Plus Venice City Guide for Your Pocket
Welcome to the latest funky info packed city guide for your pocket.
Just print it off for when you are cruising past the sights of Venice.
afterwards you can pass it on to someone else, make an origami shape,
keep it as a souvenir or recycle it in some other tree huggin' hippy
way.
LANGUAGE- ITALIAN
English is becoming more widely known but more among the younger generations and those trying to be trendy. It is useful to know a few numbers and short phrases to get you around. See our printable phrase guide to help you along.
CURRENCY- EURO €1EU =$1.19USD =£0.68GBP (02/06)
Cash machines or ATMs are called Bancomats. These accept all major credit cards and any with the PLUS or Maestro logos.
TIME- CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME (GMT+1HR)
Daylight savings (+1) starts the last Sunday in March and ends(-1) the last Sunday in October. 24hr commonly used.
PHONE- AREA CODE 0039
Local phone boxes can take credit cards or you can buy international phone cards and 'Telefonica scheda' cards from a Tabacchi outlet (they have the big 'T' sign).
EMERGENCIES
| AMBULANCE | 118 |
| FIRE | 115 |
| POLICE | 112 |
OTHER NUMBERS
| POLICE STATION | 041 271 06 64 | Fondamenta di San Lorenzo, Castello 5053 |
| CENTRAL INFORMATION LINE | 041 529 87 11 | |
| MAIN TOURIST OFFICE | PIAZZA SAN MARCO 7 | |
| INFO POINT | VENICE PAVILLION | |
| ACTV BUSES | 041 272 27 23 | |
| OSPEDALE CIVILE | 041 529 41 11 | Campo SS Giovanni e Paolo |
Getting to and around Venice
VENICE AIRPORT (MARCO POLO)
The closer of the two airports. It carries internal and international flights. The location is naturally on the mainland beside the lagoon and is connected to the city by 30min bus ride, taxi and Alilaguna fast ferry.
TREVISO AIRPORT (SAN GIUSEPPE)
A small domestic airport that deals mainly in Italian only flights as well as Ryanair. Connection to Venice is by bus.
The majority of local and European trains arrive at and depart from Stazione di Santa Lucia which is on the north west tip of Venice central.
The intercity SITA and local buses stop at the main terminal Piazzale Roma on the north west side of Venice central. Plus camping Alba D'Oro's shuttle bus arrives and departs from here, check this website for times - www.plusvillages.com
Tickets are a little more at €1.50 for a single and must be validated in the yellow machines inside the bus. You must buy these from the Tabacci's, ACTV outlets and ticket machines as the drivers don't sell them . The destinations are written on the front of the bus.
Cheap and environmentally friendly. Venice is a walkers paradise as there are no worries about traffic as there are no roads! Just lots of bridges.
This is the Venice metro system and a good alternative to a pricey gondola ride. The tickets are expensive however, you can also be charged more for buying on the boat and carrying luggage. The single water bus fare is € 3,50 for one journey on the Venice network, The fare for a shuttle journey from one stop to the next one across the Grand Canal, or on the section between Lido and S. Elena, or S. Giorgio and S. Zaccaria, is € 1,80. Or try the "Grand Canal Ticket" € 5.00. This ticket is valid only for the Grand Canal route. It is valid for 90 minutes and more than 1 trip is allowed in this period.
What to see in Venice
The original home to the doges of the Veneto, you can visit the impressive rooms with renaissance artworks of international standing, see where they held their law courts, the prison Casanova escaped from and now many art exhibitions.
These are the one of the most recognisable images of Venice. The traditional black colours are as distinguishable as a black cab in London, and just as revered. Passed down through the generations they will take you through the narrow canals and they will even serenade you for an additional fee if you are feeling particularly romantic. Night-time rides are especially enjoyable as the noise of the day is gone and the lights reflecting off the water make a uniquely individual experience.
Relegated by ducal decree in 1291 to this island after one too many fires, the glass artisans continue their traditional craft of creating some of the finest decorations and glass products in the world. It was the first place in the world to create mirrors as well as refined methods for creating gem look-alikes. You can reach Murano with a 10min vaporetti ride. Most factories offer free walk-in to view the artisans at work or you can take up the offer from the touts in Piazza San Marco. The Museum in the centre has glass from Egyptian times and examples of glass from over the centuries.
Lacework is also another prized traditional craft dating back to 15thC, branching out from the mending of fishing nets by the women and becoming popular during fashionable 'ruff' periods of the 16thC . Richard III of England was said to have a 'triumph of laces from the Venice lagoon' about his neck at his coronation. Reachable by a 40min Vaporetti ride the many restaurants and beautiful buildings are also a good reason to go.
