Viva Venice

Alcmene

Hello friends

Two of us are going to Venice in April. I was hoping that those of you who have been before can give us some tips. I have heard it is terribly expensive so anything money saving is appreciated.

I am also keen to go to the opera/theatre, should I book tickets beforehand? I am unsure as to how to do this.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Pee

Get a guidebook so that you can check out where the hotels are. I stayed in Canereggio and I think the hotels there and especially around the station are the cheaper ones. The waterboat taxi service meant it was really easy to get about. Venice is not that big. You get a three day ticket for the waterbuses, which might have been E27 but includes trips out to Murano and Burano.

I found a small pizzeria on a back street near the station and usually stuck to delicious pizza with prosecco, which made me feel very indulged without spending too much.

Should you go on a gondola? We didn't, but I think this is a false economy, as means I have to go back.... but there is a gondola which just goes across the canal like a ferry called a traghettori, I think, and that was E1 for two of us. You have to stand up going across, which is exhilerating, to say the least. I wouldn't miss that for the world!!!!

My boyfriend is very into classical music, but anythng I found for us to see whilst we were there looked very touristy rather than really musical. (That was end of February, so maybe another time of year would be easier.)

Alcmene

Thank you for your advice. I have got several guidebooks and am enjoying reading them.

Does anyone know of any websites I can buy tickets from for events in Venice?

wolfytom2009

We stayed in a lovely little place called the San Moise.

We didn't find it that expensive over there but if you want to save a few quid do what we did on a couple of occasions and eat in the Resto-Brek restaurant near the station. It's a national chain like Le Flunch in France and is great value for super food. There's one in Rome too - near Piazza Argentina.

Don't worry about the gondolas but do take the tout's tickets for a trip to Murano on the wooden speedboat. Don't spend any money in the factory shop despite the high pressure sales techniques (sulky pouting italian beauty will chuck you out of the factory's back door and leave you to find your own way back!) Don't worry, the ferry is dirt cheap and you got a free ride in the speed boat on the way there! The whole trip is a blast!

Finally find the sports/jazz bar that's just round the corner from San Moise and has a fantastic 'open to all musicians' night. What a night that was!

Be careful when choosing a concert to watch- there are some very poor/touristy events put on in churches. They even use taped background music to support the 'divas'!

Pee

I've tried googling Venice concerts, and that seems to have some suggestions along with the website www.teatrolafenice.it

There don't seem to be many responses here. I wonder whether you would have more luck on tripadviser or the lonely planet thorn tree.

BillTrac

As Wolfy said dont bother with the gondolas.too dear and often have to share unless you want to pay even more. But if you want a taster of a gondola ride, you can get a short gondola crossing for a few euros(actually crosses one of the canals just from one side to the other)
Stay off the main tourist areas (st marks square etc) and you can wander through the side routes and find small bars etc. Much better prices.

If you want you can buy a coffee elsewhere then walk into the square and listen to the different musicians without paying the high bar prices ther, just find somewhere to park your bum and enjoy

Just explore and you will be amazed at what you find.

Enjoy your trip

diamondsareforever

How I envy you.....loooove Venice. You are going to have a fantastic experience and if you love classical music and opera, Venice has it in spades. You can book in advance I guess but we have never bothered. If you want the full on opera experience then it's the Teatro La Fenice. But one of the nicest evenings we spent was listening to a little company of just 8, dressed in beautiful 18th century costumes performing opera in a little hall in the street running from the Rialto bridge towards St Mark's Square. Wonder through the streets at night and the sound of opera will lead you to them (they leave the doors open to entice you in). Or look for groups of people, dressed in costume, selling tickets during the day. However small the company, you'll hear wonderful opera....this is Italy after all!
To experence Venice at it's best stay in Venice itself if you can afford it, don't be tempted to stay acros the lagoon and visit during the day. However crowded it gets during the day (and it does get crowded whichever time of year you visit) the evenings are by far the most delightful time of day. You can feel the city relaxing as the majority of the day visitors leave on the boats. And for that most magical of ends to the day.......stroll into St Marks Square about 7 oclock and listen to the groups of musicians playing and trying to out-do each other outside the cafes. You can sit down and listen but you'll have to pay exhobitant prices for a drink. Most people just stand and listen and as one group take a break, wonder down to the next group and enjoy.
And yes it can be expensive but try a piece of pizza from a takeway stall, a loaf of fresh, just baked olive bread or a pastry from the bakers and a cappacino and park yourself in the sun in one of the many little squares.....ummmm. You'll never forget your first trip to Venice.........have a great time!

Ballymackeonan

Try Brek - it's an Italian cafeteria chain, there is one in Venice near the train station. A choice of main courses, pastas etc - I got a great seafood risotto there, with a "make up your own" bowl of salad and a ¼ litre of wine for about €11.

The cappucino index last time I was there was about €15 in St Mark's Square if you sat down, €3.20 at the Rialto and €1.80 at Brek.. eat outside the main tourist areas!

I'd also recommend getting a pass for the "buses" - land and water.. You can pick this up at the airport and it will cover your journey in as well as the vaporetti.

If you can get booked on it, the "secret itinerary" tour of the Doge's Palace is well worth the money. St Marks is a must-see, but avoid it, and the square, in the mornings - that's when the cruise ships get in.

Enjoy it - just wandering around is wonderful!

Alcmene

Does anyone know the most cost effective way of getting from Venice Aiport to Piazza San Marco please?

davidlizard

Alcmene wrote: »

Does anyone know the most cost effective way of getting from Venice Aiport to Piazza San Marco please?

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/venice_airport_buses.htm

From Piazzale Roma where the bus stops, transfer onto a Vaporetto (river bus) - you can get a three day pass, as you will probably be using these a fair bit.

There is also a water bus that costs around 10E, depending where you are going in Venice.

poet123

I love Venice sooo much. If you havent booked a hotel,try the Hotels Galleria,right on the Rialto,or Hotel Riva close to St Marks.

We took the secret tour of the Doges palace,no queuing if you buy in advance,and takes you up to the attics where Casanova was held,and into the places other tourists dont see. Really worth doing. We booked in advance and just walked in and up to the desk to collect the tickets,whilst the lines snaked around the building.

For cheap eats get hold of a copy of Chow Venice,library or Amazon or ebay will have one. Also visit slowtrav.com and do some research into Venice. Lots of really knowledgeable people post on there.

A word of warning though,I was robbed in a narrow "calle",my purse was taken from my zipped bag without my knowing,so be careful. That said I would be/will be back in a heartbeat