Venice - Venezia Unica card

pegginout

We are Travelling to Venice in June and would like to do it as MSE as possible!
I would love to go on a gondola, just once, as it is on my bucket list so that is definitely going to happen!

What I would like to know is has anyone been and used a Venezia Unica card?
http://www.veneziaunica.it/en/e-commerce/services

It looks good in principal, for the water buses but do I really need to buy a public toilet pass? What if I get caught short? Are there no free toilets anywhere?
Also the wifi pass? Does anywhere do free wifi like in the UK?
Any advice would be gratefully received :beer:

labp04

Venice = our most favourite place in Europe and beyond! The water buses are a great way to get quickly from one part of the city to another but, if you are able, walking is our favoured way of getting around and it never surprises how many "new things/places" no matter how many times we've been in the same area previously, we stumble upon. Just being there (and thinking about it now) brings a smile. You haven't said how you are getting there but if you are flying to Marco Polo and staying in the city, then do take a water taxi into the city, it costs a fair bit but the sites, wow, you'll have memories forever - unless it's foggy.

If money saving is important for you then a street or two back from the major sites usually reveals big savings for many things especially food and drink. It is also often worth walking past a few places and checking the prices, this always surprises!

I know nothing of "free wi-fi" (internet access is generally expensive in Italy compared to the UK) and the only "free" toilets we've come across are in cafes, bars and the like.

Be very careful when negotiating a gondola; be clear about length of trip, sites to be seen and cost. I've seen too many aggrieved people. If you can manage without a long trip on a gondola, then maybe this is where Vaporettos come into their own as a way of seeing major sites and, yes, passes are a good economical choice. However, if it is only a short trip in a gondola you fancy, then there is a system of traghetti which ordinary Venetians use to cross the Grand Canal at various points which are usually shown on the tourist maps and well sign posted around the city, cost a couple of euro and can be hopped on very easily. Guess it depends how much time you have available. Speaking of which, a little bit of planning can pay dividends and ensure you see whatever if it is that takes your fancy. For sure, unless you are going for several months, you will be faced with impossible choices about what not to visit.

Reckon I've waxed on enough here and don't like ending on a downer but do be security conscious because pick pocketing is rife and would ruin your holiday if you were to become a victim. This means keeping wallets, purses and the like well out of site, using safes wherever you are staying and carrying the minimum in cash and cards. Above all, try to keep the brain in gear whilst soaking up all the fantastic sites, sounds and smells you will enjoy in this great city. For sure, it always leaves us longing for more no matter how many times we have been or how long we have stayed.

Raymondo111

labp04 wrote: »

Venice = our most favourite place in Europe and beyond! The water buses are a great way to get quickly from one part of the city to another but, if you are able, walking is our favoured way of getting around and it never surprises how many "new things/places" no matter how many times we've been in the same area previously, we stumble upon. Just being there (and thinking about it now) brings a smile. You haven't said how you are getting there but if you are flying to Marco Polo and staying in the city, then do take a water taxi into the city, it costs a fair bit but the sites, wow, you'll have memories forever - unless it's foggy.

If money saving is important for you then a street or two back from the major sites usually reveals big savings for many things especially food and drink. It is also often worth walking past a few places and checking the prices, this always surprises!

I know nothing of "free wi-fi" (internet access is generally expensive in Italy compared to the UK) and the only "free" toilets we've come across are in cafes, bars and the like.

Be very careful when negotiating a gondola; be clear about length of trip, sites to be seen and cost. I've seen too many aggrieved people. If you can manage without a long trip on a gondola, then maybe this is where Vaporettos come into their own as a way of seeing major sites and, yes, passes are a good economical choice. However, if it is only a short trip in a gondola you fancy, then there is a system of traghetti which ordinary Venetians use to cross the Grand Canal at various points which are usually shown on the tourist maps and well sign posted around the city, cost a couple of euro and can be hopped on very easily. Guess it depends how much time you have available. Speaking of which, a little bit of planning can pay dividends and ensure you see whatever if it is that takes your fancy. For sure, unless you are going for several months, you will be faced with impossible choices about what not to visit.

Reckon I've waxed on enough here and don't like ending on a downer but do be security conscious because pick pocketing is rife and would ruin your holiday if you were to become a victim. This means keeping wallets, purses and the like well out of site, using safes wherever you are staying and carrying the minimum in cash and cards. Above all, try to keep the brain in gear whilst soaking up all the fantastic sites, sounds and smells you will enjoy in this great city. For sure, it always leaves us longing for more no matter how many times we have been or how long we have stayed.

Gondola costs should be fixed price, all should have a licence and the Gondola stations on the waterfront by St Marks Square should be able to quote you. Costs don't seem to have gone up much in the last 2 years, in June 2013 it was 80euros for 1/2 hour for up to 4 people and the same in September 2014. If you want longer times or very specific trips it will obviously cost a lot more, I think there is a tariff somewhere on the visit Venice Website but just Google Venice Gondola prices and you should get the info you need.

Most cafes/bars have free wi-fi but the service is a bit patchy and you still need to buy a drink etc. Public toilets are not very plentiful and I remember following the toilets signs from near St Marks Square and it took a good 10 minutes walk through lots of back streets to find the toilet and then you had to pay either 1.50 or 2 euros to use it.

pegginout

Thank you!
We are flying into MPolo then already got transport to hotel paid in with the trip.
Yes, we will be aware there are pickpockets, I guess all big cities have them vile folk trying to ruin your stay!
We are going to get a travel pass for the water buses for 3 days so we can scoot about easier, we are staying right by a boat stop, Fondamente nova? It's opposite the cemetray apparently!!!!

sentosa

We love Venice!!
We found a great website by an American travel writer:

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/italy

Rick Steves writes travel guides for Ports of Call for cruise passengers who want to do their own tours.

He gives lots of great advice, but the most MSE are his audio tours.!:T

Very easy to download onto a tablet or mp3 or phone, put your headphones in and away you go.

In Venice the best one is the Grand Canal Tour which you do on a Vaparetto, it tells you all about the buildings you pass as you go along. He does St Marks Square and St Marks Basilica audio tours. He also provides tour maps that you print out so you can see exactly where you are on the tours.

He also gives advice about how to 'skip the queues' at a lot of attractions. I think we paid 2 Euros each to do that at St Marks Basilica.He provided a map of which door we should approach, the queues were right round the square, we followed his instructions(having printed off our receipt before leaving home) and went straight in. Not exactly MSE, but time saving!!!!:p

Enjoy Venice.

Andypandyboy

Yes, you can skip the lines at quite few sites in Venice and it will be worth doing so in June as it wll be busy. Wifi in lots of cafes, so I wouldn'y pay for that, toilets, again cafes and bars or the station. If you want a different tour do the Viator ghost tour it is really interesting. You will love it.