Delightful Venice annually attracts an incredible number of tourists who are eager to plunge into the atmosphere of love and romance among the unsurpassed masterpieces of Italian architecture. However, many of those who dream of enjoying the beauty of the city in silence and solitude are faced with noisy crowds of tourists. In addition, it is hard for those travelers who turn to local travel agencies, where, without embarrassing anyone, the employees offer services at exorbitant prices.
How can you avoid such a fate, and at the same time, not overshadow your vacation? It follows from this that it is necessary to prepare for the trip for a long time and thoroughly, carefully studying all the options.
Surely, remembering Venice, many imagine the picturesque canals that envelop the entire city, along which gondolas float. However, do not romanticize, this pleasure will cost you 100 euros! And 40 minutes of a standard route in the company of 6-7 people can be replaced with an equally pleasant walk on a traghetto, the cost of which is only 1 euro. This interesting water transport will take you along the Grand Canal, where there are no bridges. These scenic spots include the Pesqueria - Santa Sofia and Punta della Dogana route.
Where to stay?
It is a real success to save money during the trip! However, not when it comes to choosing a hotel. Be sure to explore all areas of Venice, do not be seduced by the cheap accommodation of the island of Lido and the mainland, spend a little time looking for a suitable option in the old town. It is here that you can fully integrate into the amazing atmosphere of a medieval city. The best months for a comfortable and inexpensive vacationare March and November. Since at this time you can even stay in five-star hotels at a very affordable price.
Food and drink
If you are a connoisseur of Italian cuisine and can not afford to skimp on food, then Harry's Bar is a great option. A decent establishment with the atmosphere of old bohemian Italy, where the minimum bill for a lunch is 100 euros. Also, do not give up tasting the famous Bellini cocktail, which will cost 20 euros. However, for a tasty and inexpensive meal, you'd better turn to the locals. For example, Taverna del Campiello Remer can offer delicious and varied dishes local cuisine at very reasonable prices.
Where is the best place to go on an excursion?
Be sure to visit the island of Murano, this is a great opportunity to see with your own eyes how the craftsmen make interesting things out of glass. But be careful, as a rule, the guides do everything so that you do not leave there without souvenirs, the prices of which are godlessly overpriced.
In the narrow streets of Venice
Walking along the streets of an unfamiliar city there is always an opportunity to learn and see something new and interesting. The same cannot be said about the streets of Venice. Studying even the main tourist route, you always have the risk of turning the wrong way and falling into one of the many canals. It is best to purchase a card that will greatly facilitate your movement around the city. Start your journey along the Rialto-San Marco route and you will gradually reach Cannaregio, where the Madonna dell'Orto church is located, which will give you an unforgettable view of the island of Murano and the promenade.
Best time to travel
Perhaps any, except for the summer months. The city has very high humidity, and in combination with the summer heat it becomes simply unbearable. The best time to travel is early spring or autumn. At this time, it is best to bring warm clothes, as it can be quite chilly while walking on the water. Due to the decline in the tourist flow, Venice appears in its true form.
Italy is a wonderful country. Hardly anyone would argue with this statement. And the country is distinctive, inimitable, unique. With its own traditions, customs, principles, with its own way of life. And all this is very different from what we are used to in our daily life. Therefore, in order for a trip to Venice to take place in an extremely positive mood, the advice of an experienced tourist will not interfere.
1.Transportation in Venice
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Venice is water. Moving around the historical part of the city is possible either on foot or by water transport (trams, boats, gondolas).
The famous gondolas, contrary to popular belief, are not the main mode of transport in Venice. Mostly lovers and tourists ride them. This pleasure is quite expensive. Depending on the walking time, the price will be from 100 € and more. If you wish, you can bargain with the gondolier and reduce the price by 5-10%.
For excursions in Venice, water trams are most often used. A round-trip ticket costs 5 €, but if you come for several days, then it makes sense to save money by buying a ticket for 72 hours at a price of 22 €. ... If you come to the watery part of the city by car, then at your service there is a huge multi-storey parking lot at the entrance.
2. What to see in Venice?
San Marco. St. Mark's Cathedral is the first destination for tourists from all over the world. It should be remembered that the temple is not only a landmark of Venice, but also an active Catholic church, the entrance to which in short skirts, shorts, or with bare shoulders is unacceptable. There are many temples in the city. Everyone has a strictly defined time for excursions. And, if you want to visit these places, it will not be superfluous to adjust your plans with the help of a travel guide.
Many tourists want to visit Piazza San Marco and feed the pigeons there. This is considered a good omen. You can feed the birds only with special food, which is sold here, in a small shop at the entrance to the square. This is how the city government controls the pigeon population.
