Hello everyone, and happy Chewsday! Today marks the first of “Professor’s travel tips”, a.k.a. “All (most of?) the things I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.” Also when I say “first” that shouldn’t–and doesn’t–imply this is a weekly thing. It’s a “when I remember I’m supposed to make blog posts” kind of thing.
The biggest bit of info I have to share right now is–of course–Italy. Let’s start with probably my favorite city to visit there, Venice.
One of the most visited cities in the world, Venice–population 50,000 or thereabouts–sees nearly 25 MILLION tourists a year. It is beyond-belief levels of busy in the summer, which is why your dear old friend Il Professore prefers 6traveling there in the off-season. February is especially fun because it’s Carnevale di Venezia, which is one of those “at least once in your lifetime if you’re able to go, DO IT” things. Fans of Assassin’s Creed 2 will understand.
Rule number one if you’re visiting Venice–there is ZERO need–or use–for a rental car. There’s no way to drive around the city; it’s water-based and boot leather only. If, like me, you’re planning a road trip around the country, AWESOME! Please drive safely and enjoy the countryside. My strong suggestion is to start or wrap the adventure in Venice, and skip the rental for that period. If you’re planning it somewhere in the middle, you can turn the car in at Marco Polo airport, with a fresh reservation afterward. There’s no point in paying for a rental car for however many days you’re there, just to have it sit in a parking garage that you’re also paying for. In fact, at the time of this post, it’s over 30 Euros per 24-hour period if you book in advance-it’s closer to 50 for a 24-hour park if you just drive in without an advance booking! Add that to 60-90 euros per day (depending on size of car and assuming you wisely selected the full damage waiver) and that adds up to one heck of a nice meal or three-or a couple nights’ lodging! It’s your money at the end of the day, of course, so spend however you want-but I can’t imagine if you’re reading this that you want to throw that cash away.
If you fly in to Marco Polo, the first and fastest way to get to Piazzale Roma (the main arrival point in Venice) is via taxi. We did this the first trip in 2022, and it was about 50-60 euros, and took about 12 minutes (he may have inadvertently strayed ever so briefly and only slightly above the posted speed limits along the way, as the occasional Italian driver may inadvertently do from time to time). The driver was fantastic, made lots of great recommendations, and seemed genuinely happy people were returning to visit his lovely country. If you just want to get there, and don’t mind spending a few extra euros, a marked (they’ll be white with a big sign on the door explaining pricing) taxi is definitely the way to go.
If you don’t mind a slightly slower commute, public transport to/from and in/around Venice is extremely simple. You can take the ACTV #5 bus (there’s a few different companies, ACTV is the local public transit agency-thus the cheapest-while the others are private) for 10 euros and about 20-30 minutes later you’ll arrive at Piazzale Roma, where you can then catch the Vaporetto-ACTV’s primary “bus system” through Venice. A single-fare ticket for the Vaporetto will run you 9.50 euros, while a multi-day ticket will–at the time of posting this–run you 35 euros for 2-day, 45 euros for 3-day, and 65 euros for 7-day access. For fully up-to-date fares, you can check out the ACTV website at (https://avm.avmspa.it/en/node/775). Important note, the multi-day tickets are valid for unlimited use. The single-fare ticket is valid for unlimited use for up to 75 minutes from validation. The big win for the multi-day pass is that you don’t *HAVE* to walk 10-15 minutes just to cross the Grand Canal on one of the two (primary) bridges across it (Ponte di Rialto or Ponte dell’Accademia) to get somewhere on the other side. If your only goal is to get where you’re headed (maybe you got a hot tip on breakfast or a spritz you need to try ASAP!) you can hop on the Vaporetto at the nearest stop and the next stop in either direction will be on the opposite side of the Grand Canal, turning it into a massive time-saver if you lingered too long people-watching at the café that morning. Pro tip on the Vaporetto: ride it under the Ponte di Rialto at least once, but make sure you’re on the back of the boat. You’ll get the best photos of the bridge from there! Also, if you’re under 30-buy the “Rolling Venice Card” from the ticket office at Piazzale Roma first, because you can get the 72-hour pass for a reduced price of 27 euros, saving you enough for the aforementioned Aperol Spritz, Cornetto con Marmellata, and Cappuccino-the perfect Venetian breakfast. Or snack. Or dinner, I’m not about to judge. The Rolling Venice Card is also valid for discounts on various museums and monuments to include the Doge’s Palace.
