[Travel] Venice

[Binney on acid]

My girlfriend and I are going to Venice for 5 nights at the beginning of April. We're staying in a hotel by the Rialto bridge. Is there anyone on NSC that has been to Venice recently, that can advise us of the best attractions, and what we should strive to avoid ? She's really keen on visiting Murano glass making, attending a performance of Vivaldi's four seasons music on hold, and visiting a stunning garden, in order to take in its tranquility.
We don't want to get fleeced on a gondola, and I'd like to avoid spending a month's pension on a meal.

 

[Austrian Gull]

We go to Venice every few years and wouldn't go back if there wasn't so much to enjoy. We do tend to go as off-season as we can which makes it more bearable.

Burano is a great island to wander around but try to go early/late to avoid the crowds. We liked the PICNIC bar down by the water for its terrace overlooking the sea. San Giorgio Maggiore church on an island opposite Saint Mark's Square is worth a visit as well as Giudecca.

We went on a gondola trip for the kids and got a better price because it was late in the day - our man was stationed away from the Canale Grande.

If I was staying that long, I would be tempted to do a daytrip to Padua or Treviso to escape the masses, but I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time whatever - it really is an exceptional place.

 

[ROSM]

Venice is superb. Visit the 3 main other islands (murano, burano for lace and torcello)

Gondolas can be more Value for money of you take one from a side canal and later in the day. Water taxi's are brilliant especially if you want a quick trip around the grand canal if not the vaporetto water buses are great.

We walked from the north to the south of main Venice one afternoon, wandering the backwaters and back alleys and the variety of shops and bars were great. We originally did a north Lagoon round Venice vaporetto past the cemetery island and rather than do a full trip we got off halfway round and bimbled back

I would visit Harry's bar for the Bellini's but you need to have long trousers on as they don't allow shorts most of the time. It's expensive but brilliant 1930s charm.

There are hundreds of great places to eat away from the main grand canal, St marks square areas which don't cost the earth.

Also do visit the St marks basilica and the Doge's palace

Finally worth a visit to the Venice football ground. Built in the 1930s and lots of temporary stands in it from when they made it to Serie A

 

[Dave the OAP]

Check out what cruise ships are going to be near the area ( most can’t moor there anymore but go to Trieste and bus people in) and if the monster ships are nearby, find out what time they leave and head for the centre then. ( cruisemapper.com - put in the name of the port and scroll down)

DONT sit down at the cafes in st marks square on an evening. Just grab a coffee etc, and walk from stage to stage to watch the mini orchestras play. It’s quite magical! If you sit at a cafe you will be stung with a huge markup on food and drink.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Went ages ago but it was magnificant, enjoy.

 

[Jovis]

We were there in March. Wonderful place. I enjoyed Burano much more than Murano. Doges Palace and the Basilica are great and worth paying extra for skip the line tickets. You can’t really get ripped off on a gondola as it’s a fixed rate - 90 euro I think? The best thing we did was a private food tour through ‘with locals’. A delightful young lady called Claudia escorted me and my wife through ten different food and wine tastings across the city, which was a great way to get our bearings and see highlights we would otherwise have missed. Venice is great.

 

[RandyWanger]

Venice is a lovely city, we spent our time walking, eating and drinking through the city, avoiding the tourist traps where we could. Probably our best day was on the boat taxi visiting Murano and Burano.
Make time to check out Bar All'Arco for some cicchetti

 

[Arthur]

My girlfriend and I are going to Venice for 5 nights at the beginning of April. We're staying in a hotel by the Rialto bridge. Is there anyone on NSC that has been to Venice recently, that can advise us of the best attractions, and what we should strive to avoid ? She's really keen on visiting Murano glass making, attending a performance of Vivaldi's four seasons music on hold, and visiting a stunning garden, in order to take in its tranquility.
We don't want to get fleeced on a gondola, and I'd like to avoid spending a month's pension on a meal.

You won't get fleeced on a Gondola as they are regulated (like taxis here) so what they cost is what they cost. From memory a couple of years back it was €80 for 15-20 mins.

If you want to save some cash on going out to Murano ask your hotel or look out for the reps in the square as they'll take you out there for free as long as you buy something whilst you are there.

As others have said avoid eating/drinking outside in the square. Harry's bar is worth a visit but only for one as it's crazy expensive.

 

[maltaseagull]

My girlfriend and I are going to Venice for 5 nights at the beginning of April. We're staying in a hotel by the Rialto bridge. Is there anyone on NSC that has been to Venice recently, that can advise us of the best attractions, and what we should strive to avoid ? She's really keen on visiting Murano glass making, attending a performance of Vivaldi's four seasons music on hold, and visiting a stunning garden, in order to take in its tranquility.
We don't want to get fleeced on a gondola, and I'd like to avoid spending a month's pension on a meal.