3. The language barrier in Venice.
In Italy, and Venice is no exception, the locals in the vast majority of cases do not speak English, and they speak Italian in such a way that you still don't understand anything. Therefore, you cannot do without a phrasebook.
4. Siesta
The world famous Italian siesta makes its own adjustments to the plans of tourists. All shops, churches, shops and kiosks are closed between 14:00 and 15:30. Restaurants in Venice are open from 12:30 to 15:30. Although for the convenience of holidaymakers in recent years in many private establishments, the lunch break is swimming, which is reflected in the guidebooks. Therefore, in order not to be left without lunch, plan your route in advance.
5. Where to eat in Venice
If the hotel where you are staying serves breakfast as a buffet, then you should make sure to arrive early. Otherwise, you risk seeing only crumbs. In Venice, as in any tourist center, many cafes and restaurants. In the city's cafes, prices can vary depending on where you want to have a snack: at the bar or at the table. If the budget is modest, then there is a great option. This is something similar to our canteens, the so-called trattorias. You can eat very tasty and cheap there.
6. Venice souvenirs
Souvenirs for family and friends can be bought inexpensively near the Church of St. Jeremiah (San Geremia). This quarter is not very popular with tourists, but you can easily find it on the map. Moreover, it is not very far from San Marco. They offer Venetian glass at a price of 3 € and more, and carnival masks from 3 to 14 €.
7. Weather in Venice
Due to its location on the water, the weather in the city is quite unpredictable. In Venice, quite often, after a heavy rain, certain islands are flooded. Therefore, if you are going on a long excursion, waterproof shoes will not be superfluous.
For interesting excursions in Venice, you can find out everything in a special section of our website
Excursions in Venice
She is unique in every way! It delights, bewitches, amazes and makes you completely break away from reality, forgetting about noisy megacities with their smog and traffic. Venice is another dimension, a special world that exists in a separate ecosystem, whose name is Laguna. I can talk about this city for hours, sing praises and praise in every possible way, but today we will talk about the cruel reality and how to economically and comfortably see one of the most expensive and crowded tourist places in the world.
Where to live?
Everyone knows that hotels in Venice are extremely expensive, but you can still save money. The search algorithm for relatively inexpensive housing is as follows:
First looking for hotels near Santa Lucia train station or bus station on piazzale Roma (the cheapest way to get there is from both airports in Venice), so as not to go with a heavy suitcase across the city (read "over numerous bridges with stairs").
My experience: Hotel Ca 'Lucrezia and Guerrini
Then we look more distant hotels (still in the city center)located close to water transport stops (vaporetto), and we add to the cost of living 10-13 euros (per person), that is, the difference in price between a bus and a bus + vaporetto ticket or direct transport from the airport (Alilaguna, tickets are cheaper to buy online) ...
My experience: hotelNuovo Teson
If the islands are too expensive, moving to the mainland Mestre / Marghera, where prices are much lower, but you will have to spend about 3 euros daily and 40 minutes for a trip to Venice and back. It is believed that Marghera is less safe than Mestre, however, having lived in both areas, I can say that there are more migrants in the latter. So do not get hung up on the location and just choose a more profitable hotel, as long as there is a bus stop to Venice and a supermarket nearby if breakfast is not included in the price.
My experience: hotelsVilla Adele (Margera) andAdria (Mestre)
Well most extreme case - to settle in more remote areas, for example, in the Fusina camping, where I also had the honor to live. This is not the most convenient option, but for 1-2 nights (no more!) It can be a real salvation for a thin wallet and a tourist who dreams of Venice.
My experience: campingFusina
Coast of the Venetian Lagoon, Camping "Fusina"
Where to go?
Venice is an open-air museum city, so spending a lot of time there in "Closed" attractions Is an unforgivable luxury. The only exceptions are the magnificent Doge's Palace and the Ca 'Rezzonico mansion, as well as the highest viewing platforms on the bell towers of the Cathedrals of San Marco and San Giorgio Maggiore. Only bad luck - the last two are not included in any museum map of the city, so its acquisition for a not very museum tourist loses all meaning.
note that ticket to the Doge's Palace (as much as 19 euros for adults!) also allows you to visit the Correr Museum-Gallery, the Archaeological Museum and the most beautiful rooms of the National Library for 3 months for free, so if you have time - stop by and get curious!
I will say separately about the sensational palaces Ca 'd'Oro and Contarini del Bovolo - about the first, many write that it is more beautiful from the outside than from the inside, and in the second I was personally disappointed because of the inability to get inside and was content only with a walk along the external staircase (by the way, it also looks more interesting from the outside) and not the most impressive views from the observation deck ...
