All these times I keep trying - and failing - to come back to Ciao properly...
All these times I keep trying - and failing - to come back to Ciao properly...
Member since:30.10.2002
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Another year, another holiday. Some of you will know that this year's holiday was a sailing trip around the coast of Croatia, but that story will come another time! I was also fortunate enough to spend a few days in Venice at the end of the holiday, and had a fantastic (if expensive!) time.
Think "Venice"...what comes to mind? No doubt canals, a rich history, gondolas and a terrible stench in summer...well, this may sum Venice up briefly, but the city has plenty more to offer. Read on for a brief guide to one of Europe's most fascinating cities.
THINGS TO SEE:
I'm guessing people have heard that Venice is impossible to navigate without taking a boat of some description at some point...this is not the case. In the two days that I was there, I did not need to step onto a single boat, and still saw all of the attractions that I was aiming to see. There are three main tourist attractions that are signposted: the Piazza San Marco, the Ponte Dell'Accademia, and the Rialto.
The Piazza San Marco is the main square of the city, housing the basilica, the Doge's Palace, and the Campanile,
among other things. If you visit in peak season, you'll find yourself confronted with throngs of tourists and it'll be pretty difficult to see anything: we were planning on visiting the basilica, but would have had to have queued for well over an hour to get in, so we gave it a miss. The Doge's palace, on the other hand, was fantastic! At a little over £2 for student entry, and around £5 for standard adult entry, it was well worth it - especially considering the tickets were valid for all museums in the Piazza San Marco - you can use the same ticket for entry to four different places, and it's valid for around three months!
The Doge's palace was incredibly ornate, with gilded and painted ceilings galore, and an awful lot to see - including the armoury, the prisons and the famous Bridge of Sighs. The whole experience lasted us around two hours, and I can highly recommend it.
The Campanile was originally used as a watch tower, and stands at a massive 325 feet high. It was rebuilt after collapsing spectacularly in 1902, and you can now take an elevator to the top for some stunning views of the city.
If the kids are getting bored of the sightseeing already, then why not feed the pigeons? You'll find people selling bags of corn kernels in the Piazza San Marco - the kids will love having the pigeons eating from their hands...and it makes a great photo!
The Rialto is another one of the places that is signposted. The Rialto Bridge is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive bridges in Venice, and the main route across the Grand Canal. It has three walkways - one on each of the outer edges, and one main one in the middle, which is flanked by jewellery shops and market stalls. A great way to see the bustling daily life on the Grand Canal, and an attraction not to be missed!
The Ponte Dell'Accademia is another of only three bridges that cross the Grand Canal, and is unusual in that it is made completely from wood. Originally built only as a temporary structure in 1933, it still stands today, and is, without a doubt, one of the most attractive of Venice's bridges.
This is, obviously, only a small taste of the sights that Venice has to offer - but we found that rather than using a map or a guidebook, the best way to explore was just to wander round randomly - that way you end up going off the beaten track and finding some very pretty little side streets and bridges. It really is a beautiful city, with far too much to see!
SHOPPING:
If you want big department stores and supermarkets, then you're in the wrong place! Venice's shops are mostly small independent boutiques, and as with all tourist resorts, you have to watch out for tourist-oriented prices - what you see in one shop on the main streets will no doubt be sold for much cheaper on a back road somewhere.
Souvenir-wise, you'll be spoilt for choice! Glass is an obvious choice: the island of Murano, just across the lagoon, is famous for its glass marking, and this industry was one that made Venice as rich as it is today. A beautiful glass dolphin bought for my little sister cost around £10 - it's very easy to find a reasonably price gift if you don't just stick to the main tourist routes!
Other specialities include jewellery, lace, masks and paper - shops can be found everywhere selling the most beautiful marbled paper and bound notebooks, which would make an ideal gift.
And if you're after something a little more tacky, how about gondola-shaped pasta?!
EATING AND DRINKING:
The choice of cafes and restaurants is limitless: just about everywhere you go, there'll be somewhere to eat and drink.
If you're living a life of luxury in Venice, then try the Caffe Florian for a drink - it's reputedly the oldest coffee house in Europe, dating from the 1700s, and it plays on this fact. It's ornately decorated, with a grand piano outside, and all the waiters wearing white tie - we were going to stop for a cappucino, but at 7 Euros each, we decided to move on...
In the cafes, the average price you'll be paying is around 3 Euros for a cup of coffee - a little on the expensive side, but Venice is generally an expensive city!
If you're looking for somewhere to eat, then it's definitely worth checking out places recommended in travel guides. On the advice of the Dorling Kindersley guide to Venice, we ate at a little pizzarestaurant that used to be a brewery in the Piazza San Polo - the pizzas were priced at about £8 each, and were not only of a decent size, but also delicious!
Whether you're looking for traditional Italian food or McDonalds, a cappucino or a coke, there's something to suit all tastes here...and all budgets.
ACCOMMODATION:
If you're on a budget, then your best bet is living outside Venice itself, on the mainland. Hotels in Venice tend to be rather overpriced, but I hear that the Cipriani is one of the island's best.
We decided to stay at a campsite just near Marco Poloairport, about a 15 minute journey from Venice. As we didn't have tents, the Camping Alba D'Oro provided us with cabins that each slept four people, for which we paid about £13 a night each. Bedding is extra, and we had to buy our own toilet roll, but apart from that things were ok! The restaurant at the campsite was very nice, and the bar's happy hour was nice and cheap...and there's a coach that takes you directly to Venice and back to the campsite! All in all, good value for money, and we all said we'd do it again.
GETTING TO VENICE:
The easiest way to get there is definitely to fly - if you choose one of the big non-budget flight operators, you'll fly to Marco Polo airport, which is only 15 minutes away from Venice. However, you will end up paying more for these flights, probably £100 for a return flight, on average.
We flew with Ryanair, which cost us £57 each including taxes. However, Ryanair only fly to Treviso airport, which is about an hour away from Venice itself, so be prepared for more travelling once you arrive at the airport! Ryanair's flight prices, however, can sometimes be as little as 99p one way, so it's worth checking to see if you can get a cheap deal.
MY VERDICT:
All in all, I'm glad I came. Venice really is an incredibly beautiful city, with so much to do and so much to see, but it's also horrendously expensive! I started off with £200....by the end of two days, I had £50 left - I really don't know where it all went!
As I say, the city IS beautiful, but I don't think I could spend more than a long weekend there - yes, there is a lot to do, but the magic starts to wear off after a couple of days, and everything starts to look the same. I'm planning on going back in the future, but only for a weekend again - I really don't think I could cope with more! But definitely recommended: I'm giving this place a full five stars.
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Have you read any of Donna Leon's crime novels based there? If I get to visit, I will have to reread this for tips. Luci
Barbsie 02.02.2004 22:45
I've always wanted to go to Venice, and now I want to go there even more!
Kez_s 26.11.2003 16:47
I would so love to go to Italy, I keep begging mu husband, but it gets me nowhere - will now have to result to BLACKMAIL!!!! lol Mind you I am a pizza addict so maybe it would be a bad thing... pizza, pasta and wine - seventh heaven!!
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Oct 7th, 2003
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