Venice - the Good, the Bad and the Gorgeous
Written: Jan 26 '04 (Updated Feb 09 '06)
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Pros: Gondola ride, Torcello, just seeing this unique city
Cons: Crowds, nasty winter weather, amazingly bad food for Italy
The Bottom Line: Just because it's a "must-see" destination doesn't make a daytrip a feasible option for this city. Give it the time it deserves or don't bother.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Venice |
It stinks. It doesn't stink. It's beautiful. It's decrepit. The flooding is awful. The locals cope with flooding all the time - so can visitors. It's overrated and overrun with tourists. It's a unique, must-see destination in Italy. Prices are ridiculous. Prices are reasonable if you know where to go..... With so many informed opinions available and at variance with one another, the eager traveler looking forward to a first-time visit to Venice could be forgiven for not quite knowing what to expect from La Serenissima. Thus did we arrive in Venezia, a little uncertain and plenty excited.
This lengthy review can be taken as yet one more data point on the various issues concerning Venice. I've broken it up into sections and titled them descriptively to help you find what you need quickly. Feel free to skip whatever doesn't interest you.
A little background on a unique city
It's trite and a little redundant to call Venice "unique", but people keep saying exactly that for very good reason. Aside from the watery physical aspects of the city, Venice has historically been a city unto itself. The casual visitor who knows nothing of its history will miss out on much of the magic of this place. For centuries, Venice stood aloof from the rest of Europe, secure in its mercantile wealth and powerful enough to defy the authority of Rome in controlling and choosing priests and bishops. As the resting place of the body of St. Mark the evangelist, Venice refused to recognize the supremacy of the Vatican, this even well before the Protestant reformation. Because its trading partners lay in Greece, Constantinople and Asia Minor, Venice was a European city with an intrinsically eastward focus. This eastern orientation is visible in Venice's architecture and other cultural elements if one knows where to look. But while broad cultural influences and the wealth of this city communicate themselves easily to the tourist's eye, much of the historic nature of Venice does not. I highly recommend that visitors do a little reading up on this city before seeing it. Or see my review of Venicescapes for a small group tour that will help you appreciate what you will see in this city.
Getting around & general observations
Though it's called the Serenissima or "most serene", in reality Venice positively bustles, even in the winter. There really isn't much of a "low season" in this tourist supermagnet. Our visit around New Year's undoubtedly spared us the worst of it, but we found that the city's narrow alleys were often tightly packed. I can imagine that it only gets much, much worse during the Carnival and summer peak tourist seasons. Claustrophobics should beware.
Obviously, there are no cars or mopeds in Venice. Transportation is either by water or on foot. Though one would think that as a city on the water Venice is perfectly flat, the truth is that getting around means climbing and descending the staircases that lead to the hundreds of bridges that span the myriad canals. This means that there is some difficulty of access for the disabled and for baby strollers, though the Venetians seem to take the stairs entirely in stride (no pun intended). I did see a few mechanical lifts on some bridges to accommodate wheelchairs, but these were few and far between. Visitors to Venice should bring good sensible footwear and plenty of stamina.
The vaporetto, or municipal water bus, is the other means of transportation in Venice. But every visitor should be prepared to hoof it to some extent. Even if you could afford a private water taxi to take you everywhere you wanted to go (and chances are, you can't), there are some spots in the city that cannot be gotten to by water. Furthermore, it's often faster to get somewhere by walking than by waiting for and taking the vaporetto. Keep this in mind when considering whether or not to buy a day or multi-day pass for the vaporetto.The vaporetti run fairly often during the day, a little less frequently at night. Single ticket prices are steep; €3.50. It may be worth investing in a day pass, a multi-day pass, or a Venice Card (see below), which covers the vaporetti as well as admission to certain museums. If you're going to take more than two rides on a vaporetto, even a single day pass will save you money. Keep in mind that there are no transfers AND that you must validate your ticket before boarding the vaporetto. Unvalidated tickets are as good as none and will leave you liable to be fined as a fare evader.