Most tourists crave climb the cathedral bell towerSan Marco, so there are always queues, and the ticket costs 8 euros. However, it is worth crossing the San Marco Canal and on the San Giorgio island you will find exactly the same bell tower, only without tourists and for only 6 euros. I confess I can't say where the best view comes from: I loved both! From San Marco you can see up close the domes of the cathedral of the same name and the endless tiled mosaics of Venetian houses, and from San Giorgio Maggiore one of the most famous panoramas of Venice opens and the main water area of \u200b\u200bthe city is visible at a glance.
View of Venice from the bell tower of the Cathedral of San Giorgio Maggiore
What to travel on?
I have already written about the main types of tickets for public transport in Venice (buses and vaporettos), so I will add just a couple of tips ...
For budget exploring the remote from the center of the Venetian islands take a ticket for 24 hours (it is valid from the moment of the first validation, so you need to “drink” it right before boarding). During this time, you can have time to go to the farthest and most attractive island of Burano (by direct vaporetto No. 12 from the Fondamente Nove embankment). On the way back, stop for a short while at the famous, but not very picturesque glass Murano (at the same number 12) and at the unusual island-cemetery San Michele (on the way from Murano to vaporetto number 4.1 or 4.2). Then, from Fondamente Nove, run to the nearest stop on the Grand Canale (for example, at the Rialto bridge) and, in daylight, take a ride along the main "avenue" of the city on any vaporetto to Plaza San Marco. There, change to line 2 to the island of Giudecca (stops Palanca, Redentore or Zitelle), where it is so nice to watch the sunset on the waterfront! And then, returning to San Marco, sail along the night Grand Canale towards the train stations on vaporetto number 1 or 2. If time remains, in the morning of the next day, before the ticket expires, slide down to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore to climb to the observation deck (open from 9:00), but the historic island of Torcello, as it turned out, is quite possible to bypass.
Please note that any vaporetto ticket must be valid not at the time of the trip, but at the time of validation at the pier, which extends the validity of the pass for some more time!
However vaporetto is not always the best way to move across Venice; Sometimes walking is faster than driving, for example, on the route from piazzale Roma to Fondamente Nove and from the train station to the Tronchetto cruise terminal.
Gondolas are the oldest transport in Venice
Where to walk, eat, buy souvenirs and ... visit the toilets?
In Venice, tourists with a map in their hands make me smile, because learn how to navigate this city the first time it is almost unrealistic - you will get lost anyway. Although this is actually the best thing that can happen to you here! After seeing the main beauty, put aside the map and go for a walk according to the principle "where your eyes are looking." Don't be afraid to turn off the basics tourist routes and climb deep into the tangled web of streets and canals. Believe me, it is no less beautiful there than in Piazza San Marco, and there are practically no tourists, so all this splendor will belong only to you!
If you still want use the card, then the only chance to get it for free is to ask at the reception of your hotel. In tourist information points of the city, this service is paid, but it’s scary to even remember the price tag for the area plan in newspaper and ticket kiosks!
Paradoxical, but true - restaurants and shops in the most tourist spots Venice is often quite inexpensive compared to its “counterparts” on the outskirts of the island city. According to my observations, eating and shopping for souvenirs is best in the Cannaregio area, including on the most tourist street that leads from the train station to the Rialto bridge. By the way, there is also a store where chic Venetian masks can be bought for only 2-5 euros, well, and magnets are everywhere from 0.75 to 1 euros!
If a instead of dinner you prefer a romantic aperitif (I talked in detail about this phenomenon) on the banks of the canal in the company of young Venetian students, then after 7 pm go to the bars on the embankment of the Rio della Misericordia (behind the ghetto quarter) or in the area of \u200b\u200bthe church and channel of the same name San Trovaso. I am not aware of the prices of Venetian aperitifs, but I am sure that such a meal format will be much more budgetary than a dinner in a restaurant!
And here for a traditional lunch or dinner from the last trip I can recommend the restaurant-pizzeria "Al Faro" located in a nice corner of the ghetto with a very hospitable owner (sorry, not an Italian) and the pizzeria "La Perla", where local gondoliers dine, and pizza can be taken away (without paying the obligatory tip) and eat it literally around the corner, sitting on the banks of a picturesque canal. Both establishments are very tasty and relatively budgetary by Venetian standards.
When choosing a restaurant, be sure to pay attention what is written at the bottom / at the end of the menu small print... In Venice, as in all of Italy, the bill includes obligatory tips, calling it the word "coperto" (in adequate establishments 1-2 euros per person), less often "servizio" is found (10% of the check amount). However, especially greedy establishments do not hesitate to combine both variants of these fees in one account, so be careful! And I strongly advise against sitting at the tables of restaurants romantically set along the canals: if you ever see Venice at night, you will find out what animals are walking along it in the dark.
