Venice – October 2017
We were fortunate enough to have a water taxi take us from the airport to near the Rialto Bridge as part of our flight. Very comfortable and a bit of a treat. Felt like we were in a James Bond movie.
I thought that by travelling in October, we would have passed the major tourist season. However, I could not have been more wrong.
I could not believe the number of tourists walking the major walkways. Piazza San Marco of course was ridiculously crowded. I would hate to think of what the place is like in the middle of the summer peak season.
However, as with many major tourist draw cards, there are always ways around the crowd. In Venice, if you walk just one lane off the major walkways, you will get to see locals going about their day to day business without the push and shove where everyone else walks.
After saying that, we are guilty as charged as we still did some tourist things ourselves. A Chicetti tour comprising a walk and talk, snacks and wine along the way was a nice introduction to how the locals eat and drink as distinct from sitting in a tourist restaurant watching tourists walk past. Fortunately, we were taken along the parallel laneways so we never felt the crowds. Worth doing.
This is where you get to enjoy Venice the locals like. The little out of the way bars with their own tasty snacks and much friendlier atmosphere are well worth exploring. Even some of the locals in there will give you a smile. You don’t get that tourist feeling of being ripped and we found the staff were more inclined to have a chat and recommend things to try. Wish I could remember the names of some of them but have misplaced the business cards we took with us when we left. Thought I could find the locations with Google Maps but no luck.
Piazza San Marco
The standard San Marco Church and Doge’s Palace tour is worth doing, if only to help you to get to the front of the queue. They have a fascinating history. Our guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer some questions for me about how Venice ruled in their own right for so long but was eventually absorbed into Italy in the 1860s.
Just be aware that while there are many signs inside the Church that say photography is not permitted, there are of course many people snapping away and taking selfies. Irritated any number of people who would have liked to have taken photos as well but were being considerate of the place they were in.
Strolling around Venice, we found many interesting buildings and museums. If you are a person interested in music, you should find the Venice Music Museum a place to enjoy. We stumbled on it in between other things we were doing and as it was free entry just to walk around, thought we should have a look. You can buy a guided tour for further explanations if you prefer.
Unfortunately, I can’t play a note yet I found the history behind the many instruments displayed there to be fascinating. Spent quite a bit of time in there just reading the history. Had never heard of the Museum before. Just found it on one of our strolls. A hidden gem.
One of the more quirky and unique places to visit is the Alta Acqua Libreria. How many libraries have books stacked in old boats, wheelbarrows and bathtubs?
Find your way to the back of the store and you can climb the stairs made of old books to get a better view of the canal at the back. But be prepared to search hard if you are looking for something specific. Although there is a certain amount of grouping of similar subject books together, not sure that the Dewey system made it through the front door.
If you are staying in Venice for more than one night, I can recommend looking for a one bedroom apartment (if you are travelling as a couple) instead of a standard hotel room. The hotel rooms tend to be a bit on the small side and an apartment gives you more room and enables you to make your own food if you don’t feel like going out again after a long day on the trail.
Tip: Get to the Rialto Markets in the morning to get some fresh seafood and fruit and vegetables to cook yourself. Try the different flavoured rice and pasta they have in tubes for a great variation.
Accommodation
We stayed in Ca Lodovica Apartments which are very close to San Marco Square. We could see the bell tower from our apartment. Very spacious and comfortable but if choosing the attic room, be prepared for the stairs. Long and steep and no porter to help you with your bags. But that is the beauty of finding something a little different in a foreign land. Nice to be out of your comfort zone occasionally.
Food
There is a local’s restaurant, Trattoria Alla Scala, located next to the entrance to the apartment building where the atmosphere was vibrant and the food very tasty. Loved the fact that they put plenty of food on the plate so you certainly don’t leave hungry. Many families in the restaurant, the staff were very pleasant to us and we didn’t feel like outsiders too much. Not overly expensive for Venice and would return although I note that some reviewers thought the standard had dropped over the years. All I can add is that we had a very pleasant evening.
The lady who met us at the Grand Canal to take us to our apartment gave us a recommendation for Gelati Nico for her favourite gelato in Venice. Found our way there on one of our strolls and thought it was one of the better gelatos that we have tasted. It gets some poor reviews on some sites but we just had gelato in a cup and took it away so we weren’t subjected to some of the issues that were brought up. The price was right and we enjoyed it. Everyone will just have to find out for themselves I guess.
Murano and Burano
A trip to one of the other islands is worth considering. If you are in to the glass blowing techniques, it is worth a trip to Murano. If you like the look of different coloured housing, Burano is the place to go. The vibrant colours do make for a unique setting. As well as the usual tourist shops, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to sit in and watch the passing parade. However, not a lot else to do while you are there, but still worth it for the great shots with that new iPhone that you will get before you go on holiday.
Those gondolas!
Everyone has seen the pictures of gondoliers traversing the waterways and when you are there, they look even better. However, everything comes at a cost. Seeing how the gondola drivers tout their business ruins the ambience somewhat. Then the slug of 80 Euros for a 30 minute cruise through some back canals without any commentary lets you know this is all about business. When the mobile phone rings and they answer it swiftly and loudly without a thought for the passengers on board who are trying to relive a bygone era, you know you are in tourist central. I accept that this is the way of the world, but perhaps a little discretion would allow the tourist on board to absorb more of what this very unique city is all about. Which is the very reason that the tourist came to the city in the first place. Rant over!
There are many things to see in and around Venice. These have just been a few observations of our 3 night stay. This had been my third trip to Venice over many years and it still never disappoints. Just meandering around transforms you to another place and time. It is great to see the old architecture surviving and without a skyscraper in sight.
Planning a return in October 2019.