The Venetians get to deal with Acqua Alta (lit. "high water" - that's called "flooding" when it's at home) throughout the year, but most especially during the winter months. These frequent inundations correspond more to the tides than to precipitation, and they leave many of the streets and squares under water. Just how far under water varies considerably, from a mere inch or so to almost a meter. Locals cope with this in stoic and pragmatic ways, starting with sturdy rubber boots and proceeding to elevated wooden walkways when it gets really bad. Our wintertime visit was attended by mostly rainy weather, but we didn't have to deal with any flooding. However, between the need to walk and the possibility of flooding, visitors should realize the value in packing as lightly as possible. Chances are you will have to walk at least a short distance to reach your hotel. And rolling luggage won't be of any advantage if the city is inundated.
I didn't find it as difficult to find my way around Venice as I had heard it was going to be. Certainly a good map is essential, but there are so many signs indicating the directions for the major reference points within the city that getting lost never seemed a real worry. Signs for the Rialto Bridge, San Marco and the Piazzale Roma were all over the place and there were many for the train station as well. As for the famed reeking canals, I can certify that they did not stink at all around New Years. Very occasionally I would catch a scent of something that smelled like the beach, but it was never unpleasant. On the other hand, this lack of stink was probably bought at the price of putting up with fairly crappy weather. Two out of five days were windy, rainy and very cold. The other days were just very cold and damp. Lots of wind and rain made sightseeing difficult and unpleasant. Keep this in mind if you try timing your trip as we did.
If you're spending the night in Venice (and you should be) and want to be environmentally responsible, keep in mind that the water from sinks and showers drains directly into the canals. For this reason most if not all hotels in the city provide their guests with vegetable oil soaps that contain no phosphorus - an element that adversely effects the lagoon environment. Use the soaps and shampoos provided for you in the hotels, or bring your own environmentally friendly products.
Attractions
Palazzo Ducale/The Ducal Palace
We had free admission to this world class museum with our Venice Cards and we made it one of our primary destinations. Normal admission is €12.50. There is so very much to see at the Palazzo that it would be wise to arrive full of energy and wearing supportive footwear. The Palazzo was the home of the Doge, titular ruler of the city and the Venetian Empire. Seeing the interior of this magnificent residence can help you understand a great deal of Venice's history and the way it was governed.
The museum was very cold when we were there in winter as most of the rooms were unheated. I rented the audioguide for €5.50, and in the end decided it was not really worth it. I was unable to skip ahead or choose which parts I wanted to listen to. Instead I was obligated to listen to absolutely everything, and the monotonous and drawn out delivery of the information further cut down on my enjoyment of the audio. I did learn things that I would otherwise have missed, but still found the one size fits all format rather annoying. All signs in the Palazzo are bilingual in English and Italian.
The Armory room and the Map room were probably the most impressive parts of the Palazzo for me. Crossing over the Bridge of Sighs was much of a let down - I think it's better to view the Bridge from the outside. If you like European painting you'll be in for a treat here, as the collection is terribly impressive. There's even a fresco by Titian. This place is definitely a must-see part of Venice. So don't let the long lines put you off. They move pretty quickly anyway.
St. Mark's Basilica is nothing short of amazing. I've seen a lot of churches in Europe, but this one really stands out as something special. There are two separate parts of the basilica open to visitors. Admission to the church itself is free and it is least crowded early in the morning and after 4pm. The undulating mosaic floors and the soaring arches covered with gold mosaic will take your breath away. The entire appearance of the interior shows the eastern orientation of Venice. It looks more like an Orthodox than a Catholic church. The basilica is still a functional place of worship and closes to the public regularly for Mass. Do not fail to see this astounding place. Upstairs is a sort of museum of the basilica. Three euros gives you access to an elevated view of the mosaics of the basilica, as well as many displays explaining the methodology of mosaic work, including restoration and conservation efforts. I found this very interesting indeed. All signs were in Italian and English. But the admission price also allows you to walk out onto the balconies of the basilica, providing views of Piazza San Marco. These balconies provide the best aspects of St. Mark's Square, but would be problematic for anyone not steady on their feet because of the many uneven surfaces there. There's also a gift shop in the museum with very beautiful old reproduction prints of Venice. They're easy to miss but very cheap. We picked up several for ourselves as well as for friends. They make nice souvenirs and gifts. We thought the visit to this museum well worth the admission price and the time we spent there. Highly recommended!