The only place where the pigeons outnumber the tourists. Stand in the centre and marvel at the intricate façade of the basilica. Get a crick in your neck looking up at the Campanile, wander the square listening to the orchestral music, gaze at the gondolas and cruise ships floating past. The square is also home to a number of smart cafes and restaurants, great for people and pigeon watching, just beware the closer to the pigeons you sit the more expensive the coffee. Kicking the pigeons also results in a serious fine from the police, around $500 US.
Watch your step as you walk with the crowds through the front doors, years of flooding have made the mosaic floor a little undulating in places. You can go further into the basilica and on to the museum rooms for a fee or just admire the ceiling frescos and mind-boggling mosaics, dedicated to the city's patron Saint Anthony, whose remains are interred under the altar (1200yrs and 3 fires later).
This tower can claim to have been built twice as it was originally constructed in the 10thC but spontaneously fell down on 14th July 1902 and was rebuilt using all the same bricks. You can see the cracks in the loggia statues and façade down below as one man painstakingly put this part back together after the collapse. For a fee you can climb to the top of the bell tower to absorb the incredible view over Venice and the lagoon. You can also call your mum to tell her where you are. Supposedly the tower has the highest public payphone in Italy.
Ah the shining stars! For 10 days beginning the end of August Venice plays host to the film glitterati, mostly European but international films are also considered for the top award of the Golden Lion. Held on the island of the Lido, towards the north end of the lagoon it may pay to take a vaporetto ride out there if you want to catch a glimpse of the more notables. If you don't see any then there's a chance to stretch out on the sandy beach and soak up some sun instead.
If you want to see some artwork less than 400yrs old then a wander through these gardens and halls will bring you up to date with works by Picasso, Chagall, Miro, Dali and Bacon. The building itself is an interesting spectacle to look at amidst the typical Venetian architecture.
What to eat in Venice
Pick your own pizza or pasta meal with sauce and pasta combinations, cooked right in front of you. Pretty efficient service and pleasant setting, tasty and prices that won't break the budget.
Get away from the beaten tourist track and try following locals to their eatery as eating close to tourist sites is expensive.
The Italian version of a fast food joint. Pizza slices and combos from €3.50, good if you are in a rush. Often in busy places and train stations.
Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.
This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 15% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or just leave the change if it's a couple of euros and the service has been good.
Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One- look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.
If you've had your fill of culture and history in the day then it's time to let loose! However, be prepared, there isn't really one central area in Venice that offers a range of bars and nightclubs. Most of the locals tend to go out in mainland Mestre. There are a couple of mainstream bars that offer the usual mix of wine and cocktails. The music is a mix of pop, latin and jazz. A longtime favourite spot is Harry's Bar, birthplace of the Bellini.
(SEMI) WILDLIFE AREAS
Casanova, Round Midnight and Campo Santa Margherita
Things to do for free in Venice
A city built on sandy islets in the middle of a lagoon has provided the city fathers and engineers with a few headaches over the years but the resourceful residents take the regular flooding in their stride. If you are unlucky (or lucky depending on your point of view) enough to be around when the waters pay a visit the locals lay down raised wooden platforms through the streets to keep your toes dry.
This is the main waterway artery running through the centre of Venice, constantly in motion with the many vaporetti, delivery boats, gondolas, water taxis and police boats. A great way to see much of the city and cheaper than a gondola, take the vaporetti in the direction of Piazzale Roma and you will even get to go beneath the Rialto bridge.
One of the three commercially inhabited bridges in the world, and the oldest. This was the first stone constructed bridge after all the wooden ones burnt down or were washed away in the floods, the design was the result of a competition to solve the problem. The Rialto was also the commercial centre of Mediaeval Europe with traders and money lenders brokering deals from the south to the rest of Europe as well as the staging post for a few invasions elsewhere. Today you can stand on the top of the bridge and watch the water traffic pass beneath or pick up a few souvenirs from the many shops operating on it.
Some internet cafes now have broadband but most don't. Venice is an expensive place and you can expect to pay up to €8 per hour for usage.
CARNEVALE (FEBRUARY ONLY)
The weeks before lent begins are party time for Venetians and tourists alike. Its has been celebrated since 1162AD offering local residents a chance to let their hair down prior to the Lenten fast. Processions, masquerades, traditional ceremonies, music, street performers and all round entertainment fill the city for the 2 weeks at the end of February. It is still cold out so remember hats, gloves, thermals and scarves even if you really get into the spirit of things dancing around in the square with your mask on.
-WHAT A FACE
Even if you don't make it to Carnival the masks are a must. All are hand made or clearly marked where they are produced. A good mask seller will be able to point out the mass produced as opposed to the carefully hand crafted ones. They range from half-face to full-on head gear and most outlets will be able to arrange shipping and postage. The masks originally were intended to allow servants and masters to be anonymous during carnival and therefore anything went, with no retribution. Have a go at being someone else for a day.
These won't make you into an SAS commander but they may help avoid some difficulties as you travel around.