When my Mum and Step-Dad decided that they would make the long trip from New Zealand to explore Italy, I was ecstatic. I’d always wanted to go back to this amazing city, and with them I knew this would be an experience to remember. Venice became our first stop and was followed shortly by Florence, Rome, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.
We spent three days and four nights in Venice and easily could have stayed longer. With it being one of my favourites cities in Europe and having family friends who live on Lido, (an island just off the coast of Venice) I knew we would enjoy its stunning architecture, artwork and cuisine. The beauty of Venice is unparalleled.
WHERE TO STAY:
We were lucky to stay in the home of our family friends on Lido, however AirBnB provided some great options. For a family of four we could easily find places with all of the amenities that we needed / wanted. If your wanting more of a hotel vibe, booking.com have loads of choices at your disposal and are worth looking into as you could get a place right on the water.
Location wise, if you want to see everything early without the crowds or just want to be close to all of the main sites, staying on the main island is the best option. However, if you want a more quiet stay and are not too fazed on catching the ferries there are a few islands that would be a great experience (Lido included – the only island with cars!). You could even switch it up and stay a couple nights here, a couple nights there.
HOW TO GET THERE:
We flew out from Geneva as my parents visited Chamonix first (where we lived) before we headed to Venice. Booking flights through Skyscanner was super easy as we didn’t want to hire a car. When in Europe this was the main website I use to book flights as it comes up with a range of options covering a ton of European airlines. They also cater for buses and trains which is super handy if you’re trying to compare all of your options!
HOW TO TRAVEL WITHIN VENICE:
You have three options: walk, ferry or water taxi (unless you’re staying on Lido of course). Walking is the main form of transportation on all islands and to get to and from different parts of Venice you can either ferry or get a water taxi. Ferries are quite affordable as you get a single ticket that lasts either 24, 48 or 72 hours. We went for the 48 hour ticket which cost us roughly €30.00 per person. It starts when you swipe your first entry and can get you to and from all neighbouring islands. Each island also has their own ticket booth with someone to talk to if you have questions – english was commonly spoken as well. Water taxi’s are much more expensive as they are private, just for you and your crew.
TO DO’S:
– Gondola ride: A tourist 101. The most unique way to view the main island, after all Venice is knowing as the ‘floating city’. They are quite expensive but if you’re on a budget and there are a few of you (I believe most of them can fit up to five or six per boat) and split it, it’s well worth it! Even if it’s only two of you it’s an experience you wouldn’t want to miss when visiting Venice. I roughly remember it being around €80.00 for half an hour.
– Explore the city: Getting lost in the streets of Venice is very easy but it is one of its many charms. Google Maps is a bit useless here as there are so many little alleyways and it can get confused as to where you are so why not go without all together!
– Visit the neighbouring islands. The islands we visited were Burano, Murano, Lido and San Giorgio Maggiore. All are a must but Burano and Murano definitely stuck out! Burano is famous for its bright, colourful houses (an Instagram heaven) and its intricate lace. If you’re lucky you might actually see someone stitching. On the other hand, Murano is known for its stunning glass making. Here you can find everything from wine bottle stoppers to animals, all made of glass. We saw both islands in one day and this was with taking our time to sit down and enjoy. San Giorgio Maggiore is also worth a stop as it has the best views over Venice. One of our local friends suggested it! St Mark’s Campanile (in Piazza San Marco), is another option but the line is always so long! I’ve been up both and would definitely rate San Giorgio Maggiore higher.
– Visit all the main sites: Piazza San Marco, Basilica di San Marco, Columns of Saint Mark and Saint Theodore, Doge’s Palace, Torre dell’Orologio, Bridge of Sighs are just some of my favourites. And all within very close proximity to each other. Two other bridges that I was quite fond of (and are quite popular) are the Rialto Bridge and Ponte dell’Accademia. Both have stunning views over the city.
– Go early: Visit Piazza San Marco and on your way see the Bridge of Sighs. And when I say go early I mean, early early. We arrived a little before 8am and the only others in the square were locals heading to work. If you love taking photos this is the perfect time as there are no crowds. The lighting is also at it’s best!
PLACES TO EAT:
Prior to arriving to Venice I did a bit of research on where to eat / drink. A lot of the time we ate with our hosts or cooked at home so we didn’t eat out much however, these are the places that I would suggested to try:
– Il Santo Bevitore: If you’re into a bit of craft beer, they have some raving reviews on Tripadvisor.
– Paradiso Perduto: For Venetian tapas called “cicchetti”. Typically only served in Venice as it is a traditional dish from here.
– Ostaria dai Zemei: Situated close to Rialto Bridge and known for their great cicchetti.
– Osteria Nono Risorto: Beautiful courtyard with a range of Venetian cuisine.
HINTS AND TIPS:
– When eating / drinking at a restaurant all bread and tips are usually included in the final bill. However if I received really good service I tipped extra as a thank you, even if only a couple euro.
– As mentioned above, visit all of the main monuments early! Ideally before 8am. This way you will be see everything without the crowds. And take some amazing photos while you’re at it!
– When booking accommodation consider who you’re travelling with, how long you plan on being there for and what kind of traveller you are. This will help to determine what kind of stay is best for you. For the majority of our trip through Italy we wanted to have a home with two bedrooms and a kitchen so we could have the option of cooking. AirBnB was our main preference for long stays and booking.com for short stays. With AirBnB we found that between the four of us it was more affordable as well.
– There are fresh water fountains through-out most of the city wide areas so if you’re on a day trip take a reusable water bottle. It’s much more environmentally friendly than buying plastic bottles and will save you a few euro.
– Learn a few basic Italian phrases and download the Google Translate app. Here you can load onto your phone different languages that will work even if you’re offline. Definitely helpful if you get lost or need some help and don’t have access to WiFi.
– As most parts of Europe you will need to pay tourist tax. This all depends on the area as to the cost but it’s worth looking into before you go so you know what to expect when it comes to paying your bill at the start or end of a stay.
– When in Europe Skyscanner is the main website I use to book flights as there is a large range of options covering a lot of European airlines. They also cater for buses and trains which is super handy if you’re trying to consider all transport options.
– Make sure you do your cuisine research before you arrive, then you know you’ll be tasting the best! All delicacies are based on the region that you are in. For example Rome is well known for its Carbonara and Florence for its Florentine steak.
– Always have cash handy. You are able to use your card in most restaurants but for smaller purchases and markets cash is more accepted.
– Avoid eating next to the main sites / monuments. Take a walk for another five minutes and you’ll find places that have much nicer food, less crowds and are a lot more affordable. Also, if I know where I’m going for the day I always check out tripadvisor. They have the best reviews on restaurants and cafes from all over the world!
– If you plan on using the trains to get from city to city, I would suggest to book these online and in advance. Omio I found easy to navigate and you don’t have to print out a ticket as you can access everything on the app. Trenitalia and Italio are two main train companies within Italy. In terms of comfort, punctuality and friendliness they were very similar so if you’re wondering whether to book one or the other you can’t really go wrong.
As I said earlier, Venice is one of my favourite places purely due to how is extremely unique it is! It is definitely a destination that should be on everyones bucket-list!