas looked miserable in the heat and there were so many of them it seemed rediculous to pay that kind of money to just float along with the crowd. Perhaps at night along the smaller back canals it would have been special, but riding the vaporettos (definitely buy a pass)was so enjoyable we couldn't see paying 90E to be rowed in a gondola.

Colin

Cafe Florian - 12.50 Euros for a coffee and Coca Cola Light was extortionate but the music preformed by the string quartet was astoundingly good.

Harry's Bar - went the whole nine yards and spent a small fortune in the restaurant upstairs. Never again.

Gondola - didn't do the gondola thing. Although I did cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto (gondola ferry) near Ca D'Oro. It was standing room only! But it did only cost 50 cents!


________________________________
Please feel free to read my Venice trip report
http://www.colin-julie.com/Venindex.htm

Ralphie

Florian--nope, mainly because I don't care for that type of music. I'd consider it though if I were traveling with people who wanted to do it.

Harry's. YES! I'm one of the few who actually enjoyed this place. Granted, it was a couple visits in 1999-2001 when the exchange rate vs. the USD was very advantageous, so the Bellini's weren't quite so ridiculously priced. There was no crowd on my visits there, mid-afternoon during late autumn or early winter. Back in the US the trend is outrageously priced maritinis at bars and clubs, so what's wrong with overpaying for an Original Bellini in Venice?

Gondola--haven't done it. Don't want to deal with the gondolier's B.S. and the expense. As with the above poster, the Traghetto ride was just fine!

ilana25841

Cafe Florian- absolutely- at least once. Just to think of how long its been around, to enjoy the memory every time you read about characters in a book drinking there...and the elegant little touches make the overpriced drink fun. A lot cheaper than the gondola ride!

Gondola- life is short. Why not? This last trip though, I took my 13 year old on the Traghetto. She can enjoy it later on her own.

nytraveler

After reading through the thread I think a lot of people had negative images/views because they were in Venice in midsummer - when it's most crowded and hottest/stickiest.

We have always been in either the spring or fall - and while not empty, we've always had pleasant weather - and never found ourselves ripping over people.

Yes, the gondola ride WAS romantic - and no they weren't packed in like sardines - which would have ruined the romance.

And perhaps the prices didn;t seem so high to us in comparison to New York - versus comparing them to a small town.

But - the prices at the San Marco cafes seem perfectly reasonable given the location and the music.

And we've always found the food at Harry's - which is upscale - to be excellent - and by no means the most expensive in Venice. We've been to other places that cost more and the food was mediocre at best.

StCirq

I did all three in Venice, and am glad I did. They seemed to be part of the quintessential visit to La Serenissima. Would I do them again? No, except for the gondola ride with the right person.

amyb

I ended each of my three nights in Venice in the piazza at a different cafe each night. It was a nice place to unwind with a drink and just soak it all in.

Didn't bother with Harry's Bar since I got decent drinks (including a bellini) with the piazza atmosphere at the cafes.

I did not do a gondola ride because I was there on my own...didn't want the expense or the awkwardness of doing it alone. However, under the right circumstances and with the right person, I would.

marginal_margiela

The best time to visit Florian is late at night when all the day trippers have gone back to Maestra. You don't really pay $15 for a glass of wine and some nuts at Florian, you pay $15 to experience the VIEW of Venice's living room.

I would also only take a gondola ride after dark when the moon is high in the sky and your lover is sitting beside you. Ahhhhhhhhh.

The Great and Powerful Thingorjus

dlb716

In answer to all three -- We would and we did. Why? Because it was our first trip to Venice, it was our 25th wedding anniversary and we were enthralled with everything touristy and non-touristy. We quite simply loved it all.

adventureseeker

I knew there were romantics out there!

Instead of one night at the Florian, I might be inspired to end every night there...I like how you think Amyb.

Marginal_Margiela: You're so right....if you have to question the price of the drink, you're not getting the value out of the experience.

PeggyE

We did it all...and I would have regretted not doing it, no going back for us, just forward on travel. It was raining like crazy & we ducked into Cafe Florian, our own table, on St. Marks Square, holding hands, what could be better (we've been married 20 years)! Harry's Bar; very crowded but grabbed a table, ordered 2 Bellini's for about 12 euro each, such interesting people next to us, the stylish young women loved my perfume. I had just bought it since I couldn't bring any in my carry-on, made my day! Gondola Ride...oh just do it, why not. We also loved the private boat ride (not gondola) from our hotel Palazzo St. Angelo on the Grande Canal (which has a private boat dock)to dinner, then thru the canals afterwards. You are making me smile! Now back to planning France in 3 weeks. I'm a firm believer in endulging on vacation & I will save the rest of the year. Forgive the spelling errors...enjoy your trip. I bought a beautiful unframed oil painting of the Venice from the artist on the Grande Canal which it now getting framed for my renovated Tuscan/Venice remodel, down to the replasterd walls. That is how much we enjoyed Italy! Sorry to ramble but remembering is so much fun.

kawaiidragonfly

Had afternoon tea at Cafe Florian. It was the best part of our trip to Italy. Went about 3 p.m., the sun was hitting the Doges Palace reflecting off from the panels onto St. Mark's Square - beautiful. I took pictures. The pigeons were flying overhead. The orchestra at the Florian was playing tunes from the Sound of Music. It was great to have a seat and people watch, even other people on the next table. Wonderful atmosphere!!! Had our picture taken and used it for our Xmas card. My daughter will be honeymooning in Italy next week. I hope she has the chance to go to Cafe Florian. We loved it!
Harry's Bar - didn't go but ordered a bellini at another restaurant. Didn't think it was too extraodinarily special.
Didn't do the gondola ride. No one ever told us that at certain times of the day the water smells like a fish tank that needed cleaning. We did go on other means of transportation through the canals and to Murano. It wasn't like Chasing Liberty - some look very commercialized although there was one on a side canal that if we had more time, may have bargained for a ride. Enjoy your trip!!!

DinPa

I have to agree with NeoPatrick and nytraveler, they seem to have summed it all up for me. I have done all 3 and with that said probably will not do it again. We were in Venice in July on our first trip and this past May on our second trip. Night and day, black and white, HOT and not. If you only travel in July and August you will always have a different perspective on things because of the weather. May was magical, the gondola ride at night in May on a back canal is not to be missed once in your life. Not the Grand Canal, but a back canal at night. We went to Harry's Bar just for the Bellini on our second trip, as we were taking friends who absolutely wanted to go there. I have a picture of the 5 of us standing at the bar holding our 15 euro each bellini's on my desk. I smile every time I look at it. Yes, you are a tourist. If this is your first time, go for it. How can you come back from Venice and say to people you didn't take a gondola ride??? That is the icon of Venice. Now, if you have been there many times, I can see why it wouldn't mean anything, but most people only get there once in their life. If you have to question prices, then why are you going to Venice in the first place? It is the most expensive city in the world and you know it before you go, so do the tourist thing. nytraveler, we spent an evening drinking Long Island Iced Teas in the Oak Room bar in the Plaza in NYC 2 years ago and that bill was a lot more than Cafe Florian, Harry's and a gondola ride put together!
Dave

sandi_travelnut

I love the interior of Cafe Florian. We went the first trip and had a coffee and hot chocolate. A few years later we took my parents and they really loved it. One of the few places packed with tourists that I still love.