In Venice everything is well organized except toilets! Moreover, getting this "service" is often impossible even for money: the number of public WCs per thousand tourists tends to zero, and this despite the fact that a "ticket for one visit" costs as much as 1.5 euros! Most bars and restaurants won't let you just like that, claiming that their toilet is for visitors only. But there is a way out! For the same 1.5 euros (or even 2) in these greedy establishments you can have a cup of espresso and at the same time look into the restroom (already as a visitor!), And if you are with friends, the whole company will be "happy" for the price of one coffee)))
Where every tourist who comes to Italy considers it his duty to go, is spread over 118 islands of the Adriatic on east coast... The islands, connected by 400 bridges, are separated by about 150 canals and a channel. The city is connected with mainland Italy by a four-kilometer bridge.
Venice is the center of the Veneto region with a population of 5 million; Venice itself is currently home to about 270,000 people.
There are no cars in Venice, and gondolas travel along the local "streets" - canals. The houses here rest on multi-layer foundations, at the base of which are piles made of Russian larch, which practically does not rot in the water, and a stone foundation is laid on them.
Venice is entirely on the UNESCO World Heritage List, its streets with luxurious cathedrals and palaces are filled with multilingual hubbub of tourists rushing to ride gondolas and see the famous St. Mark's Square with the cathedral of the same name and the Doge's Palace.
Unfortunately, Venice is slowly but surely, at a rate of about 5 mm per year, "sinking", scientists believe that by 1828 the city will become uninhabitable. It is supposed to save the unique city with the help of the "Moses" project, according to which they are going to enclose the city with hermetic barriers.
Venice - not only seaside resort and a place of concentration of tourists, it hosts international film festivals, art exhibitions, and carnivals.
A bit of history.
The first mentions of Venice date back to the fifth century, when streams of refugees from the rolling barbarians poured here. The first settlements appeared here on the islands of Malamocco and Torcello. In 727, all these settlements were united under the rule of the Doge by decree of the Emperor of Byzantium, and until 1802 120 Doges replaced this post.
Over time, Venice became one of the most powerful city-states, possessing territories in Istria, Dalmatia and Greece and a powerful fleet. In the era of their power, the Venetian knights even took Constantinople (1204).
Interestingly, unlike the rest, there were no vassal relations in the Venetian Republic.
In the 16th century, Venice began to lose its importance as a great maritime power due to the growth of power, England and Holland. The invasion of the Turks and the plague epidemic finally knocked down its power, and in 1796 Venice was occupied by Napoleon, transferring it to Austria. This region became an Italian province only in 1866.
How to get to Venice.
Several ways are available to Russian tourists.
Plane
Venice has 2 airports – « Marco Polo ”(12 km from the city) and Treviso, located 30 km from the city. Aeroflot carries out regular flights from on Wednesdays and Sundays, and in the summer charters deliver tourists to Ancona, from where you can travel to Venice by train for 20 euros.
The cheapest way to get from Marco Polo Airport to the city is by bus (25 minutes), by the vaporetto boat (1 hour), by taxi, and most expensively by water taxi. The airport has lockers on the 1st floor. They work from 5:00 to 21:00 daily, cost - 4.5 euros per day.
Blue ATVO express buses and regular regular buses leave Treviso for the city.
It will be cheaper to fly here connecting flight from various cities of Russia with a transfer in Prague, Frankfurt, Helsinki, and many others by numerous European low-cost airlines. For example, TuiFly operates a daily flight from Cologne to Marco Polo Airport for 30 euros. Or, for example, this option: a charter flight to Pula (180 euros), then a ferry to Venice 2-3 times a week (79 euros round trip).
Tickets to Venice can be picked up using this SEARCH ... Drive in Cairo, the city of departure, and watch required flights on the dates you want.
Choose good hotel can . Choose the number of stars, price, dates and choose what you like.
Train .
The easiest way to get to Venice is from Stazione Centrale train station for 12-23 euros to Venice Santa Lucia. Trains run hourly, the most expensive and fastest train (2.5 hours) is Eurostar, the cheapest is Interregionale.
Intra-European rail services are most easily viewed on the German Railways website.
There is no direct train from Moscow to Venice, in Budapest you will have to change trains, and the total travel time is about 70 hours.
Bus.
In summer, a bus costs 230 euros in both directions on the Moscow-Milan route, and then, as mentioned above, you can take a train. Buses stop at Tronchetto, and then tourists change to a vaporetto, which takes half an hour and 6.5 euros to Piazza San Marco.
The ship.