Depending on where you’re staying, the Alilaguna water taxi runs directly from Marco Polo to the main city. The ride is also about 20-30 minutes, with the bonus that you get to see other sights in the lagoon like Murano and the San Michele cemetery. The reason I bring up “depending on where you’re staying”, is that the water taxi (two main lines, Azzura and Arancia) will stop at a selection of the Vaporetto docks along the Grand Canal. We lucked out this year and noticed the orange line stops at Sant’Angelo, which is the stop directly next to the Palazzo Barocci Venezia, this year’s hotel. Perfetto!
Speaking of hotels, I can personally comment on a whopping two of them. Please note that these are simply my own personal experience on the specific days I stayed in each, and is as always a very small sampling of everything available from the Gritti Palace all the way down to a barracks-style hostel (the Gritti Palace is *REALLY* nice though).
2022’s accommodation was at the Hotel Cavalletto e Doge Orseolo, just steps from Piazza San Marco. Our room opened onto the canal and Hard Rock Café below. Pros: The room was extremely spacious, had a king-sized bed that was plenty comfy, small fridge for beverages and snacks, and everything was kept very clean and tidy. The bathroom had the standard towel-warmer on the wall and that is ALWAYS a big win. Neither a plus nor a minus was the “communal ironing area”. This is quite common in most of Continental Europe, I’ve learned, as it reduces both the number of irons and ironing boards the hotel needs to stock (maybe 8-10 per couple floors instead of 20-30 depending on how many rooms are on each), reducing costs (which would typically be passed on to the guest), but it also reduces the risks of things growing legs and departing the property. Anything that helps keep costs down, I’m all for. So it was a little strange at first, but I wouldn’t even consider it an inconvenience-just something culturally a little different from here in the US that it helps to be prepared for. The staff were for the most part very friendly, happy to make a recommendation or even a reservation for meals, outings, museums, etc.
On the minuses side, it IS worth noting that the available breakfast was confusing and no information was provided. We went and attempted to get food, but after sitting about 10 minutes at a table without being provided plates/welcomed (and there weren’t plates at the buffet itself–staff would provide them to other tables within seconds of seating) and numerous employees just walking past ignoring our presence, we opted to go get a cappuccino and cornetto (croissant) at a nearby café. That, it turns out, is ABSOLUTELY the way to roll there. Much cheaper, delicious, fresh. Zero complaints. The other “minus” is a relative one, but the location isn’t ideal if you have more than a few days of luggage with you. The nearest Vaporetto stop is over a quarter-mile away, over cobbled sidewalks, bridges, and through Piazza San Marco, probably the busiest (definitely the largest) square in Venice. You’ll quickly discover whether your luggage is built well, or…..”otherwise”. We lost at least one wheel on a large checked bag on that first walk alone. All in all, the Cavalletto was a very nice place to stay, with just the breakfast being the only real detractor, and a stern warning to have sturdy luggage for the walk (though I accept full responsibility for buying cheap “amazon recommends” baggage for the trip).
In 2023, as previously mentioned we were at the Palazzo Barocci Venezia, just a few steps from the Sant’Angelo Vaporetto stop. This immediately removed one of the two negatives from 2022, and not opting for breakfast at the property (having learned to just go native as it were) removed the other. So was it perfection? Well the Cavalletto was a fantastic hotel, which provided some lessons learned that were translated and made the second time round even better.
The room was definitely smaller than 2022’s accommodation, but the flipside to that coin was being in a room with a view of the Grand Canal, right on the ground floor of the hotel, so no stairs or cramped elevators to negotiate when coming/going. Additionally, a complimentary bottle of Prosecco was waiting in the room upon arrival. Nice touch for sure. Staff again was incredibly friendly, patient, and eager to help in any way needed, whether through offering luggage storage (handy if you don’t leave the city until the afternoon but need to check out of your room hours prior–or if you arrive early and can’t yet check in but want to explore a little bit or grab an Aperol Spritz maybe), or as with the previous year recommendations/reservations for sights, meals, water taxis, anything you need. While next year’s situation is a bit different and we need a different type of accommodation for 2024, if that hadn’t been the case the Barocci would have been first pick, and likely will be for 2025 and beyond.
I suppose the next really big question people will have is “what about food?” Well that’s simple. Everywhere.
