Each country has such a place which divides people as the age-old question : milk or cornflakes first? Macedonia has Skopje, France Paris and Italy has … Venice! So many myths, stories and rumours make people wander what actually they can expect? Let me tell how to have the best stay in Venice, what to see, where to eat, how to avoid crowds and not spend too much!
What you will find in this article:
- where to stay ine Venice & awesome hostel recommendation
- how to get from the airport : Treviso & Marco Polo to the city center
- how to walk around Venice & what to see
- the most beautiful and FREE viewpoint in Venice
- where & what to eat – gastroVenice
ACCOMODATION
What an incredible spot! The hostel I booked turned out to be beyond my expectations! The huge, modern building which I passed twice on the street turned out to be MY hostel! AO Hotel is such a gem! Clean rooms, extre clean bathrooms, super friendly staff, good localisation – close to the station and the bus stop, honestly, 10/10!
It’s located in Mestre – for those of you who want to save some money without wasting time on commuting to the centre of Venice, Mestre will be a great solution. Within 15min, for 1.70 euro you can get the bus to the centre of Venice – number 2 and 8 which goes that often that there is no point to remembering other numbers :d
HOW TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT
Venice has two airports: Marco Polo and Treviso. In both cases, taking the bus will be the easiest option. From Treviso to the centre one way ticket costs 12euro (22euro if you but return ticket) and within 50min you are at the Stazione di Venezia di Santa Lucia. Marco Polo is closer to the city centre : 15/20 mins, 10euros (18euros for the return ticket). Each two of those buses stop in Mestre.
Venice: for who?
Venice cannot be compared to any other city. However trivial it may sound, it’s one of a kind. The simple fact that it was built on the water, makes it special straight away! The city was founded on 118 islands of the Venetian Lagoon, which has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Exactly, this is the perfect definition of Venice : it’s the national treasure. Those of you, who love Indiana Jones movies, treasure hunting with Ben Gates will fall in love with Venice! It’s like an open-air museum connected with treasure hunting, you never know what you can expect on the next corner.
However, with my Inspiration Guide it wll be easier for you < sound of the whip shooting> if you know, you know
1.Find out what Venice is NOT!
Cannareggio is told to be for the connoisseurs. It gives the impression that time here stands still. Each alley is a different history – Cannareggio is the epitome of it. This is where the oldest Jewish quartet has been located, where the word “ghetto” was born. The climate of this place concentrates in laundry hanging on the balconies, old gentlemen seeking shelter from the burning sun and nonnas going back home from the grocery shopping. Why do I suggest to start immersing in Venice here? To see by yourself that Venice is not merely tourists mecca but primarily it’s the city with over 1600 years of history, it lives in its own pace despite crowds.
Just cross Ponte delle Ghuglie and turn left towards Rio del Ghetto to find yourself in this completely different world! Then, through either Ponte de Ghetto Vecchio or Ponte de Ghetto Novo, enter Ghetto Ebraico – packed with temples and monuments. Cannareggio lives at its own pace, immerse in Venetian lifestyle here: stop by for Aperol and cicchettini, tiny sandwiches with various toppings, to fully enhance it.
2. See Venice in the morning…
Probably, the most controversial part of my Venice Inspirations Guide! Not because it encourages to get up early :d
Numerous times I’ve heard that being early in the city of Venice is not worth it at all. Because of rubbish collection, store and restaurant deliveries and since Venice is built on water, all those smells combine together and gives unbearable stench and sorry sight. What a bullshit tho :d Even once I haven’t experienced that and I’ve been twice to Venice!
My reflection was quite the opposite : mornings allow you to see how Venice lives on the daily basis. To see how perfectly they master living on the water and boats! The city street are still calm and quiet in the morning, but the canals teem with life!
The perfect morning in Italy consists also of coffee and cornetto – one of the best I’ve tried are in Cafe Tiziano, next to Rialto Bridge. Make sure to try also zaletti veneziani – cornflour cookies with raisins soaked in grappa, alcohol digested from grapes.
3. … and in the afternoon: the best spots for the sunset in Venice!
A walk along the canals of Dorsoduro at this time of the day is particularly atmospheric! This university district has this vibe of the last classes at school, right before the summer break, when the students would rather skip classes than attend them in stuffy school rooms.
Another epic place for the sunset, next to Rialto Bridge! I don’t mean the bridge itself, this place is like huge human being, but inconspicous square next to ot! Campo Erberia provides both, the place and the view to enjoy sunset in Venice! For the life of me, I could not understand those people fighting for a few inches at Rialto, while a few metres away there is such a perfect place for photos or picnic. Soooo… grab strawberries, focaccia and prosciutto (Coop is on the corner) and treat yourself to a picnic by the canal ** .