By sea, you can get to Venice from and from Croatia by ferries, more details can be found at find-croatia.com/ferries-croatia and venezialines.com. Ferries arrive at the San Basilio terminal.
Car
A car tourist traveling from Moscow will have to cover 2,590 km, passing through Belarus, Poland or Ukraine. Part of the way will have to go through the Alps, partly on toll roads.
The Venetians foresaw the whole island mentioned above for tourists, Tronchetto.
Parking here will cost 25 euros per day, for the same price you can stay in Piazza Roma, but there is a risk of not finding a place, and, finally, the town of Mestre, where parking will cost 10-15 euros, and then drive to Venice by bus for half an hour and 4 euros.
A car tourist will need a registration certificate and an international driver's license, a Green Card and medical insurance.
Venice transport.
In Venice, a tourist will have to rely on either his own feet or numerous water transport. This includes boats, so-called vaporettos, traghetto gondolas, pleasure gondolas and small taxi boats.
For tourists, the vaporetto route number 1 is recommended, where you will be taken along the Grand Canal for 6.5 euros per hour (12 hours - 16 euros). Where there are no bridges, you can get to the other side by mini-vaporetto for half a euro.
A gondola will cost a tourist 80 euros for 40 minutes, if you are up to six people - the same amount.
Or you can rent a car, which will cost less than a taxi and will also expand your freedom of action. Find the best way you can on this.
Geography of Venice
The main part of Venice, which attracts the lion's share of tourists, is the islands with the center of San Marco and the surrounding areas along the Grand Canal. Local buildings have stood for several centuries without alteration, and instead of streets there are canals with the transport described above.
Lido island , two kilometers from Piazza San Marco, stretching for 12 km and only a kilometer wide. Lido is famous for its beaches, a film festival and a casino.
Murano island famous for its Murano glass, produced since the 13th century. To this day, local glassblowers are a closed caste, admission to which is carried out on harsh conditions. The island also houses the Murano glass museum.
And, finally, the mainland modern part of the city attracts only tourists who want to get acquainted with the city in more detail.
Venice landmarks.
A single ticket to San Marco Museum Plus, which you can use to visit the city's museums, costs 13 euros.
Saint Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco).
The heart of the city, and the first place tourists want to see. Here on the square is the famous cathedral and bell tower of the same name, the Doge's Palace, the Clock Tower, the Old and New Procuration.
Italians call it Palazzo Ducale. It began to be built in the 9th century, and the palace acquired its present appearance by the end of the 13th. In 1797 Napoleon settled here for a while, and in 1923 it was turned into a museum.
In its architecture, you can see traces of at least 3 styles - Gothic, Moorish and Renaissance. In the center of the palace there are balconies from which in ancient times the Doges communicated with the people.
Visiting hours for tourists are 9:00 to 19:00 from March 22 to November 2 and until 17:00 in winter.
The Doge's Palace is open to visitors from 9.00 to 19.00 (from March 22 to November 2) and from 9.00 to 17.00 (from November 3 to March 21).
Cathedral of Saint Mark (Basilika San Marco).
According to legend, two merchants from Venice, Buono da Malamocco and Rustico da Torcello, without further ado, simply stole the relics of St. Mark from, hiding it in a basket with pork carcasses, where Muslim customs officials disdained to look, after which in 832 they built a basilica for them ... It is still ugly to steal, and perhaps that is why very soon the basilica burned down, and only in 1063 was it rebuilt.
Perhaps the Venetians were the first to have the idea that tourists can earn money, and in 1075 ships coming to Venice were obliged to bring gifts for the basilica.
Bell tower or Campanile.
It was built in the 9th century and is considered the oldest monument in Venice. In those distant times, it served as both a watchtower and a lighthouse and was 92 meters high, but in 1902 it unexpectedly collapsed, having contrived not to hook any of the neighboring buildings. To the delight of residents and tourists, the city council restored the bell tower in its original form.
Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto).
The oldest bridge in Venice, stretching across the Grand Canal. It was periodically destroyed until in the 16th century a "casting" was announced, in which Michelangelo himself took part, but the restoration of the bridge in stone was entrusted to the architect Antonio da Ponte, who completed the construction in 1591.
BridgeSighs (Ponte dei Sospiri).
It was built in the 17th century by the architect Antonio Conti. Unfortunately for romantically minded tourists, the name did not come from the sighs of couples in love, but from the sighs of the convicts, since the bridge connected the court in the Doge's palace with the prison.
Ca'd'Oro (Ca "d'Oro).
Perhaps the most beautiful palace Venice, standing on the Grand Canal, built in the Gothic style in the 15th century. It is also called Palazzo Santa Sophia or the "Golden House" due to its abundance of gold leaf.
The Grand Canal (Canal Grande).
