Venice

[balbyrover]

Has anybody been? If so did you enjoy It?

Just booked a 3 day break for the missus and myself!!

Any reccomendations?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Biggest one. Whatever you do, do NOT eat in the big tourist areas. St Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge etc. Highest prices on earth for dreadful food.

Go a few blocks off the beaten tracks and there are plenty of reasonably priced places.

Other than that, just take it in. It’s like nowhere on earth. Just go wandering round the little streets off the main tourist drag. There’s beautiful buildings and churches and view las down canals and museums and shops and galleries round every corner.

It’s worth getting on one of the vaporetto water taxis out to the other islands as well. Murano gift the glass workers etc. And you get very different views back to the main part of Venice from the other islands.

How are you getting there?

[silent majority]

I've been a couple of times and I just agree with BST. My only tip would be to get the hang of the vaporetto pretty quickly, it's a bus service that operates on the water. From there you can see just about everything without having to book private tours. The other tip would be the short gondola trips from one side of the grand canal to the other, cost just a couple of euros!

[tommy toes]

Been 3 times. Never fails to impress. Do as Billy says lots of good eateries in the back streets which are marvels in themselves.

[balbyrover]

Biggest one. Whatever you do, do NOT eat in the big tourist areas. St Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge etc. Highest prices on earth for dreadful food.

Go a few blocks off the beaten tracks and there are plenty of reasonably priced places.

Other than that, just take it in. It’s like nowhere on earth. Just go wandering round the little streets off the main tourist drag. There’s beautiful buildings and churches and view las down canals and museums and shops and galleries round every corner.

It’s worth getting on one of the vaporetto water taxis out to the other islands as well. Murano gift the glass workers etc. And you get very different views back to the main part of Venice from the other islands.

How are you getting there?

I'm flying from Manchester BST

[BillyStubbsTears]

Are young flying to Venice Marco Polo Airport?

If so, there’s two great ways to get from airport to Venice.
1) Get the vaporetto from the airport. Fantastic way to travel into Venice.
2) Get bus from the airport to Mestre station, then take the train over the pontoon bridge to Venice Santa Lucia station. It’s like arrivingvat any station in the world...till you exit out of the station concourse and you’re right in front of the Grand Canal. Best way to arrive at Venice. Unforgettable.

[balbyrover]

Are young flying to Venice Marco Polo Airport?

If so, there’s two great ways to get from airport to Venice.
1) Get the vaporetto from the airport. Fantastic way to travel into Venice.
2) Get bus from the airport to Mestre station, then take the train over the pontoon bridge to Venice Santa Lucia station. It’s like arrivingvat any station in the world...till you exit out of the station concourse and you’re right in front of the Grand Canal. Best way to arrive at Venice. Unforgettable.

I am yes mate.
Only problem is I am arriving at 21.10 on a Thursday night... I have no clue how to get to my hotel from the airport it says its 44 minute drive away.

[BillyStubbsTears]

What’s the address of your hotel?

[balbyrover]

What’s the address of your hotel?

Castello. 2146. Venezia. 30122 Italy is the one I think we're going for.
Casa Faveretto Guest house

[Hounslowrover]

Did it a few years ago.  We used the Venezia Unica card which meant we could hop on and off the vaporettos, also free admission to some museums and churches etc.  Agree about avoiding tourist places to eat, there are plenty of places to eat well and cheaply. Enjoy

[idler]

We went a couple of years ago for four nights. We got the bus in for about €7 return each then. We were on the grand canal almost opposite the railway station so only a couple of hundred yards walk. Vaporettos are a great way to get around I think that the more days you buy the cheaper they work out. St Marks is a must and bar the Cistine Chapel better than the Vatican I think. There are plenty of places to eat but even some in the side streets can be dear so always look at the menu. We got lost in the maze of streets a couple of times but there is so much to see it is no great problem and we always had our map. The gondola trip can be a rip off, don't get on one near St. Marks and agree a price first. I'd love to go back for another visit. We were there for four nights and loved it.

[GazLaz]

I’ve been. It’s a pretty unique place, I thought there was a severe lack of high quality eating establishments, on or off the beaten track.

[Geoff Blakesley]

Went in 2013, 15 and 17 for the Biennale Arts festival. It is so beautiful - you really could not make it up. Getting lost is the best part. You can walk everywhere it isn't that big. It's cheaper to buy a vaporetto ticket by the day. So a 24 hr ticket kicks off as soon as you use it. Then you can hop on and off as much as you like. We always ate and drank on Via Garibaldi. It's where Venetians go along with the odd tourist. Still only about a 20 min walk along the prom from St Marks sq. It's also in the castello district. Good food and wine at reasonable prices. I'll be back in 2019. Take your camera !!!! It really is stunning.