What visit to Venice would be complete without a ride in a gondola? Though I worried that my typically tightfisted husband would balk at the expense, I coached him in the tips I'd picked up from reading. Bargain with the gondoliers and don't be afraid to walk away like you actually mean it. Even if you're sure you want a gondola ride, you don't have to pay the first figure they throw at you, because believe me, they will initially quote a price much higher than what they're willing to settle for. Ask if they'll take half as much as they've asked for and agree if they reduce their price by a third. You may also reduce the price by requesting a shorter ride than they first suggest. But be sure to establish how long a ride you're getting before you step into the boat.
We really enjoyed our 45-minute twilight ride that took us out on the choppy Grand Canal and then through the narrow back canals of Venice. Some of these back canals had no walkways along them. There was no access to them except by water. Even the crumbling plaster on the backs of buildings and the homely laundry hung out to dry seemed charming in that atmosphere.
Truly, the scene was so beautiful I was almost in tears. Our gondolier pointed out landmarks to us and greeted all the other gondoliers we saw in a thick Venetian dialect that bore no resemblance to Italian that I could discern. As we approached each blind corner, he would call out "Aah-weeh!" to warn any boat coming from the opposite direction. Was it expensive? Yes. Was it romantic? Absolutely. Was it worth it? You bet! It was one of the highlights of our trip. If you can spare €50, find a gondolier who will take that amount and go for it!
The Rialto Market takes place each morning on the San Polo side of the Rialto Bridge. The bridge itself is a tourist draw and is just as packed with stalls priced for tourists as the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. If you spend any time in the city, you'll eventually have to pass over this bridge, as it's one of only three that span the Grand Canal. This large open-air market is one potentially free attraction that's worth visiting, if only to see some genuine locals going about their daily lives. With fewer than 70,000 residents to the annual influx of more than 12 million visitors, real locals are a scarce commodity. Enjoy the relaxed attitude here in the early morning, and pick up some produce, meats and cheeses for a self-catered meal.
Daytrips
Please don't try to "do" Venice as a daytrip. Because of the transportation situation and the layout of Venice, the daytripper will be fortunate to catch a vaporetto down the Grand Canal to Piazza San Marco and briefly see the inside of either the Palazzo Ducale or the Basilica, and then have one overpriced meal before having to turn around and leave. Venice offers much, much more to those willing to invest the time to see it. If your itinerary is so cramped as to leave you only a single day to see this city, you're likely better off spending the day to see more of some other place. In fact, the mayor of Venice has been advocating measures that will make it more difficult for visitors to daytrip in Venice. If even the mayor thinks it's a bad idea, think twice before you try to breeze through this city.
On the other hand, if you're spending enough time in Venice, you should consider taking the vaporetto to one or more of the less central islands of the lagoon. There are several options for good daytrips within greater Venice. Murano is famous as the glassworks island. Many of the more upscale hotels run private boats to the island that connect their guests with a private tour of a glassblowing factory. High pressure sales pitches invariably follow these free tours, so be warned. We visited the island of Burano, which is known for its lacemaking. There's still a Lace Museum there which is worth seeing. And you have to stop briefly on Burano in order to get to Torcello, which was the other highlight of our trip. Not many people take the time to see Torcello, as it's a 50-minute ride in each direction. Nonetheless, I thought it was gorgeous and highly recommend it.
Food and Restaurants
This may sound incredible to many, especially to those who know my tendencies when it comes to food, but I have to say that the best option to dining in Venice is to eat as cheaply as possible. Unless you can afford to dine at the likes of the Hotel Danieli every night, I highly doubt you will happen upon a meal to knock your socks off. While it's almost impossible to have a bad meal in some parts of Italy, I'm here to tell you that it is not only eminently possible, but overwhelmingly probable that you will have disappointing meals if you try to eat in "mid-range" restaurants in Venice. You should be aware that a great many restaurants here have unadvertised dual pricing systems: one price for residents and another for tourists. Guess who pays more? It took a lot of bitter disappointments to drive this lesson home to someone like me. But by the end of our five-night, four-day visit, I was ready to take my meals in the "snack shops" where a plate of pasta and a beverage cost a mere €8. Profit from my very, very expensive lessons. Have some of those perfectly acceptable warmed sandwiches for lunch in any cafe or bar and slum it at a snack shop for dinner. You'll enjoy a terrific cost to value ratio and you'll save time which you can use to see more of this wonderful city.