One of the main attractions of the city. Its length is 3.8 km, width in some places reaches 70 meters, it looks a bit like the letter S, and this is exactly the place where every tourist considers it his duty to ride a vaporetto or gondola.
Every year, on the first Sunday of September, the Historical Regatta is held here, where you can immerse yourself in the events of five hundred years ago.
Churches of Venice.
While in Venice, a tourist is worth seeing church of Santa Maria della Salute built in 1681 as a token of gratitude for the end of the terrible plague, and Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari , built in 1338. Its bell tower reaches 70 meters, and here you can see the work of Titian "The Ascension of Mary".
Museums of Venice.
Tourists - fans of art, first of all, can visit teodoro Correra Museum (Museo Correr), consisting of three parts: historical, art and Risorgimento Museum.
Canvases by 20th century artists can be seen in peggy Guggenheim Museum (Picasso, Chagall and many others). It is located on the Grand Canal in the Venier dei Leoni Palace and is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Tuesday. The ticket price is 12 euros.
You can swim by vaporetto line 1 or 2, stop "Academy".
To a tourist who is fond of event tourism, it is worth paying attention to the Venice Carnival, held from 6 to 16 February, and leading its history from 1094.
Shopping in Venice.
The main souvenir for tourists here is a mask. A good mask (not Chinese) will cost from 25 euros.
Another local specialty is Murano glass, the suspension of which costs from 8 to 11 euros, if you wish, you can go to the island of Murano, where this glass is made.
The main local drink is not beer or wine, but a spritz of all kinds, stronger, weaker, hotter or sweet, costing 2-3 euros per glass.
Did you know that:
Venice has a monopoly on water canals in Italy? By the way, in the Middle Ages, many cities enjoyed a similar miracle. In Milan, the Navigli district, canals have existed since the 12th century.
Venice from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Venice.
- Tours for May to italy
- Last Minute Tours to italy
Intoxicating and so strange - at the same time pompous and shabby - Venice is maddening. Here you want to be in love or immediately fall under the arrow of Cupid, incessantly kiss and walk in an embrace along the narrowest and shabby streets, whisper nonsense and convulsively cling to the hand of a companion at the sight of the sunset on San Marco. This city is included, it seems, in all the "tops" and lists of places in the world where you should visit. What is really there: he even captivated Chekhov, who was cool with Europe, and Johnny Depp, who bought himself a small mansion in the center. It is important for tourists to know one thing: Venice is a real city-monument, where absolutely any building can claim the title of historical. Therefore, it is not surprising that the entire old part of the city and its lagoon are included in the List world heritage UNESCO.
How to get there
- How to get from Venice airport to Mestre train station in the evening
Find Flights to Venice
Areas of Venice
Venice, despite its non-trivial location on 188 islands at once, is a rather big city. And this is easy to be convinced of by looking around the huge Venetian lagoon or by simply glancing at the map. Administratively, the city is divided into 6 self-governing districts, but tourists will be interested in only 3 of them - this is the mainland Mestre, the beachfront Lido and, in fact, the main district, which is called banally "Venice - Burano - Murano". But in order to better understand the intricacies of the canals and streets of the last district, the main part of the most romantic city in the world is usually divided into 6 historical quarters.
And, of course, it's worth starting from San Marco, where most of sights and the heart of the city - the eponymous square with a pompous cathedral. There are also the Doge's Palace, the Campanile tower, the library and columns of San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs and a dozen other places taken under the protection of UNESCO and familiar to every inhabitant of our planet from about 5th grade. Hotels and restaurants, shops and souvenir shops - almost everything in San Marco is defiantly expensive and breathtakingly beautiful.
Cannaregio, located in the north of Venice, is considered the main sleeping area of \u200b\u200bthe city, home to more than 20 thousand inhabitants. At first glance, it seems that tourists in this corner have nothing to do, but this is not so. Firstly, it is in Cannaregio that the Venice train station is located, at the sight of which tourists cannot help but sigh of admiration. (And these are not just words: emerging from the banal and boring belly of the train, they immediately find themselves in the center of the ancient city.) Secondly, the area is interesting with a rather unusual sight - the Ghetto, where today the monument to the victims of the Holocaust, the Jewish Museum and two operating synagogues are preserved. Finally, it is in Cannaregio that you can see the very temple where Tintoretto attended Sunday sermons. In the temple of Madonna dell'Orto today, not only the remains of the great painter are buried, but also two of his brilliant canvases - "Adoration of the Golden Calf" and "The Last Judgment", are pleasing to the eye.
Another plus for Cannaregio is the abundance of apartments for rent for more or less reasonable money.