4. When you think Venice, you see…
…. Saint Mark’s Square, right? Well, quite right! ’cause it’s been called by Napoleon ” the graetest salon in Europe” not without reason. The Square is like an open-air museum!
St.Mark’s Basilica proof of generosity of Venetian doges and … the theft! Precisely! Once, on the balconies of the Basilica there were four sculptures made out of bronze of ancient horses stolen from Constantinopole during the Fourth Crusade. The evil mastermind, right? Steal something in the daylight and exposed it in the most important building in the city… Nowadays, those original sculptures are exhibited in the museum of the Basilica, replaced by their replicas.
The Doge’s Palace, around which Venice was born. This place has witnessed a lot! Hatching a plot, sentencing to death penalty and even executing it! It was even the prison for Casanova – not too long, he escaped a few months later. The Doge’s Palace, once the residence of the might Doges, still dazzles with intricacy and splendor.
Where can be found the oldest cafe in Venice? On the Mark’s Square as well! Cafe Florian serves coffee incessantly since 1720!
What is beautiful about the Square is also, undeniably, the view … the Lagoon stretches on the horizon!
PS. Hope you’ll be there before noon. From hour to hour, the Square fills up with tourists and even though it does not loose it charm, it looses the opportunity to admire it. It’s time then to get away from here! Only a few minutes away, Dal Moro’s to the rescue! It’s graet place to grab lunch, pasta to go. Tasty, affordable and number of options – my fav was pesto, ofc :d Grab it and enjoy siiting at the benches of Giardini Ex Reali, looking at the gondols at Traghetto Gondola Molo.
5.How to get away … from crowds?
… Castello is the answear! Before I tell you more about the place, let me take you for a calm through Venitian alleys.
Leaving St.Mark’s Square, a must see is obviusly the Bridge of Sighs. However, do not do it like regular tourists! The best view is on the opposite side, on Ponte de Canonica! Less people, better photos. Then, from there go straight on and through Ponte de San Provolo you’ll get to little square, Campo San Zacaria with the church of the same name. Charming, quiet place, surrounded by beautiful cloisters! Tiny but there is always a space left for gelateria: Zacca serves delicious ice cream – their pistacchio is next level!
From Campo San Zacaria to our destination is only a few minutes : Fondamenta de Fazza l’Arsenal! The part of Castello where you can take a break from hustle and bustle of Saint Mark’s Square. Peacefull canals, colourfull buildings, Ponte de Paradiso – what a suitable name – sounds like a plan, right?
6. Free viewpoint in Venice!
You cannot miss this place! Forget the ridicilously expensive view points on Saint Mark’s Square or Contarini del Bovolo! reserve your visit in Fondaco dei Tedeschi! It’s luxurious shopping center which rooftop provides truly breathtaking view on the Canal Grande! The only thing which ypu need to do is reserve your visit on their website – they’re usually fully booked so makeit in advance. Then you’re given 15 minutes on the top. Trust me, it’s enough for taking a photo and getting enough of this view. NO rush, group of more or less 15 people are admitted so you will have a chance to enjoy it without crowds around you.
7. Have you heard about this famous laundry?
Yes, you have not misheard! The most famous laundry is on the one of venetian islands! Burano is famous for its colours! It’s all thanks to the sailors who years and years ago, painted their houses in vivid colours to find their houses in the dense fog of the Lagoon. Hence, people still live there and life goes on as before. With that difference thar more people come there to see those colourfull building with laundry hanging on their balconies. The locals laughed that their laundry is the most often photographed one :d
Nonetheless, Burano is like taken straight from the fairytale! Walkable, tiny island, perfect for dolce far niente! Get lost there to see its hidden gems 🙂 One of them is certainly hard to miss, or not to smell! Panificio Pasticceria Garbo on Fundamenta San Mauro bakes like there is no tomorrow! Their cookies are divine and sell like, well, hot cakes :d The sooner you’ll be there, the more likely you’ll be lucky enough to buy their cantucci. Warm, smelling of almonds…. Burano must! The place is run by gorgeous old gentleman, the onwer who always make sure that there is cantucci for everyone!
Certainly, there is more to see in Venice. However, the point is not to see MORE but BETTER, it’s not the quantity but quality that matters.
** make sure that picnicing is allowed in the particular spot! According to law in Venice, you cannot sit and eat by the canals, however what I was always doing was to check withe the city guard or people already sitting there whether it can be done somewhere or not. I’ve never heard ‘no’ 🙂 Just double check!