[Geoff Blakesley]

The venetians like to eat small dishes they call Cicchetti (bit like tapas) in traditional bars called Bacari. Try it out making sure you have an Aperol Spritz which all venetians drink - men and women. ( Look for a drink that is the colour of lucozade )

[BillyStubbsTears]

What’s the address of your hotel?

Castello. 2146. Venezia. 30122 Italy is the one I think we're going for.
Casa Faveretto Guest house

Easiest way then is to get the Alilaguna water bus from the airport to Piazza San Marco. Then it’s 10 mins walk from there. It’s a bit pricey but easiest route.

https://www.alilaguna.it/en/lines/linea-arancio/orario

Alternative is you can get a bus to Piazale Roma in Venice then get the water bus up the Grand Canal to San Marco. That might be a couple of quid cheaper but it’ll be a lot longer.

[Geoff Blakesley]

That b and b is in a top spot near the entrance to the Arsenale (worlds first production line ) and Naval Museum . It's about 5 mins walk from Via Garibaldi that I mentioned. Agree with Billy - get the Alilaguna boat - book a return trip. Print off your receipt and swap it for tickets at the pierhead . There is now a long travel escalator from the airport right to the pierhead. You get off the Alilaguna boat at Arsenale stop - BLUE LINE.

[roversontheup]

I was there for 3 nights just before Xmas. It was amazing. I agree with what everyone else has said about the travel and eating places. We walked miles...not always quite sure where we were so came to a few dead ends but that was part of the fun and enjoyment. It really is a magical place particularly so as no road traffic or noise!
It was a great time to visit too as there were no crowds like there are in summer months so walking around was very easy.
I’m sure you will love it.

[roversdude]

Lovely place summed up by BST
Only drawback is summer it’s crowded and smells like an open sewer

[idler]

We were there in May and it didn't smell too bad. The thing about Venice is that you walk down a narrow alley that can suddenly open into a pizza or courtyard to something amazing or of interest.

[auckleyflyer]

Docked there xmas 92, only time I was away for Christmas, so cant complain at it being Venice.
Smells bad but is a treat to the eye and an assault on the senses.
Saw the pope in the main sq and got banged up for stealing a gondola!!! Group of us and it seamed a fun way to get back to the ship!!! Let us go in the morning.
You'll remember it for sure.

[Geoff Blakesley]

I always go in October. It never smells. It only smells in the height of summer which is not a time that sensible folk ever visit,

[roversdude]

Hold my hand up Geoff

[idler]

When we were there we went into a church and while I was pottering about the wife opened a door and there was an old man laid out in a coffin with the lid open. Having been a nurse for 25 years it didn't throw her her but was a bit of a surprise.

[Donny Dub]

Avoid buying anything in St Mark’s square, it’s a bigger rip off than Temple Bar.
If you’re out for a meal try and go where the locals go, better food, much better value.
Good luck, it’s a unique city.

[Donny Dub]

Oh, go low season if you can.  The next few days are Carnivale, an expensive period in Venice.

[hoolahoop]

Are young flying to Venice Marco Polo Airport?

If so, there’s two great ways to get from airport to Venice.
1) Get the vaporetto from the airport. Fantastic way to travel into Venice.
2) Get bus from the airport to Mestre station, then take the train over the pontoon bridge to Venice Santa Lucia station. It’s like arrivingvat any station in the world...till you exit out of the station concourse and you’re right in front of the Grand Canal. Best way to arrive at Venice. Unforgettable.

I've been many years ago and loved it - same advice as others get away from the main tourist attractions .
My daughter went there this summer and also stopped on the Lido do Jesolo they did it fairly cheaply using airbnb. I believe they also went the 2nd way way you pointed out . The place has to be seen , the 4 of them flew into Milan and took in Florence, Bologna and Lake Garda too using trains .

[balbyrover]

Thanks for all advice guys. I'm going at the backend of April.

Still looking to find a hotel. Not wanting to spend silly money but equally would rather it not be a shithole and in a good accessible location is a must really.
Any reccomendations ?

[RedJ]

Have a look on Airbnb, there's some nice apartments on there. I use it a lot when I'm abroad and even when I'm travelling through the UK.

[idler]

We stayed at the hotel Grand Canal I think that it was called. On the grand canal opposite the gap between the bus and railway station.
It was about a five to ten minute walk across a bridge. A smallish hotel, not the best but had atmosphere and OK for our four days. St. Marks was about a 15 minute walk away but vaporettos available opposite. We booked our city break through Jet2 travel. Service buses and airport express buses are every 15 minutes or so and were the cheapest transfer from Marco Polo airport. You buy tickets from a machine in the bus station.

[Hounslowrover]

Stayed in the Hotel Agli Artisti, not expensive, convenient for walking and vaporetto, plenty of places to eat nearby.  I put it on Tripadvisor and have had plenty of supportive responses from other travellers.  Never used Airbnb, but have used Housetrip for Spain and Rome, you can get good deals here too.