Venice, Italy (Venezia in Italian) is still one of the most interesting and lovely places in the world. This sanctuary on a lagoon is virtually the same as it was five hundred years ago, which adds to the fascinating character. Venice has certainly begun to decay since its heyday and is heavily touristed (there are slightly more tourists than residents)-- but the romantic charm remains.
Venice is made of different parts. The most famous is the island of Venice where the main monuments are located, than there are several islands sourronding the main one and lastly there is Mestre another town (but still part of Venice) which is linked to Venice by a 5 kilometers bridge. In Mestre live more than 220.000 inhabitants, in Venice less than 60.000
CLIMATE OF VENICE
The summer is reported to be the worst time to visit: it's very hot, the canals stink (in the most literal sense), there are infestations of flies, and there are even more tourists than usual. Spring and fall are probably best, a compromise between temperature (expect 5-15°C in March) and the tourist load.
Acqua alta (high water) has become a fact of life in Venice. The lagoon water level occasionally rises above the level of the plazas and streets, flooding them. This will happen several times a year, usually in the colder months, and usually lasts a couple hours. You'll see raised walkways in side alleys ready to be pulled out when acqua alta hits. When the city begins to flood sirens will sound warning residents and businesses. If you speak fluent Italian tune into news programs since their predictions of the times the flood begins and ends are usually on the spot.
You can get an acqua alta map at the tourist offices either at the railway station or St Marks. This will show you the approved dry routes during the various flood alerts. There is also a tide measuring station at the Rialto vaporetto piers.
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THINGS TO SEE IN VENICE
Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), Piazza San Marco (Water lines # 1, 52, and 82 will take you from Santa Lucia (the train station) or Piazzale Roma to Piazza San Lucia. Walking is another option but will require a lot of walking and a good chance at getting lost). Saint Mark's Basilica is located on Piazza San Marcoa nd is one of the highlights of a visit to Venice. As with most churches in Italy, you must be dressed appropriately to be allowed in; this means no short skirts or bare shoulders. Filming and photography is forbidden so be prepared in advance. The visit within the basilica lasts about ten minutes. Waiting for entry into the basilica can last upto five or so hours and it may be wise to use alata.it to reserve your visit. Reserving is free of charge. Admission to the basilica is free, however, the museum and other parts of the museum cost a few Euro.
The Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni (Located on the Dorsoduro region of Venice, to the east of the Accademia bridge, on the southern side of the Grand Canal). The Peggy Guggenheim Museum offers a personal collection of modern art collected by Peggy Guggenheim. Peggy was an American married to modern artist Max Ernst, and funded a number of his contemporaries. The gallery includes a sculpture garden and works by Kandinsky, Tanguy, Duchamp, Pollock, Dali, and Mondrian.
Don't miss the Rialto market and the Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) on San Polo, the smallest sestiere. The bridge has become one of Venice's most recognizable icons and has a history that spans over 800 years. Today's Rialto Bridge was completed in 1591 and was used to replace a wooden bridge that collapsed in 1524.
Jewish Ghetto of Venice. While racially and ethnic neighborhoods had existed prior to the Venetian Ghetto Venice's ghetto was the first "ghetto" and the title ghetto eventually spread to indicate any neighborhood that was made up of a single ethnic/racial group. Today, Jewish life is still very active in the ghetto and is home to five synagogues. Visiting on Saturdays (the Jewish Sabbath) will prove very fruitless because all shops, restaurants, and other Jewish places will be closed.
The Jewish Museum
THINGS TO DO IN VENICE
Ride a Vaporetto (Water Bus) down the Grand Canal right before sunset. The Vaporettos are inexpensive, but the sites are priceless: amazing architecture, soft seaside sunlight, and a fascinating parade of Venetian watercraft.
Take a Gondola if you can afford it: it's expensive, but the Gondoliere maybe can decrease the price if you ask (but they can also decrease the time...). Make sure you reach an agreement on price and time before you start! A good tip with the Gondolieres is to bargain the price down as low as you can, then say that it's still too much and walk away. Two or three of them will chase after you, one after the other, each offering a lower price than the last. It's possible to knock 20-30 euros off the price.
If a gondola seems a little pricey the alternative is to cross the Grand Canal by traghetto. These only cost €0.50 to use and are largely gondolas that have seen better days, They are stripped down and used as municipal ferries. There are seven points to find them, but often they only operate when people are going to and from work.
If you are looking for something to do, you can always shop. Venice is full of little stores in every corner and crevice. The commonest local specialities are Carnival masks, glass, and marbled paper. Price can vary wildly, so it's a good idea to hold off buying until you have a fair idea about the relative value of things. On Murano you can go see glass-making demonstrations!
While going through Venice you need to take in the beauty of it all. Walk through the alley ways, and take the water taxi to different parts of the island, sometimes at night you can just go sit in a main area and watch people and tourists. It is wonderful. There are many museums and churches that are around the city that allow tourists to go in a visit. They are a good thing to keep you busy throughout your visit.
FOOD IN VENICE
Venice is packed with wonderful restaurants, featuring cuisine of the Veneto. Specialties include polenta, made of corn meal; risotto with cuttlefish ink sauce. Diners should however be aware that for every genuinely wonderful restaurant or trattoria, there are many more places serving rubbish food at inflated prices, especially in the streets around San Marco. Rule of thumb: if there's a waiter outside calling out for business, it's probably best avoided.
One of Venice's trademark foods is cuttlefish and its ink. This intense black ink serves as a sauce and ingredient for polenta (corn meal), risotto (rice), and pasta. These dishes are normally indicated by the Italian words "nella seppia" (in cuttlefish), "alla seppia" (in the style of cuttlefish), or "nero di seppia," (black of the cuttlefish). For example Polenta Nella Seppia is fried corn meal with the black ink of a cuttle fish. Despite the intensity in color, the ink has a surprisingly mild taste.
Be careful when the prices are in a weight basis (typically 100 g). One dish can easily contain 400 g of fish, meat,... 4 times the indicated price ! To save money at lunch, eat standing up. Prices usually double as soon as you sit at a table.
If self-catering, the Rialto food markets are an absolute must for fruit, vegetables and cheese, but most of all for the huge range of seafood, much of it fresh out of the lagoon and still moving!
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Destination: VENICE, ITALY
CLIMATE OF VENICE