Okay, maybe not quite that extreme, but nearly everywhere is going to be fantastic. While breakfast has been covered, I have to take a moment to give props to Bar Canton in Campo San Barnaba. A cappuccino, cornetto with peach jam, and a fresh-squeezed (as in the wonderful young barista cut and squeezed to order) blood orange juice was about 3.50 Euros per person. And bonus points…X marks the spot for fans of a proper film with Indiana Jones!
That leaves us with lunch/dinner. While almost everything is going to be spectacular, there’s one big thing to watch out for-primarily it’s the restaurants along the Grand Canal very close to the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) with the giant English fixed menus that include burgers and other Americanized food. These are not fresh local spots, and most of what they serve is prepared by Chef Westinghouse if you catch my drift. While many of the good restaurants are starting to do it too (at least on a fairly non-invasive way), another good general rule is if someone is standing out front like the barkers at a circus (or the skin care/shoe cleaner kiosks at the mall) attempting to herd you inside (some will actually stand in your way and extend their arms as if to say “stop going wherever you’re headed and go this way instead”-aggressive as hell really) just keep walking. Greeters are common, some will ask if you want to come inside, and usually will smile and leave you to it if you just say “no grazie!”
Venetian cuisine is primarily seafood based and includes squid, octopus, fish of all sorts, mussels, clams, oysters, and eel on the good local spots’ menus. If you aren’t keen on fish/shellfish, you can of course still get some fantastic ragu and pasta dishes at most restaurants, either pork or duck usually, typically from a farm just across the water on the mainland. Places that I can eagerly recommend include Osteria del Lovo, La Caravella in the Hotel Saturnia, Antinoo’s Lounge in the Sina Centurion Palace Hotel, and even to-go pasta (duck ragu of course) at Bepe Bigoi Venezia.
Additionally, many of the bars (usually noted as “Bacaro”, “Bacaretto”, or a variation thereof on the sign) serve the traditional Venetian lunch, called “cicchetti”. Think “small bites”. Usually consisting of a slice of (thick fresh) crusty bread, with various toppings. Seafood such as sardines or eel, ham, cheeses, fresh tomatoes, etc. are all typical options. An Aperol spritz and a couple cicchetti at a table in Campo San Toma (look for “Basegone”, great little bar) was a fantastic way to just hang out, people-watch, and enjoy a man randomly playing his accordion to earn a couple coins. If you go to Venice in search of the authentic Venetian experience, that’s about the pinnacle right there.
As far as sights/things to see and do, probably the two biggest ones are the Doge’s Palace/Basilica di San Marco, and the Ponte di Rialto (both seen up above). I covered the best water-based photo spot for the bridge, but you can also use the Rialto Vaporetto stop to the south to get a good shot, or on the north side from Palazzo dei Camerlenghi (better at night). Also highly recommended is the rooftop terrace at T Fondaco, which is free but must be booked in advance (pro tip: google sunrise/sunset times when you’re there and you might get lucky!). You get a great view of the entire city, with the bridge just below you. The only better vantage point in the entire city would be the bell tower at Piazza San Marco, where Galileo set up his early telescopes to observe the heavens.
For Basilica San Marco, there are night tours offered. While I haven’t personally taken one (yet), that’s on the short list of must-do things in 2024. You not only have significantly fewer people with you on the tour and present inside in general, you get to visit the normally off-limits crypt below the church-where the bones of St Mark himself now lie (after the Venetians “liberated” him from Alexandria-minus his head, since they forgot to grab it-several hundred years ago). Even if you want to visit during the day, the line for tickets gets UNBELIEVABLY long even when there’s not many tourists in the city. Spend the 1-2 euros per person and book in advance, skip that line!
Beyond that, there’s *LOADS* to see and do in Venice. I urge you to go back and read my two previous travelog entries for more ideas. Bottom line-if you go to Venice and are bored, that’s on you my friend.
One final item to note is that Venice is going to be (eventually–they keep pushing back the date it’s to start) incorporating a “day use fee” for visitors not staying overnight on the island. Depending on time of year expect to pay between three and ten euros per person per day, and you will be required to book in advance. This is being done to reduce the overcrowding they’re experiencing lately. With the residents-to-tourists ratio, the island simply can’t continue at its current pace. If you stay overnight in hotels in Venice, you have a 5-ish Euro “city tax” that exempts you from paying this day use fee. It’s being implemented to allow them to increase efforts to restore and preserve the city. Something all of us should be happy to get behind.
Always enjoy coming along for the adventure. Thanks for the tips