In the San Marco area there are the Doge's Palace, the Campanile tower, the library and columns of San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs and a dozen more places taken under the protection of UNESCO and familiar to every inhabitant of our planet from about 5th grade.
The largest of the 6 historic districts of the city - Castello - is located in the east of Venice. It got its name thanks to the ancient Roman castle, alas, not preserved. Today the graceful church of San Pietro di Castello stands in its place. In the middle is the ancient Arsenal, a shipyard where the famous Venetian galleys were once built. To the east of it there are a lot of gardens and parks, which is quite unusual for Venice, and to the west - the main "must-s" of the area: the temple of San Zaccaria, the Cathedral of Santi Giovanni y Paolo, as well as the Riva promenade, a favorite among tourists della Schiavone.
The Dorsoduro area is located on the opposite side of the Grand Canal from San Marco, south of the city center. From Italian, its name can be translated roughly as "backbone", which indicates a relatively high location of the quarter. So, having come to the city during the rainy and flood season, it is worth thinking about settling here 10 times. The center of Dorsoduro is the Giudecca Canal, although by Venetian standards it is not even a canal - but a whole river bed, its width in some places reaches 200 m. Immediately behind it is the Giudecca Island, a quiet and green place where an ordinary tourist has nothing to do. And yet, in terms of attractions, Dorsoduro pleases: here is the 19th century Accademia Bridge, which connects the area with San Marco, the Accademia Gallery, the famous Peggy Guggenheim Museum, as well as two elegant squares - Santa Barnaba and Santa Margherita. The latter is famous among students, so evenings in the square are often noisy and fun.
San Polo, like San Marco, is the very heart of Venice. There are attractions here at every turn: these are the Rialto Bridge and the gondoliers scurrying around it, and the Church of St. Paul, and the 9th century San Giacomo di Rialto temple, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.
Finally, the district of Santa Croce ("Holy Cross") is the first place in the city where tourists get by car or buses. Its famous Piazzale Roma is in fact a huge distributor for vehicle on parking lots. It sounds scary, but everything looks elegantly Venetian. In addition to the parking lots, the area is interesting for a couple of museums - the Museum of Natural History in the Fondaco dei Turchi Palace, as well as the Museum of Oriental Arts and the Gallery contemporary artin the Ca Pesaro palace.
However, the description of the areas of Venice would be incomplete without these separately standing islandswhich are in fact important parts of the city: Lido, Murano, Burano, San Michele and Poveglia.
- Does the Venezia Unica card allow you to get from Mestre to Venice
Venice beach
Venice has its own island-beach, which is called Lido (from Italian - "coast"). Tourists, as a rule, do not get here, but locals gladly spend weekends or lunch hours on it. This place has become a fashionable resort since the end of the 19th century, at one time Byron, Goethe, Shelley, and even Thomas Mann, who wrote his scandalous novel "Death in Venice" on the island, rested here.
Local beaches are sandy, long, but in season they are packed with overload, especially on weekends or evenings, when the Venetians are in a hurry to refresh themselves after work in the waters of the Adriatic. Therefore, the advice is to go swimming in the morning, while everyone is local at work. There are paid and free areas, the rental price is about 30 EUR for two sun loungers and an umbrella.
It's easy to get there from any stop on the Grand Canal to the final Lido (from San Marco, for example, 3-4 stops). Leaving the port, you must go strictly straight, through the entire island, and in 5 minutes be on the beach. The second option is to rent a bike on the Lido (the island is 12 km long, and there is something to see).
Shopping
Guides in Venice
Venice entertainment and attractions
The heart of Venice is Piazza San Marco, reproduced in many booklets, TV shows and postcards. Every corner of the house seems familiar here, but getting here, you invariably freeze with delight. Here is Campanile, striving to the heavens, the majestic Cathedral of San Marco, the amazing Gothic Palace of the Doges ... The small space that this real "field of miracles" takes can be explored for at least a week, and each time you find a new touch. The main "must-s" here are named after the patron saint of the city - San Marco: this is the basilica with the relics of the apostle, and the largest library with the rarest manuscripts, and the column with the winged lion proudly sitting on it, and the clock tower showing the phase of the moon and the sign zodiac, in which the tourist was lucky enough to visit Venice.
Further - more: along the perimeter of the square, each building is a masterpiece of architecture with a breathtaking collection. It is worth visiting at least the Doge's Palace to walk along the infamous Bridge of Sighs, or Archaeological Museum with the Zekka mint.
Having escaped with difficulty from the enchanted perimeter of this square, it is worth going to the Rialto Bridge - the symbol of Venice. To take a gondola there and ride along the shabby and at the same time pompous palaces, where representatives of the Venetian nobility once held feasts and treated enemies with deadly poison.