There are a very few places that I can recommend out of all the places I ate in Venice. Caffe Florian, on the Piazza San Marco, is one of the classiest cafes I've ever seen. If you can get a seat, you will pay handsomely for the privilege of sipping their marvelous chocolate, tea or caffe, possibly while indulging in the gorgeous pastries they also offer. At €18 for two hot chocolates, you're definitely paying for the atmosphere.
Two good examples of the snack bar are Tiziano, at Salizzada San Crisostomo in Cannaregio, and Ai 10 Savi, in San Polo right alongside the Rialto market. Both are non-smoking, open daily, and can supply you with a cheap, tasty and light meal for breakfast or lunch. Tiziano is open later and offers very simple pasta dishes for dinner. These meals won't be anything to write home about, but they will be satisfying. And the meals you would otherwise be paying €100 for wouldn't be anything to write home about either. One exception is Frary's Bar, a Greek/Arabic, non-smoking restaurant that offers very good and reasonably priced fare in the San Polo neighborhood (Fondamenta dei Frari). While I usually concentrate on the food of whatever region I'm visiting, it was a relief to finally find any restaurant that served a tasty, hot meal for less than astronomical prices. We had a lovely two-course dinner there for less than €40. I recommend this place highly.
Other tips
The Venice Card offers a good value plus convenience to those visitors who are ready to pack a lot into a few days. The card must be reserved and purchased in advance. It can be purchased online and is available in increments of one, three or seven days. It covers the use of all vaporetti, all public toilets (which are handy and well-maintained), admission to several museums and discounts in many shops and restaurants. Discounts are available for students. But these cards are priced such that you must cover a lot of ground fairly quickly to make the card a good value. If you use the vaporetto heavily and visit a museum each day your card is valid, you'll probably just about break even. The convenience of the single card may well be enough added value to make it worthwhile. We bought the three-day cards at €46 per person. If I had it to do over again, chances are I would pass on the Venice Card and just purchase a multi-day vaporetto pass. Visit this link for more information:
http://www.venicecard.com/default_eng.jsp
For those travelers arriving to Venice via cheap Ryanair tickets and the Treviso airport, the connection to Venice itself is made pretty convenient by a "Brusutti" shuttle bus that runs from the airport to the Piazzale Roma. Travel time is about an hour in each direction. The Piazzale is the last point in the city that can accommodate motor vehicles and is very close to the train station. It is also serviced by nearly all the vaporetto lines. Tickets for the buses are available in the arrivals hall. If you'll be returning within a week, round trip fare runs €8.
Final Thoughts
Our four and a half day visit to this city wasn't nearly long enough to see all that La Serenissima had to offer. In fact, it wasn't even enough time to see all the major attractions. Though big cities aren't ordinarily my "thing," I would very much like to return to see Venice in some season other than the winter. Of all the major European cities I've seen, I would guess that Venice reveals itself the least to a daytripper. This is a city that is worth spending the time to see slowly. Longer stays, I think, reward visitors very well.
Need more information or advice for travel in and around Venice?
• Hotel Ai Mori d'Oriente - new hotel in the quiet Cannareggio neighborhood, highly recommended
• Venicescapes Cultural Association - offers outstanding walking tours of the city
• Burano - The Lacemakers' Island, in the Venetian Lagoon
• Torcello - another island in the Lagoon and the best daytrip from Venice!
• Eating In Italy - still the best guide to restaurants and dining in northern Italy
• Bassano del Grappa - a wonderful medieval town not far from Venice, in the foothills of the Dolomiti
• The Cuisine of Veneto - what you'll find to eat in this region
If you're looking for information on other parts of Italy, these reviews may be of use:
• Umbria - Italy's Green Heart, with links for lodging, etc.
• Florence - another one of Italy's big three
Flying into Rome? Try these cheap hotels for a decent room near the train station:
• 69 Manin Street
• Le Real de Luxe
Recommended:
Yes
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