OT - Venice

[smudge]

Currently going there quite regularly. Best thing above all about Venice is (if you have time) just wander the narrow lanes across numerous bridges, get yourself lost & discover yourself a quiet little restaurant in a peaceful square. There's loads of them, & it's very easy to get lost too!

 

[jakarta]

Get across to Verona - much nicer, cheaper & less smelly. My favourite Italian City (so far as I haven't done them all yet!)

 

[clapham_gull]

Its not expensive if you keep away from the usual tourist areas to eat. Trip Advisor app is a must. I've found its impossible to have a bad meal in Italy, except Venice.

Never got the gondola thing. Spend the money on a private taxi from the airport. When they get out onto the lagoon it very much speeds up and IS MUCH MORE FUN.

Why get a gondola like all the other tourists when you can arrive and leave like a film star ?

(I had George Clooney in the back of my boat etc..)

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[ringmerseagulltoo]

Everyone goes to St Mark's Sq, rightly, but avoid it during the day. The hordes of trippers have gone by 7pm and the place is really quiet. You can comfortably sit outside one of the cafes for the price of a coffee and listen to the orchestras, dance if the mood takes you, magical, as is the whole of Venice if you explore at the quiet times. There are plenty of less popular places to sit and absorb during the "crocodiles of camera freak" times.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Its not expensive if you keep away from the usual tourist areas to eat. Trip Advisor app is a must. I've found its impossible to have a bad meal in Italy, except Venice.

Never got the gondola thing. Spend the money on a private taxi from the airport. When they get out onto the lagoon it very much speeds up and IS MUCH MORE FUN.

Why get a gondola like all the other tourists when you can arrive and leave like a film star ?

(I had George Clooney in the back of my boat etc..)

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If you can do both. I agree about Gondolas, stupid money, but as I said earlier we went as it got dark and in the tiny back canals with the dim 'street' lights it was magical.
I did have a motive though (wait for it) the whole trip to Venice was a surprise for Mrs Chopper, we had been together for 12 years, I spent a ridiculous amount of money going there and as the Gondola went under the Bridge Of Sighs, I went down on one knee.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Cafe Florian In St Marks Square - expensive but wonderful,
Harry's Bar
Doge's Palace
Opera House
and a thousand other places....

2nd Harry's Bar.

That said, if there is one city in the world to get lost in its Venice. Its just the best place to meander, reach dead ends, cut throughs through buildings. It is all a bit mad. I don't think you really realise how mad the whole place is until you approach it.

I'd also recommend reading Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities too as a bit of holiday reading.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Also, try to get the 'F' seats on your flight out so you are on the right hand side of the plane. That is usually the one that you get the view of Venice from when you come into land is a great start to your break.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

Last time I went there, all the bloody roads were flooded

 

[Biancazzurro]

I second the traghetto suggestion, it's basically a gondola to cross the canal.

The ghetto is meant to be good for food and drink but I didn't get there the last time I visited.

Goto the punta della dogana for nice views of the centre of Venice.

I like Castello, it has lots of people living there and fewer tourists. Lots of market stalls selling fruit and veg, some parks and a greengrocer boat.

We ate somewhere called pizza planet (or similar) and it was cheap for lunch.

Pasta with seppia sauce is good and gives you black lips. Seppia is squid ink.

They eat horse in other bits of Veneto but not sure about Venice. Watch out for Cavallo if you want it / want to avoid it.

Goto the islands, Burano is nice, Murano too as mentioned and I like the peace and quiet of Torcello.

Thumbs up for a water taxi from the airport.



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[Dorset Seagull]

Most overrated place on the planet.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

One of the best places on the planet. Just walk and walk and find your own experience there. It's a wonderful city to get lost in

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[KingKev]

Currently going there quite regularly. Best thing above all about Venice is (if you have time) just wander the narrow lanes across numerous bridges, get yourself lost & discover yourself a quiet little restaurant in a peaceful square. There's loads of them, & it's very easy to get lost too!

Agree and snack on Cicchetti on the way. The best value eats in Venice. Don't forget to indulge in an Aperol spritz or two as well....
Some good bars around the Rialto market serving great snacks and reasonably priced drinks, and the locals congregate there after shopping so always quite buzzy.
Use the water busses for a very cheap sightseeing tour of the grand canal as well.
Top place. Enjoy!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Also, try to get the 'F' seats on your flight out so you are on the right hand side of the plane. That is usually the one that you get the view of Venice from when you come into land is a great start to your break.

You and your "F" seats

 

[Napier's Knee]

1. Definitely water transfer from the airport
2. Murano is lovely and quiet - cheaper and better restaurants there than in Venice itself (if you're on a budget like most of us). Excellent seafood. Two superb churches too if that is your thing. The journey out to Burano/Torcello is wonderful.
3. There is a vaporetto that goes all the way along the Grand Canal out to the Lido. Get on that at Saint Mark's square and take it out to the Lido. Everyone will get off, but you don't. Just go to the very back of the vaporetto, which is open. Sit there and take the journey back up the Grand Canal. Enjoy the views. The vaporetti are Venice's buses, but think of them more as cheap boat trips. Or even free - tickets are rarely checked, if ever.
4. Eat gelato
5, Get lost

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

The problem with Venice is if you do all the great stuff already mentioned you have missed out on the history of one of the most fascinating cities in the world and some of the greatest back street (canal) buildings, as well as art galleries, palaces, churches etc, a lot of them hidden away.
The stuff that went on back in the day is extremely interesting.
I saw a programme a while back called Hidden Cities, Venice, with Alistair Armstrong, I could not take my eyes off it, all about the Doges and Casanova etc etc.

 

[Nathan]

Don't take the kids. ****ing nightmare.

 

[RandyWanger]

Lovely place, really want to go back.
Pack comfortable walking shoes. As mentioned a private taxi, or even if you get a shared one from the airport is well worth it.
Walk and get lost, there are so many wonderful places hidden away.
I'd recommend Burano, Murano, Mazzorbo and Torcello, get the taxi boat day pass and island hop.
Food wise, it's amazing and I am a fussy eater with a lot of allergies. Al Vecio Marangon, Al Cantinon, Bentigodi, Boccadoro, Osteria Enoteca are one's that I remember having amazing food and service in.
It's very expensive, but well worth it.

 

[getz]

There is a popular jazz bar quite near the Rialto bridge. It's on the main thoroughfare towards St Mark's Square. I went there last November and they do happy hour (two drinks for one i.e you have to have two drinks each) between 4 and 6pm. For Venice it was good value, relaxing and perfect timing after a days sightseeing.

The Doge's Palace is good but go early and pre book to avoid the crowds.

I haven't been to Harry's Bar but hear it is overated.

If you do a gondola trip avoid the main Tourist areas. It is expensive but we pre arranged a 45min trip near the Ghetto in the Jewish quarter. There are set prices so best look then up before you go.

That is called Bacaro jazz. Good cocktails,only jazz over speakers. As for Harry's Bar avoid at all cost. Bottles of 2 euro Bellinis sold for 16 euros. Ripoff. Must go to Burano and Venice Lido islands.