Venice in march - any tips please???

Dunroamin

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Venice is stunning to begin with, romantic etc but it actually gets a bit boring if you spend more than 2 days there as apart from the galleries, churches etc there is not that much to do. Oh yes, don't expect much in the way of ethnic restaurants - they don't seem to exist in Italy! Pizza here is much better so seafood may be your best bet.

I can't believe you think that - I've spent 2 x 1 week holidays in Venice and feel as if I've only scratched the surface! There is so much to see and do away from the tourist haunts around San Marco and the Rialto that many people never get near.

I can't see why anyone would want to be in a European country (particularly if for only a couple of days) and start wanting a Chinese or a curry either.

Dunroamin

CountryGoose wrote: »

€6.5 for a single trip makes the tube seem good value
€18 for a 24 hour ticket is not cheap in my book.

Also, no discount for kids 6 or over, other than a hard to find 3 day rover.

The single tickets are expensive and I admit I hadn't thought of children as it doesn't seem a particularly good place to visit with them. The one week tickets are a bargain at 50 euros, particularly if you spend a lot of time travelling around the lagoon, as we do.

DUKE

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

We were offered the gondola ride for half price in the afternoon.

The pizza I had in Venice was to die for but it was rather expensive.

Do buy a map.

It has already been mentioned but in case there's any doubt - do not buy anything from St Mark's Square, unless you've won the lottery.

You'll have a great time - enjoy!

breadlinebetty

johnnyreggae wrote: »

The whole point is to explore by getting lost - there are sometimes signs on walls pointing towards major sites - if you ask the locals the way they will always reply sempre diritto - straight on - and it usually works

Food can be expensive or cheap depending on what it says on the menu outside - it may be local it may not - isn't that your choice ? There's always McDonalds

I heard even the 'cheap' restaurants in Venice were expensive! As it happens, I am prepared to pay extra for the privilege of being in one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world, and as I don't go there every month it's not going to bakrupt me splashing out on super expensive meals for a few nights. But that isn't to say I still I'd turn my nose up at good deal - where the food is top notch and tradional and at a good price too!:money:

I have seen some menus online where the starters are around 20 euros, and one restaurant has a set meal for 200 euros per person (without wine) - so I was just wondering if they're all that expensive?

Definitely won't be hunting out McDonalds! I never eat them here - so I certainly wouldn't eat them in one of the world's best gastronomical countries!:rotfl:

breadlinebetty

Dunroamin wrote: »

I can't believe you think that - I've spent 2 x 1 week holidays in Venice and feel as if I've only scratched the surface! There is so much to see and do away from the tourist haunts around San Marco and the Rialto that many people never get near.

I can't see why anyone would want to be in a European country (particularly if for only a couple of days) and start wanting a Chinese or a curry either.

I have heard some people who visit Venice regularly and are still discovering new things each time. Plus, you have all the islands to discover.....

Obviously, as this is my first time I will be doing the main attractions, especially as I'll be in St Marks, but I'll explore away from the main ones too - time permitting!

Although St Marks is an expensive area, I will travel out of there, either by water bus or simply walking and discovering. I've heard St Mark's is lovely at night and first thing in the morning, as most of the tourists have gone, including the workers, so it's a lovely time of day and night to explore St Marks without all the hordes. I read that it takes on a whole new atmosphere?

Couldn't agree more about the food. I wouldn't dream of not eating local Italian in Italy! One of the best cuisines in the world, and what some people actually go to Italy for!:)

Mands

breadlinebetty wrote: »

I have seen some menus online where the starters are around 20 euros, and one restaurant has a set meal for 200 euros per person (without wine) - so I was just wondering if they're all that expensive?

No, they aren't all that price. There are plenty of places where two of you can get two courses and a bottle of wine and get change out of 100€. Not cheap, but not as expensive as the ones you've seen online.

Other tips:
* Get a map but don't try and use street names to navigate, it's not like a normal city. Instead look for a bridge and a church or two and use those as your reference points, in Venice it's much more effective.

* A few days before you go check the likely acqua alta conditions. Whilst there's nothing you can do to prevent the water being high at least you can prepare for the sight of the duckboards and platforms and perhaps plan footwear accordingly.

* It's possible to pre-book a timed slot for St Peter's. It costs 1€ but having pre-booked you can walk directly to the front of the queue, which is often hundreds of people long.

* Enjoy getting lost, it's part of the charm of Venice.

* If you like preplanning then there are some lovely little shops where you can pick up future presents. On our last trip I came away with calligraphy pens and ink, earrings, handmade notebooks and so on. Yes, there's a small price premium but operating in Venice isn't cheap and all those things were sub 20€. The paper and book items are absolutely gorgeous.

HTH,
Mands

sunshinetours

Burano is the island with the coloured houses. Take a camera its very pretty. take a warm coat for boat trip as cold that time of year outside potentially on lagoon

Contrary to what people are saying here - do sit and have a drink in the outside of one the main cafe's (Quaddri or instance) in the evening and ask for wine list if you like wine. A bottle of wine offers best value for a drink IMO at one of these places and if you order a bottle you have a seat for a few hours and can listen to the mini orchestras playing for your enjoyment whilst soaking up the atmosphere. We still talk about one such evening a number of years on as its was just lovely. I would do that rather than an expensive average meal personally. venice to my mind does not live up to much of the rest of italy for food.

As for wines well you have to have a bottle of Prosecco in my mind but any more local wine would be probably best choice. Italy has a lot of soft easy drinking reds so just ask for some local recommendations from treviso region for instance.
There are lots of little taverna type wine bars all around the city in the back streets etc so be brave and go in a try what the locals drink and eat - its so much cheaper and so much fun!

Other MSE tips - well walking is definitely one and in my mind best way to see the main part of Venice. Fill up on breakfast at your hotel so you don't need expensive snacks everywhere.
Keep your valuable close especially round Rialto and don't fall for any of the scams of street tricks, people with large newspapers bumping into you (to pinch your wallet), and north African bag/jewellery sellers on the Lagoon front bridges.
Avoid the touts selling "opera" tickets as its will be a "cheap" and nasty concert.
Do have an ice cream whilst walking round instead of a dessert (try meringue ice cream - wow!).
Have your main meal at lunchtime for better value.

Most of all enjoy - its a unique place

Barny1979

Also if you buy something from a cafe, they charge additional for the priviledge of sitting down. Bought a fanta and a bottle of water and it cost 7 euros in January 2010.

miss_independent

One tip I'd like to pass on is to take warm clothes with you, we went toward the end of April and it was really cold and we were totally unprepared! It was sunny and it didn't rain but we had taken summery clothes and it was actually colder than it was at home lol. On the plus side, the water wasn't as smelly as it can get when it is hot! Oh and I wouldnt recommend eating at an Indian restaurant while you are there. When I was there there were only two, the one I didnt go to my friends all got food poisoning, the other one (run by a very interesting German woman dressed in a Mandarin suit) served us Space Cake (we thought it was just chocolate cake!) and I got food poisoning off the prawns. Being high with food poisoning in Venice is not fun!

Bongedone

I went at the end of November.

Go to an Osteria (bar) and get a panini. You can get them full of expensive Parma ham and they only cost 3.50 euros. They also do finger food items at 1 euro each.

There are quite a few a just passed St Marks Square up one of the back streets.