Take wellies for when it floods.

 

[JJ McClure]

Love Venice.
Use the vaporetto water bus to visit Murano, Burano and Torcello. We much preferred Burano over Murano.
The gondola is Ok as a 'we're only going to do it once' kind of thing but we found it entirely underwhelming.
The water taxi on the other hand was amazing, best 120 euros we spent was getting one from the airport to our hotel.
In terms of the sights then obviously the Basilica and Doge's palace are fantastic.
The view from the campanile of San Giorgio Maggiore back to St Marks is great.
Would also recommend the Scuola Grande di San Rocco for the amazing room upstairs.
For lunch on the go find one of the bacareto and you can get a glass of wine and a roll for a couple of euros.
Basically walk around and get lost, it's half the fun of the place.
Oh and evening / night time is great once all the day trippers have left.

 

[Eric the meek]

A bit of hidden Venice:

First, the snail tower, 400m from the Rialto. Go at 11:45, and be at the top at 12 midday when the bells ring out across the city for Angelus. Magical.

Beware it can be very difficult to find, even on the third or fourth visit. Access is via an alleyway off a square.

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Restaurants:

Try the Campo Santa Margherita to the west of Venice, to the south of the station. It's where the young/students meet up, so prices are reasonable, and it's lively.
Our favourite restaurant, Osteria ai Carmini, is alas, permanently closed.

Drinks:

Try the kiosk on the Fondamente Zattere (south shore of main island). It has seating, and sometimes, live music. The views across the waterfront are free.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Best thing to do with Venice is not to follow a map and just wander around as you find some interesting places to see and also little bars and restaurants away from the tourist trail. We also found a supermarket where soft drinks were really cheap compared with the main areas.

As said above, the Traghettos which go across the canal can be a very cheap way of getting the gondola experience for only a few Euros.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

My girlfriend and I are going to Venice for 5 nights at the beginning of April. We're staying in a hotel by the Rialto bridge. Is there anyone on NSC that has been to Venice recently, that can advise us of the best attractions, and what we should strive to avoid ? She's really keen on visiting Murano glass making, attending a performance of Vivaldi's four seasons music on hold, and visiting a stunning garden, in order to take in its tranquility.
We don't want to get fleeced on a gondola, and I'd like to avoid spending a month's pension on a meal.

The Doges Palace is good but pre book and go early before the crowds if you can.

A gondola ride is expensive but we pre booked one in the Jewish quarter the last time we went which was really quiet and interesting and avoided the busy routes.

Not sure if it will still be there, but we found a bar near the South side of the Rialto bridge that did 2-1 cocktails between 4-5pm. You had to buy two each, but when in Rome….Worth looking on Tripadvisor to see if it’s mentioned.

Avoid the Hard Rock Cafe and Harry’s bar just sounds like a rip off.

Lunch on the islands (Murano) was really nice.

I’m not sure of gardens unless the Peggy Guggenheim museum has one.

 

[North Carolina Supporter]

I am bringing my family (wife and two teenagers) to Italy in early June. Thanks for the great sites advice above! Any Hotel recommendations? Any restaurants?

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

I am bringing my family (wife and two teenagers) to Italy in early June. Thanks for the great sites advice above! Any Hotel recommendations? Any restaurants?

Restaurants, no, but when we went British Airways Holidays did some cracking flight + hotel deals. Maybe worth checking their website.

Edit. But maybe not from North Carolina!

 

[happypig]

Following this with interest as we are hoping to do a trip to Naples, Rome, Genoa and Venice this year but having to wait until I've had an endoscopy to see what's wrong with my guts.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Beware short, aesthetically challenged women in red plastic raincoats.

 

[Happy Exile]

I've not been for a few years but it's a fantastic city just to wonder around, get lost in, and enjoy. Visit the churches and you'll see some of the best art around, and if you're lucky you'll stumble into a choir rehearsal too that will give you goosebumps. One of my favourite Venice moments was walking round a corner away from the centre and seeing a man and a women ballet dancer practicing in a little street with music from a tiny speaker. Absolutely magical on a cold winter day and with their permission I watched for a while, totally transfixed by them and the setting. Happy days.

 

[ROSM]

I am bringing my family (wife and two teenagers) to Italy in early June. Thanks for the great sites advice above! Any Hotel recommendations? Any restaurants?

Where are you going? If it's naples/ amalfi coast, sardinia, florence, rome, Milan or venice I am happy to help

 

[bluenitsuj]

The Jewish quarter is less busy and a great escape from the crowds. Some fantastic restaurants and bakeries mainly busy with locals.