By the way, it is from the water that they open best views to the main attractions of the city. In particular, to the Ca 'd'Oro palace, where the famous Franchetti gallery is now located, the second most important in Venice.
As a "final chord", it is worth taking a ride along the Grand Canal - the main artery of Venice - on a vaporetto or a rented boat. It is difficult to single out any special places here: each mansion is considered a monument of at least a regional scale. In order not to go crazy with the details and listing of the names of each house in the guidebook, it is best to succumb to the relaxed flow of water and slowly turn your head from one architectural creation to another.
There are a lot of tourists in Venice. Even so: well, there are a lot of tourists! To enjoy the views of San Marco, you have to come here at dawn.
Cathedrals of Venice
Separately, it is worth highlighting the cathedrals and temples of the city on the water, since the cultural values \u200b\u200bstored there can compete in importance with the collections of not the most seedy museums in the world. For example, the Church of San Zaccaria, where you can enjoy the works of the greatest artists of the 17-18 centuries - Bellini, Tintoretto, Tiepolo or Trevisani. Three unique altarpieces by Luca Giordano are displayed in the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute, the largest domed church in the city. Here: Titian with his "Sacrifice of Abraham", "David killing Goliath" and "The Descent of the Holy Spirit."
The architecture of the Jesuit Church of Santa Maria Assunta by Domenico Rossi is noteworthy. Finally, you can visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, the territory for which was presented to the Franciscans by the famous statesman Jacopo Tiepolo, or the parish church of Tintoretto, where his remains are now buried, namely, the Church of Madonna dell'Orto.
Venice museums
Museums are now open in many old palaces in Venice, including such famous ones as the Peggy Guggenheim collection (a large collection of modern art in Italy) or the Accademia Gallery with masterpieces of Venetian artists of the 13-18 centuries. Standing apart is the Correr City Museum, whose historical and art collections on the two upper floors of the New Procuration offices tell the story of the city.
In general, contemporary art is an important focus of all local gatherings. For example, it is worth visiting the International Gallery of Contemporary Art Santa Croce or the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Ca'Pesaro Palace on the Grand Canal. The works, of course, are non-trivial, at times shocking, but on the other hand, they are extremely successful in shaking up tourists who have become crumpled with ancient elegance.
Another type of popular exhibitions devoted to traditional crafts is the Lace Museum on Burano Island, and the Murano Glass Museum, where, however, they mainly go for shopping, and only then - for the fascinating story of the guide. These include the Museum of the History of the Navy in Venice.
Venice for kids
It is not easy with small children in Venice: it is inconvenient to move around with a stroller, as there are a lot of tourists around, and there are practically no parks or playgrounds. (Practically does not mean at all: in the Park of Memories, Parco delle Rimembranze, there are playgrounds, but it is located on the eastern end of the island, far from the center.) But with more or less grown-up guys, it's already more fun. The best "fun" for them in Venice is a gondola ride. If this is too expensive a way to entertain your child and yourself, you should definitely take a ride on the vaporetto route number 1, which runs along the Grand Canal past its charming mansions.
Children will like to look for unusual boats according to the check-list compiled by their parents in advance: they saw a garbage truck, an ambulance boat, a fire-fighting boat and similar city services that move exclusively by boats. The “Coca-Cola boat” evokes a special delight, delivering the drink to the doors of shops and restaurants.
If you have enough time, you can swim to the island of Murano, where in one of the workshops you can see the art of glass blowing. It is almost impossible to hold back and not buy a souvenir. Or take the elevator to Campanile in Piazza San Marco. Breathtaking views and dizzying heights are a worthy reward for long hours of sightseeing, as well as amazing Italian ice cream.
Culturally, you should pay attention to the Shipbuilding Museum and Arsenal, where amazing models of ships and old caravels are kept, or go to one of the carnival workshops where masks are made. Finally, another interesting game for the children will be the search for the winged lion - a kind of mascot and symbol of Venice. On the facades of houses, on the T-shirts of street vendors, above doorways and underfoot - this character appears everywhere, just have time to turn your head. The winner is the one who finds more lions.
In bad weather, you can spend a couple of wonderful hours in the Lorenzo Bettini Library, near San Marco. Board games in different languages, a lot of illustrated albums and books on english language and even a separate room for the little ones - from 0 to 4. If kids 3-6 years old speak English at the very least or do not hesitate to be left alone with a flock of multilingual children and a lot of toys, you can take them to the Casa Macchietta where for 5 EUR they will be looked after by experienced teachers for 2 hours.
Weather
Average monthly temperature, ° C day and night
january
february
Winter in Venice is the perfect time for romantics: rain, fog, deserted streets and canals, and, of course, very low prices.
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