Venice - good or bad?
Discussion
I fancy a weekend break in the Spring and am debating choices. I've been to most of the popular places but not here, so I'm tempted.
I've got two (separate) friends who've been and they both really disliked it - one of the complaints being it was sooooo busy that it was just like being in the middle of the walk through an Ikea.
On the other hand, on a specialist car forum it was mentioned by chance a few months ago and everybody loved the place.
So any views on people who've been?
I've got two (separate) friends who've been and they both really disliked it - one of the complaints being it was sooooo busy that it was just like being in the middle of the walk through an Ikea.
On the other hand, on a specialist car forum it was mentioned by chance a few months ago and everybody loved the place.
So any views on people who've been?
Thanks, some useful answers. Sounds mostly positive but perhaps it's a Marmite place.
I looked briefly at costs a week or so back and it seemed a return flight was barely £100 and hotels were reasonable. Costs there don't bother me much - think I still have around 600 Euros from my last trip to Italy so I see this as almost a 'free' trip.
Will do some research over the weekend and consider booking a long weekend, maybe early May.
GuinnessMK said:
We went a few years back. Loved it, but you do need to plan the trip.
It seems that 99% of the tourists are day visitors, arriving by car, train, bus or boat. They arrive at the causeway or station and then rush to St Marks and back. They do that in 4 - 6 hours.
The Venetian's are pretty savvy, and the signs directing you from the station to St Mark's on either side of the Grand Canal sort of make a one way system for tourists. The signs from St Mark's back to the station follow a different set of streets.
So you basically have 4 main drags which are totally rammed with tourists, tat shops and expensive cafés. Wander off those streets and you find the real Venice.
Stay on the island itself and when the 99% have gone home, go for a drink and a meal with the locals. We totally loved the place, and the Venetian's we drank and ate with really seemed to appreciate those who stay on the island at night.
HTH
Interesting - that description explains quite well the comments my friends made. Sounds like they followed that route!It seems that 99% of the tourists are day visitors, arriving by car, train, bus or boat. They arrive at the causeway or station and then rush to St Marks and back. They do that in 4 - 6 hours.
The Venetian's are pretty savvy, and the signs directing you from the station to St Mark's on either side of the Grand Canal sort of make a one way system for tourists. The signs from St Mark's back to the station follow a different set of streets.
So you basically have 4 main drags which are totally rammed with tourists, tat shops and expensive cafés. Wander off those streets and you find the real Venice.
Stay on the island itself and when the 99% have gone home, go for a drink and a meal with the locals. We totally loved the place, and the Venetian's we drank and ate with really seemed to appreciate those who stay on the island at night.
HTH
I looked briefly at costs a week or so back and it seemed a return flight was barely £100 and hotels were reasonable. Costs there don't bother me much - think I still have around 600 Euros from my last trip to Italy so I see this as almost a 'free' trip.
Will do some research over the weekend and consider booking a long weekend, maybe early May.
13m said:
timbo999 said:
Brilliant, but don't sit down in the cafes... stand up coffees are MUCH cheaper as they are everywhere in Italy.
Plus of course at the gran caffes on St Mark's square you pay an additional 6 Euro per cover for the music. It's expensive, but you've got to do it once.
BigMon said:
We went a few years ago.
A few things I'd mention:
- If you go when it's warm, the mosquitos are horrendous. I got bitten so badly waiting for a water taxi that I'm now allergic to insect bites.
- I think you can do the lot easily in two days. Three would be pushing it to be honest.
- We stayed on the Lido and I'd wholeheartedly recommend doing that. Much cheaper, still stunning, about a ten minute water bus ride from Venice and far less tourists
- The hotel we stayed at was http://www.casanovavenice.com/ and it was great. Easy walking distance to everywhere, lovely breakfast including coffees that the owner would prepare on the machine for you. I'd stay there again if I went back.
I must admit, I'm considering making it an autumn trip - or an earlier trip - and your comment about mosquitoes might tip the balance. I fancy a trip around May time but the late Easter and ridiculous bank holiday schedule in this country means I'm reluctant to book time off mid-May (and flights on bank holiday weekend are predictably ridiculous).A few things I'd mention:
- If you go when it's warm, the mosquitos are horrendous. I got bitten so badly waiting for a water taxi that I'm now allergic to insect bites.
- I think you can do the lot easily in two days. Three would be pushing it to be honest.
- We stayed on the Lido and I'd wholeheartedly recommend doing that. Much cheaper, still stunning, about a ten minute water bus ride from Venice and far less tourists
- The hotel we stayed at was http://www.casanovavenice.com/ and it was great. Easy walking distance to everywhere, lovely breakfast including coffees that the owner would prepare on the machine for you. I'd stay there again if I went back.
Will see how I feel over the weekend - I will do something in May but perhaps something more local.
Well, I got bored at work yesterday and started browsing Venice flights again. I'd decided against May, and started looking for March - found 8pm flights on a Friday evening, and 10pm flights back on a Sunday evening - perfect, a weekend in Venice without having to take any leave. Unfortunately, when I tried to make payment it didn't succeed because our work internet makes us look like we're in Germany and it objected to the location.
Which was fortunate, because I then realised that landing in Venice at around midnight gave limited options for getting from the airport to the hotel.
Turns out that although the May bank holidays were very expensive to fly - Easter wasn't, at least if you chose the right flights. So I now have Easter booked in Venice - fly early Friday evening to arrive around 9.30 and fly back late on the Monday. Flights only cost about £50 more than flying in March, weather should be warmer but not yet mosquito season and hopefully it will be a pleasant trip. Probably a day more than I need there I think, but I figured a day more was better than a day too little - albeit at the cost of a nights hotel.
Which was fortunate, because I then realised that landing in Venice at around midnight gave limited options for getting from the airport to the hotel.
Turns out that although the May bank holidays were very expensive to fly - Easter wasn't, at least if you chose the right flights. So I now have Easter booked in Venice - fly early Friday evening to arrive around 9.30 and fly back late on the Monday. Flights only cost about £50 more than flying in March, weather should be warmer but not yet mosquito season and hopefully it will be a pleasant trip. Probably a day more than I need there I think, but I figured a day more was better than a day too little - albeit at the cost of a nights hotel.
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